Ross Creek Nature
Ross Creek Nature Trail is a 0.7 miles trail in Kootenai National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Kootenai National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 48.2084, -115.9151 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 48.2069, -115.9188 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 0.7 miles, of which 0.7 miles evaluated accessible |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | imported loose material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 48-60 inches |
| Minimum width | 36 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | At least one segment meets Forest Service accessibility guidelines |
| Special management area | IRA - INVENTORIED ROADLESS AREA |
| Trail numbers | 405 |
| Forest | Kootenai National Forest (unit 0114) |
| States | Montana |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed 06/01 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Trailheads
Open Gate open to motorized traffic on May 1 · listed none This a day use site only. Bad Medicine Campground is nearby. No motorized use year around on trail. | 0 mi |
Open December 1 · listed none | 0 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Fire nearby
- WildfireSilver
45 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,593 acres · 30% contained
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
0.7 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Kootenai National Forest. 0.7 miles of that are evaluated as accessible.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Ross Creek Nature Trail start?
The line begins at 48.2084, -115.9151 and ends at 48.2069, -115.9188. The nearest recorded trailhead is #405 Ross Creek Nature Trailhead, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Ross Creek Nature Trail in a wilderness area?
No. The trail line does not cross any polygon in the National Wilderness Preservation System layer.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Where can I camp near the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
Bad Medicine Campground (2.9 mi), Bad Medicine Campground (4.2 mi) and Spar Lake Campground (4.6 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 48-60 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Ross Creek Nature Trail accessible?
The Forest Service has evaluated 0.7 miles of this trail as meeting its accessibility guidelines. The surface is imported loose material.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
Kootenai National Forest, Forest Service unit 0114. The trail is in Montana.
Is there a fire near the Ross Creek Nature Trail?
1 active incident within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Silver at 45 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named ROSS CREEK NATURE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0114. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.