Montana · Trail 618

Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk

Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail is a 6.5-mile trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and e-bikes.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The forest office carries current alerts and closure orders.

Map

One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.

One end46.4630° N, 110.7581° W · Directions ↗
Other end46.4173° N, 110.7424° W · 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 is recorded as 6 segments.

The trail

Length6.5 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical tread width18-24 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers618
ForestHelena-Lewis and Clark National Forest (unit 0115)
StatesMontana
Detail publishedmanagement 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.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.51 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.34 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.71 inches of precipitationApril: 1.44 inches of precipitationMay: 2.08 inches of precipitationJune: 2.52 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.36 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.21 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.04 inches of precipitationOctober: 0.86 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.44 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.53 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 23.4°F averageFebruary: 23.7°F averageMarch: 32.7°F averageApril: 39.7°F averageMay: 48.7°F averageJune: 56.7°F averageJuly: 64.8°F averageAugust: 64.0°F averageSeptember: 54.7°F averageOctober: 42.8°F averageNovember: 31.1°F averageDecember: 23.0°F average0 in1 in2 in3 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at White Sulphur Springs #2, 10 miles from the trail midpoint at 5,040 feet, station USC00248930 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 13 inches a year. The station sits about 2,200 feet lower than the trail midpoint, so temperatures on the ground run cooler.

Allowed uses

HikingAllowed year-round
Horse and pack stockAllowed year-round
Mountain bikingAllowed year-round
E-bikesAllowed 07/01 to 08/31 (month/day)

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

The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record.

Trails nearby

Camping nearby

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Showdown Piles Rx

    28 mi from the trail midpoint · 4 acres

  • Prescribed
    Kings Hill Cabin Piles Rx

    29 mi from the trail midpoint · 1 acre

  • Prescribed
    Coyote Divide Piles Rx

    36 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Crow Creek Slim Sam Rx

    46 mi from the trail midpoint · 2,100 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.

Explore

Guidebooks for Montana

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • 100 Classic Hikes: Montana
    Douglas Lorain, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Day Hiking Glacier National Park and Western Montana
    Aaron Theisen, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking waterfalls in Montana
    John Kratz, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Montana: Bozeman
    Bill Schneider, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Hiking Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks
    Erik Molvar, 2018
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

How long is the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

The Forest Service records 6.5 miles under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the sum of 6 segments.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

Hiking, horse and pack stock, mountain biking and e-bikes are allowed. 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 Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail start?

The line begins at 46.4630° N, 110.7581° W and ends at 46.4173° N, 110.7424° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk 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 Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.

Source: Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

How developed is the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately 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 Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail accessible?

No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Who manages the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.

Source: Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

Is there a fire near the Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk Trail?

The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Showdown Piles Rx at 28 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 6 segments named Willow Creek/Warm Springs Crk in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0115. 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 November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.