Frequently ask questions about the Montana Trail 406
Search our knowledge base of common questions about the Montana Trail. If you cannot find an answer here, please contact us or join the conversation on the Montana Trail 406 Facebook page or email montanatrail406@yahoo.com or montanatrail406@gmail.com.
Trail Overview
The Montana Trail is a roughly 1,700-mile continuous route from the Idaho border to the North Dakota border. The Montana Trail is intended for long-distance, non-motorized recreation through some of the most spectacular and diverse landscapes in Montana.
The Montana Trail 406 is currently approximately 1,700 miles long.
As one of America’s newest ultra-long trails, the MT406 is dynamic and may change as the Montana Trail 406 Association and our partners work to refine and optimize the trail routing, although this will have a small effect on the overall length of the trail.
The Montana Trail 406 is located completely in Montana. It has a west-east orientation and stretches from the Idaho-Montana border to near the U.S.-Canada to near the Wyoming-Montana border to the North Dakota-Montana border. The 1,700-mile trail route runs along much of the Continental Divide within Montana, including trails through Glacier National Park and very close to Yellowstone National Park traversing many of the island mountain ranges of central Montana. The route continues east along, and on, the Missouri River, crossing the great short grass prairie of eastern Montana to finish at Fort Union, the eastern terminus of the route.
The concept of the Montana Trail 406 originated along the Continental Divide. In 2017 Marty Bannon considered a Montana State route while riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route following a successful thru hike of the Continental Divide Trail. The first thru-hike, using multiple modes (hiking, canoeing and mountain bikes) was completed in 2022 by Carly and Fey, who proved the route. Read about their adventure here: Two Women Complete the Montana Trail 406
The route continues to be refined as trails and routes change in response to topography changes, transportation infrastructure changes, and land management policies.
The first name and still the official name used most commonly.
This is just a shortened and easier way to refer to the trail. Note that there was a historical trail named the Montana Trail prominent during the gold rush period (1860 to 1870).
This acronym has been used from the beginning to refer to the Montana Trail 406.
Trail Information
The trail is managed by federal and state land managers and local private property owners. The Montana Trail 406 Association intends to support land managers in the future as the Montana Trail matures. The Montana Trail Association also intends to work cooperatively with other partners to include federal, state, and local governments to provide passage for the Montana Trail. These local offices maintain authority to make land use and resource management decisions on lands they manage.
Yes, it is currently possible to do a continuous thru-hike of the entire Montana Trail. In most cases, the paths that connect to form the Montana Trail existed on the ground long before the concept of the Montana Trail was first conceived. People thru-hike it each year, and that number will steadily grow. GPX data of the entire trail is available on this website and onX Map provides an APP option: onX Backcountry.
The trail route is subject to change and may be re-routed in response to fires, floods, and other conditions. For information on routing and trail conditions, visit our website or our Facebook page or text our office at (406) 781-9542.
The Montana Trail provides approximately 1,700 miles of continuous routing from the Idaho to the North Dakota. Most of the trail, about 80%, is on federal (and state, or just federal?) lands. In some areas, particularly in cities and agricultural valleys, land is primarily in private ownership and a connection on public lands is not possible. In these sections, the trail may be along the right-of-way of a public road or highway.
In other cases, such as on some private timberlands, landowners have entered into voluntary agreements with the Montana Trail 406 Association to allow passage for the trail. We respect the wishes of private landowners who do not want the trail on their land, and in those cases, we find routes to avoid it.
The Montana Trail travels through eight National Forests: Flathead National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, Idaho Panhandle National Forests, Lewis and Clark National Forest, Beaverhead National Forest, Gallatin National Forest, Deerlodge National Forest and Helena National Forest.
The Montana Trail travels through Glacier National Park and passes very close to Yellowstone National Park. The trail also travels through The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.
About 20 percent of the Montana Trail miles are in six federally designated wilderness areas or wilderness study areas. Designated wilderness areas include Great Bear Wilderness, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Scapegoat Wilderness, Lee Metcalf Wilderness, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, and UL Bend Wilderness.
In addition, it goes through recommended wilderness in Glacier National Park and these wilderness study areas: Ten Lakes WSA, Henneberry Ridge WSA, Bell-Limekiln Canyons WSA, Hidden Pasture Creek WSA, Hyalite Porcupine Buffalo Horn WSA, Middlefork Judith River WSA, Dog Creek South WSA, Stafford WSA, Ervin Ridge WSA, Woodhawk WSA, Cow Creek WSA, Antelope Creek WSA and Burnt Lodge WSA.
Know before you go by visiting: wilderness.net to learn about the regulations specific to each wilderness.
Recreation and Activities on the Montana Trail 406
Some popular destinations along the route, such as Glacier National Park draw millions of visitors each year. However, the majority of the trail sections are far more remote and may be visited by only a few adventurers each year.
The popularity of long-distance hiking and thru-hiking—hiking the entire trail in a season—and mountain bike packing has grown rapidly in recent years. Many more people visit the MT406 for shorter trips, either as “section hikers/bikers” who intend to complete all 1,700 miles over multiple years, or as day or overnight hikers on a shorter portion of the trail.
Is the Montana Trail 406 open to horses and stock?
Accessibility for equestrian use is at the discretion of local land managers. In some places where the route of the MT406 is not open or passable to stock, alternate equestrian trails may exist.
At this stage of development, portions of the Montana Trail are not currently maintained for equestrian access. Hikers are able to maintain continuous routes along the MT406 by bushwhacking or scrambling through undeveloped or unmaintained sections. This also may require linking established trail segments by walking along the shoulders of open roads, these options may be impractical or infeasible for riders.
In high elevation areas the trail maintenance season for the MT406 does not typically begin until July when the snowpack has melted out. Melt out for some areas may not take place until late summer. In areas along the Continental Divide snags regularly fall and land managers recommend packing a saw so that riders can cut their way out. Always check current conditions before you go.
Accessibility for equestrian use is at the discretion of local land managers. In some places where the route of the MT406 is not open or passable to stock, alternate equestrian trails may exist.
At this stage of development, portions of the Montana Trail are not currently maintained for equestrian access. Hikers are able to maintain continuous routes along the MT406 by bushwhacking or scrambling through undeveloped or unmaintained sections. This also may require linking established trail segments by walking along the shoulders of open roads, these options may be impractical or infeasible for riders.
In high elevation areas the trail maintenance season for the MT406 does not typically begin until July when the snowpack has melted out. Melt out for some areas may not take place until late summer. In areas along the Continental Divide snags regularly fall and land managers recommend packing a saw so that riders can cut their way out. Always check current conditions before you go.
Yes, there are many sources of drinking water along the trail. However, trail users must be prepared to filter or purify water from springs, streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, etc. This water should not be considered drinkable without treatment. Availability of water is sometimes sporadic. The longest dry stretch is considered to be Section 22. However, water sources also depend on the time of season you are hiking. The balance of the trail has water sources frequent enough for daily-or-better resupply.
The trail has a range of animals from bears and mountain lions to mice and insects. You will likely see marmots, squirrels, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, antelope, and a variety of birds. The Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks has a number of informative pamphlets on wildlife in Montana. A number of tail sections cross Grizzly Bear habitat and users should be bear aware and carry bear spray in those trail sections. It is best to take proper precautions with your food. One option is to hang your food using scent-proof bags or bear canisters. Rattlesnakes are also present in central and eastern parts of the state, including in and along the Missouri River, so be watchful.
Camping is allowed on the majority of the trail. Glacier National Park requires permits to camp within the park boundaries. The majority of the trail has an abundance of dispersed camping opportunities and some developed BLM and Forest Service campgrounds. Also, camping should be avoided on private land mainly near communities along the trail unless express permission is granted from the land owner. Most people just camp near the trail in a flat location that has been used before and avoid camping on undisturbed ground.
Campfires are generally not allowed during extremely dry hot summers. Check fire restrictions with individual land use managers. They’re also generally not allowed on private land, which accounts for a small percent of the trail.
There is no formal network for arranging a shuttle. Still, some people are willing to assist trail users with shuttle services. Trail users are responsible for arranging transportation to and from the trail. There are commercial shuttle services available for some of the most popular trail sections.
There are 45 towns identified as possible resupply points along the trail. Some are along the trail route and some require travel from the trail to access the services. Careful support planning is required if planning a full thru-hike.
The majority of the identified trail towns have some form of lodging. However, some of the smaller towns that may only be a designated camping area with limited support available – plan accordingly.
Users can arrange guided trips of sections of the Montana Trail. Examples include the Wild and Scenic Missouri River, Gallatin Crest Trail and thru the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
There are many opportunities to volunteer with the Montana Trail 406 Association. In addition, there are numerous opportunities to do trail maintenance through Wild Montana (https://wildmontana.org/volunteer/volunteer-trail-crew/) and The Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation (https://www.bmwf.org/volunteer)
There are many opportunities to personalize your hike on the Montana Trail. Careful planning can provide many options to challenge users as they recreate on the trail.
Thru-Hiking the Montana Trail 406
The length of your border-to-border adventure will depend on your hiking style, how many rest days you take, and if you do any peak bagging or take alternate routes along the way. If you hike an average of 15 miles a day and don’t take any rest days or alternate routes, you will finish in around 110 days. Most hikers seem to generally plan on a three-month adventure.
The 1,700-mile MT406 has an west – east orientation. This creates a narrow weather window compared to other trails with a south-north orientations. The best weather for long-distance trips on the MT406 generally occurs between mid-June and mid-September. Trails are typically snow free from all but the highest elevation areas by mid-July. However, a mid-May start is possible by starting your journey in Fort Benton on the 149-mile section of the Wild and Scenic Missouri River when the river is running high, then flipping back to Fort Benton to continue your journey westbound. This provides for completing the eastern prairie sections of the trail while spring temperatures are mild and more water sources are more available.
Westbound is the least popular as you are paddling against the current of the snow melt Missouri River in spring/summer. Westbound does provide an early opportunity to start on the eastern prairies and provide time for the snow to melt.
Eastbound thru-hiking is the most popular and has its advantages as well as disadvantages. In the mountains, you will probably experience snow-covered trails until late summer and hot and dry conditions on the eastern Prairies. Eastbound hikers should be especially aware of the potential hazard of late spring and early summer snowfalls and choose a start date carefully.
Flip-flopping may be a good option for thru-hikers that prefer to avoid snow travel in the mountains. Flip-flopping requires starting the thru-hike near the middle of the trail at Fort Benton as described in the question above.
The eastern terminus of the MT406 is located at the Fort Union parking area, at the border of North Dakota and Montana on the Missouri River.
The western terminus of the trail is located at the Idaho/Montana border along the MT406/Pacific Northwest Trail in the Kootenai National Forest.
The approximate midpoint of the MT406 is near the city of Emigrant and the geological point where the trail transforms from mountains to prairie landscapes is at Fort Benton.
Navigation on the Montana Trail 406
Other Activities on the Montana Trail 406 (Biking and Riding)
As the newest ultra long trail, the MT406 is still being developed. It is mostly unmarked, receives light use, and may not have been recently maintained in some remote areas.
At this stage of development, many portions of the MT406 are not currently maintained for equestrian access. Many long rides along the trail are possible in places like the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Hikers are able to maintain continuous routes along the entire trail route by bushwhacking or scrambling through undeveloped or unmaintained sections. Hikers are required to link established trail segments by walking along the shoulders of open roads, these options may be impractical or infeasible for riders.
Rugged Trail Conditions: In high elevation areas, the trail maintenance season for the MT406 does not typically begin until July when the snowpack has melted out. Logout for some areas may not take place until late summer. In some areas snags can fall regularly and land managers recommend packing a saw so that riders can cut their way out. Always check current conditions before you go.
Impassable Routes: In some locations, such as the Crazy Mountains, the current route of the MT406 requires bushwhacking through dense forest and following climber’s scrambling routes because no connecting trail has been built. These routes are currently impassable to stock.
Motorized Routes: About 10 percent of the MT406 currently follows roads or motorized routes. These include low-speed gravel forest roads and others are blacktop highways. In these areas, transporting stock by trailer may be required.
Missouri River Section: Because there is no trail along the 149-miles of the Wild and Scenic River section, which runs through private, as well as public lands, it’s not possible to follow the route on horseback.
The Montana Trail 406 is managed for non-motorized recreation.
Hiking and Backpacking: The entire MT406 can be traveled on foot. This is the most popular way to experience the trail.
Pack & Saddle: Horses can use most of the trail. Accessibility for equestrian use is at the discretion of local land managers. In some places where the trail may not be passable for horses, alternate routes may allow for continuous travel.
Bicycling: Bicycles are allowed where permitted by the local land manager; bicycles are not permitted on the MT406 in National Parks or wilderness areas and may not be permitted in recommended wilderness areas. Check land use restrictions before you go. The Montana Trail Association continues to work to designate a suitable mountain route that will parallel the trail route where bicycles are not allowed on the trail.
Motor vehicles: There are some sections of the Montana Trail 406 that are on roads rather than trails. In these sections, hikers, horseman and mountain bike riders may share the road with vehicles.
A long-term objective for the Montana Trail 406 Association is to refine the route to move it off of all roads and onto non-motorized trails wherever practicable.
Dogs are allowed on most of the MT406 and can be enjoyable companions in the backcountry. Thru-hikers of long-distance trails can increase the challenges to complete an end-to-end thru-hike with a canine companion. On the MT406 dogs are not allowed in Glacier National Park along the trail corridor. Local land managers, particularly in bear country, may require dogs to remain on a leash to avoid causing stress to local wildlife or creating potentially unsafe interactions between dogs and bears. Food storage orders apply to dog foods too.
