Montana · Trail 338

Cap Mtn

Cap Mtn Trail is a 4.8 miles trail in Flathead National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking and horse and pack stock. It enters Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Flathead 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 end48.0934, -113.0932 · Directions ↗
Other end48.1213, -113.0492 · 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

Length4.8 miles
Trail class2, moderately developed
Typeland trail
Surfacenative material
Typical grade12-20 percent
Typical tread width12-18 inches
Motor vehiclesClosed to all motorized use year-round
AccessibilityEvaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines
Trail numbers338
ForestFlathead National Forest (unit 0110)
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 Cap Mtn Trail20°30°40°50°60°January: 3.09 inches of precipitationFebruary: 2.56 inches of precipitationMarch: 2.55 inches of precipitationApril: 2.21 inches of precipitationMay: 2.89 inches of precipitationJune: 4.00 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.54 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.46 inches of precipitationSeptember: 2.17 inches of precipitationOctober: 2.55 inches of precipitationNovember: 2.78 inches of precipitationDecember: 2.63 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.7°F averageFebruary: 21.8°F averageMarch: 28.0°F averageApril: 36.1°F averageMay: 44.9°F averageJune: 52.7°F averageJuly: 59.9°F averageAugust: 59.2°F averageSeptember: 50.5°F averageOctober: 39.6°F averageNovember: 29.0°F averageDecember: 21.9°F average0 in1 in2 in3 in4 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at E Glacier, 26 miles from the trail midpoint at 4,806 feet, station USC00242629 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 30 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 01/01 to 12/31 (month/day)
Horse and pack stockAllowed 06/01 to 11/30 (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.

Wilderness

Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.

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. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.

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
    Sb Silver Mule Rx

    24 mi from the trail midpoint

  • Prescribed
    Sb Horse Ridge Rx

    24 mi from the trail midpoint

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 Cap Mtn Trail?

4.8 miles, the sum of the 1 segment the Forest Service records under this name in Flathead National Forest.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

What is allowed on the Cap Mtn Trail?

hiking and horse and pack stock. 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 Cap Mtn Trail start?

The line begins at 48.0934, -113.0932 and ends at 48.1213, -113.0492. 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 Cap Mtn Trail in a wilderness area?

Yes. It enters Bob Marshall Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.

Source: Bob Marshall Wilderness Wilderness

Where can I camp near the Cap Mtn Trail?

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.

Source: Flathead National Forest official page

How developed is the Cap Mtn 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 Cap Mtn Trail?

The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 12-18 inches wide.

Source: Forest Service trail layer

Is the Cap Mtn 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 Cap Mtn Trail?

Flathead National Forest, Forest Service unit 0110. The trail is in Montana.

Source: Flathead National Forest official page

Is there a fire near the Cap Mtn Trail?

2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Sb Silver Mule Rx at 24 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.

Source: Fire nearby

Source

This page is built from 1 segment named CAP MTN in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0110. 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.