Continental Divide
Continental Divide Trail is a 4.1 miles trail in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana and Idaho. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Beaverhead-Deerlodge 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 | 44.4537, -112.8102 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 44.5031, -112.7226 · 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 7 segments.
The trail
| Length | 4.1 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 8-10 percent, 10-12 percent |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| National designation | National Scenic or Historic Trail |
| Trail numbers | 1004D, 1004E |
| Forest | Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (unit 0102) |
| States | Montana, Idaho |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed 06/15 to 10/31 (month/day) |
| 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
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.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Continental Divide Trail?
4.1 miles, the sum of the 7 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Continental Divide 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 Continental Divide Trail start?
The line begins at 44.4537, -112.8102 and ends at 44.5031, -112.7226. 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 Continental Divide 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 Continental Divide 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.
How developed is the Continental Divide 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 Continental Divide Trail?
The typical grade is 8-10 percent on most segments and 10-12 percent on others.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Continental Divide Trail a national trail?
Yes. The record marks it as a National Scenic or Historic Trail.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Continental Divide Trail?
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Forest Service unit 0102. The trail is in Montana and Idaho.
Source
This page is built from 7 segments named CONTINENTAL DIVIDE in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0102. 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.