Snowmobile Loop J
Snowmobile Loop J Trail is a 32.6 miles snow trail in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
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 end | 46.7647, -110.3116 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 46.7617, -110.3150 · 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 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 32.6 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | snow trail |
| Surface | snow |
| Typical tread width | 96-120 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Open to at least one motorized use |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 526 |
| Forest | Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest (unit 0115) |
| 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.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Snowmobile | Allowed 12/01 to 05/15 (month/day) |
| Snowshoeing | Allowed year-round |
| Cross-country skiing | 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.
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.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Snowmobile Loop J Trail?
32.6 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Snowmobile Loop J Trail?
snowmobile, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail is open to at least one motorized use. Some uses are seasonal. The allowed uses section lists the dates.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Snowmobile Loop J Trail start?
The line begins at 46.7647, -110.3116 and ends at 46.7617, -110.3150. 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 Snowmobile Loop J 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 Snowmobile Loop J Trail?
Hunters Spring Cabin (1.1 mi), Hay Canyon Campground (2.4 mi) and Daisy Dean Camp (3.9 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Snowmobile Loop J 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 Snowmobile Loop J Trail?
The typical tread is 96-120 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Snowmobile Loop J Trail?
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Forest Service unit 0115. The trail is in Montana.
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named SNOWMOBILE LOOP J 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 September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.