Montana · Hiking · Scapegoat Wilderness

Lone Mountain Trail

Lone Mountain TrailPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
10.0 mi
round trip
1,061 ft
climb
6,485 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Lone Mountain Trail open right now?

No closures listed

The Forest Service lists no closures for Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Lone Mountain Trail is a 10-mile out-and-back hike in Montana's Scapegoat Wilderness, part of the Lincoln Ranger District of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is rated hard, with a total elevation gain of 1,061 feet from the low point at 5,638 feet to the high point at 6,485 feet. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, so riders can take it as well as hikers. It is open year-round, and the surrounding wilderness makes it a destination for a full day in the backcountry. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July and August highs around 78°F with lows near 49°F, while temperatures on the trail run cooler than those figures because the station sits about 1,600 feet lower. Landers Fork, a canoeing spot, lies just 0.2 miles away, and the Mainline Trail and Heart Lake Trail are both within about a mile and a half. Copper Creek Campground, about 2.4 miles off, offers a place to stay overnight.

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Lone Mountain Trail

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      30° / 12°

      6 wet

    2. Feb

      32° / 13°

      6 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 19°

      7 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 26°

      8 wet

    5. May

      60° / 35°

      9 wet

    6. Jun

      68° / 42°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 49°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 47°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 39°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 30°

      6 wet

    11. Nov

      37° / 19°

      6 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 13°

      6 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Austin 1 W, MT, 36.3 mi away at 4,851 ft. The station sits about 1,600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.