Mount Helena’s Named Trails

The 1906 is almost certainly Helena’s most well used trail. With about 1,100 ft of elevation (335m) from parking lot to summit, it is a lovely way to get to the top of Mount Helena. The trail is a nearly continuous climb with a few level spots to catch your breath, generally shaded with several openings that afford terrific views of the valley and has very little bike traffic.

Main access point: Mount Helena Trailhead above Reeder’s Village. 

Cross trails: Bitterroot Way; Ambrose; Powerline (bottom); Prairie; West End; Powerline (top) and Powerline Alternate; Hogback. 

The Ambrose forks into two branches in a lovely open meadow about a half mile up. One fork has the same wide, granite surface that goes up to a nice overlook. The other branch has a more typical trail surface and leads around the north side of the hill. Ambrose is the lowest of the three contour trails around the north shoulder of Mount Helena.  The Ambrose terminates at the Old Chevy trail on the west side of Mount Helena. Lots of wildflowers and birds along the way and lovely views of the valley and out towards the continental divide as you get farther west.

Main access point: Mount Helena Trailhead above Reeder’s Village. Ambrose and 1906 are somewhat merged near the Mount Helena trailhead parking lot. Several ’social’ trails are also present.

Cross trails: Prospect Shafts; Bitterroot Way; Mike Cormier/Eric Feaver; Daisy Hill; Quarry; Swaney; Road To Mars; Old Chevy

Andy’s trail is part of the tight network of trails around the actual old Chevy truck on the west side of Mount Helena. This trail skirts the park’s western property line and provides some great views into the valley and towards the continental divide. The sharp elbow near the bottom is a relic of a time when the land downhill from that spot was still private. Loads of wildflowers and the entire Old Chevy draw is full of birdsong in the spring and early summer.

Main access point: Andy’s is an upslope trail with no lower access point. Closest trailhead with parking is Silverette/Le Grande.

Cross trails: Seven Sisters; several short connector trails intersect Andy’s between the Seven Sisters’ elbow and the top where it terminates at an intersection with Diretissema.

Backside is a very scenic change of pace when compared to the trails on Mount Helena’s east and north sides. The views from Backside are of the hills heading off to the south and west. Wakina Sky and Rodney Ridge are front and center, and good bit of the Helena Ridge Trail stretching off into the distance can be seen. In a nutshell, Backside is a treed, scenic contour punctuated by a short, twisting turn through a nice rocky outcropping about a third of the way into the trail from the West End trail.

Main access points: Mount Helena trailhead above Reeder’s Village. Dump Gulch trailhead.

Cross trails: None, Backside runs from West End to an intersection with Hogsback and Prospect Shafts.

Bitterroot Way starts up at the Mount Helena trailhead above Reeder’s Village and drops down into a meadow that has Prairie Coneflowers, Arrow-leaf Balsamroot, Prickly Pear and Foxtail Cactus, and Bitterroots. The bitterroots are concentrated in a saddle area just above the trail, but Bitterroot Way will get you close. Dozens of species of wildflowers in the warmer seasons, and this is often where I see Mountain Bluebirds and House Wrens for the first time in the early spring.

Main access points: Mount Helena trailhead above Reeder’s Village. Holter Street trailhead

Cross trails: Bitterroot to Daisy Hill connector; Daisy Hill; forks, then terminates in two spots on Quarry.

At the west end of the LeGrande Cannon trail (the now closed section of road), is a trail that climbs quickly uphill from a modest parking area. A few switchbacks later and you arrive at a saddle where Seven Sisters and Old Chevy meet. Low traffic and nice views are the hallmarks of Charlie’s. This trail also gives you the opportunity to add some elevation to a LeGrand trail walk. If you go up Charlies’ then turn left on Seven Sisters or Seven Sisters alternate, you meet up with Le Petit Pass and can drop back down to Le Grande there, or finish out the length for Seven Sisters and hit Le Grande. A right turn at the saddle takes you up either Seven Siters to Andy’s or Old Chevy to several other trail crossings.

Main Access point: West Le Grande Cannon Blvd.

Cross trails: None, connects west Le Grande to Seven Sisters and Old Chevy where it terminates.

I would have named this trail Staircase. Contour offers four generally flat stretches punctuated by five short climbs which take you from Prospect Shafts to Dump Out. Contour is a great way to get back around the McKelvey and the Dump Gulch area. This is also a great trail to find Blue-eyed Grass, Lupine, Blanket Flower and more during the warmer months.

Main access point: Mount Helena or Reeder’s trailhead

Cross trails: Generally speaking, Contour connects Prospect Shafts to Dump Out. It does cross Reeder’s Village and Reeder’s trail- neither of which are mapped or discussed on this site as they have no parking associated with their trailheads. They are neighborhood access trails.

I’m still a bit unclear if any of the Cormier trail really continues to exist. The lower portion coming off of LeGrande Cannon has been renamed and recontoured to become the Eric Feaver trail, but I believe the section that goes through the meadow above Reeder’s Village and below Prospect Shafts is still called the Mike Cormier Trail. This map shows the trail leading from the bottom of the quarry ridge up into the meadow below Prospect Shafts trail.

Main access point: Mount Helena or Reeder’s trailhead.

Cross trails: Old Ambrose (closed); Quarry

Rising away from two different starting points on the upper westside, Daisy Hill first climbs up through an open meadow. The lower and upper reaches are pretty straight, and the middle section throws in a few switchbacks through some really nice wildflower habitat. Just before it straightens out and heads up to the Ambrose and Prairie trails, there are often wild violets for a couple of weeks in the spring. Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Prairie Coneflowers, Rocky Mountain Iris, and a dozen more species make this a wonderful trail to watch the wildflowers bloom across the entirety of the warmer season. An unauthorized extension of Daisy Hill continues up to 1906.

Main access point: A very modest parking area at the dead end on Hayes Ave.

Cross trails: Bitterroot connector; Bitterroot Way; Cormier (or Feaver, or Old Ambrose- not sure of the name at this point); Ambrose; terminates at Prairie.

Branching off from the Swaney trail, Diretissima wraps around a small hill before turning into a contour trail that connects with Prairie if you turn left and eventually connects the Helena Ridge trail if you go right. Rocky and treed in sections and open for lovely views in other sections, Diretissema connects up with the Old Chevy network of trails and makes for a great section of 2-to-4 mile loop on the western flank of Mount Helena.

Main access point: Tubbs trailhead, Swaney trail.

Cross trails: Road To Mars; Old Chevy; Andy’s; terminates at Mount Helena Ridge/West End/ McKelvey intersection.

The lower portion of this trail is unauthorized I believe. It is nevertheless, one of the more pleasant walks in the Mount Helena trail system after the initial .2 mile (.3k) uphill, rocky grind, the trail traverses meadows, rocky outcroppings, and skirts a couple of lovely glades of mixed conifers. Due to the lack of use, this trail does not have a lot of weeds. The overall experience is quite worth the effort from the elevation at the start.

Main access point: Dump Gulch trailhead.

Cross trails: South Dump Gulch.

Dump Out is another delightfully rock trail. This trail wraps around the east and south shoulders of Mount Helena. It has no intention of taking you very far up the hill, but it will show you a rocky good time as it hugs the hill through a nice, secluded draw and then either drops you on to McKelvey, or gives you the chance to enjoy the Hanging Draw climb to Prospect Shafts via Hanging Draw connector. This is a really scenic, enjoyable trail. 

Main access points: Mount Helena trailhead, then Prospect Shafts; Dump Gulch trailhead, then up McKelvey to the first trail on the right.

Cross trails: Contour; Hanging Draw connector.

E-Trail is a popular mountain bike descent option off the Mt. Helena Ridge. Hikers should be aware of fast descending bikes, especially in the early mornings and evenings. Wild Turkeys, Dusky Grouse, a variety of woodpeckers, and lots of other songbirds are present nearly year-round. Forget-Me-Nots, Phlox, the occasional Bog Orchid, and dozens of other wildflowers are abundant through the warmer months.

Main access point: Emmett’s Mini-Ridge trailhead.

Cross trails: None, starts and finishes at the same point as Mini-Ridge.

I am a bit unclear as to where Feaver ends and the older Cormier trail begins, but Feaver starts at a street side trailhead near the dead end in the 900 block of Le Grande Canon. Recut in 2024, this is a great trail for birds and wildflowers and a nice entry point to the NW slopes of Mount Helena. Easy climbing turns take you up to some very nice views of the valley and, with a bit more effort, you can get to Ambrose or Prairie rather quickly from here.

Main access point: Small parking area at the east end of Le Grande Cannon Blvd.

This is a short, but enjoyably steep trail. The trails on this side of Mount Helena are a decent bit less tame than the ones found on the north and east slopes. A few nice rocky outcroppings on the lower reach, and a shaded bit along the upper make this an enjoyable trail to get your heart rate up. 

Main access point: Prospect Shafts or McKelvey trails.

Cross trails: Hanging Draw to Dump Out connector; terminates at Prospect Shafts.

This is the last push to the top of Mount Helena when going up Prospect Shafts or any of the other trails on the SE side of the hill. Short, steep, straight, rocky, and exposed. Bikes, runners, and walkers all use Hogback in both directions. I avoid this one during the heat of the day. The views into town are terrific. With any luck, you’ll run into a friendly walker going in the opposite direction and be able to strike up a conversation while your heart rate drops a bit.

Main access point: Prospect Shafts trail.

Cross trails: None, connects Prospect Shafts and Backside to the summit and 2006 trail.

A former roadbed, this is a wide, nearly flat trail for its entire length from the trailhead at either end. Lots of options to go uphill from this trail. This trail is extremely popular with bikes and e-Bikes, families, kids, and dogs. Since the trail skirts along the Seven Sisters rise, one side is often shaded while the other side is sunny and warm. This trail is often part of longer races that take place from time-to-time in Helena.

Main access points: West Le Grande Cannon Blvd. from town or from just west of town off Highway 12.

Cross trails: Road to Mars; Old Guy Ripper; Seven Sisters; Le Petit Pass; Charlie’s.

This section of sidewalk is often part of trail runs/races that occur in Helena throughout the year. The sidewalk is (generally) maintained by the City and is well used all year. The east end of the sidewalk merges with a short section of closed roadway that takes you to the Quarry trail, and the west end merges with the Westridge trail.

Main access point: Top of Lawrence St., or up Henderson and turn in either direction on Le Grande. There are a few small parking areas along the sidewalk.

Cross trails: Quarry; Eric Feaver; Swaney, Pan Handle; Westridge.

This is a good trail to add just a bit of elevation to your walk on the LeGrande trail. Le Petit follows a draw uphill to an intersection with Seven Sisters before heading back down to its eastern terminus with Old Guy Ripper. The lower reach of Le Petit seems to be an old jeep trail leading uphill from Le Grande Cannon and may well have been the road that the old Chevy took uphill to its final resting place.

Main access point: Silverette trailhead, then Le Grande Cannon trail.

Cross trails: Seven Sisters

Since the Dump Gulch trailhead has a decent amount of parking, McKelvey is a very popular route for walkers and bikers dropping down off the Mount Helena Ridge trail. If going up from the Dump Gulch trailhead, you will start out with a gentle, but continuous grade that gradually steepens to a heart-pumping final pitch at the end. Remains of glass, old shoes, random metal, and pottery underscore its name- this really does seem to have been a dumping ground in the past.

Main access point: Dump Gulch trailhead.

Cross trails: Dump Out; Hanging Draw; South Dump Gulch.

This trail has it all- a shaded, narrow, damp section with Fairy Slippers and occasional Bog Orchids, open timber stands with Wild Turkeys and Dusky Grouse, Spotted Mountain Bells, and several species of warblers and woodpeckers. All that plus it’s a nice, pleasant, long climb up to an intersection with Emmet’s and the Helena Ridge trail. Bikes tend to go up Mini-Ridge and down Emmet’s. 

Main access point: Emmett’s/Mini-Ridge trailhead.

Cross trails: None, starts and finishes at the same point as Emmett’s.

This trail is wonderful any time of year, but the spring flowers all along the entire length are especially lovely. If you start at the Park City trailhead, the first uphill bit is almost 1.5 miles (2.4k) and then it’s a rolling stroll along a very scenic trail back to the western shoulder of Mount Helena. Bikes and walkers use this trail in both directions. Lots of wildflowers and birds. Bear have been seen along the Mount Helena Ridge trail. Be aware and bring bear spray.

Main access point: Park City trailhead.

Cross trails: Emmett’s/Mini-Ridge; Show Me The Horse; South Dump Gulch. Terminates at intersection with Diretissema, West End, and McKelvey.

No Trail is a much more pleasant alternative to Powerline for going up to, or down from, the saddle just below Mount Helena’s rocky summit. While steep, No Trail curves and climbs through a well groomed ponderosa pine glade and provides a nice trail surface. The views back into the valley are nice when you stop to catch your breath.

Main access point: Mount Helena trailhead.

Cross trails: None, connects Mount Helena trailhead to Powerline

Contouring from Road To Mars over to Swaney, Northwest passage traverses a hillside savannah of mixed conifers, and then crosses through a nice meadow directly below the Mount Helena cliffs. Bluebirds and warblers in the warm months, lots of wildflowers, too. A lot of thinning work has gone into this area in 2024 to help mitigate fire danger for the housing that sits just to the north of the meadow.

Main access points: Swaney or Road to Mars Trails are best, PanHandle will do, but there’s not much parking.

Cross trails: Pan Handle, crosses a few unauthorized trails before terminating at Road To Mars.

This trail is an old two-track road that folks used to drive around on the flanks of Mount Helena when that was allowed. Named for the actual old Chevy truck that lies abandoned at the top of the draw, this is a good trail to get up to Diretissema, and the Helena Ridge trail beyond, if you are on the north or northwest side of the hill. Lots of birds and flowers through the warmer months and not a lot of people use this area compared to other parts of Mount Helena.

Main access point: Silverette trailhead, then Le Grande Cannon trail to any of the trails leading uphill.

Old Guy Ripper; Andy’s; Ambrose; Diretissema.

Old Guy Ripper (OGR) is a very nice trail to walk in either direction. The bottom meadow has lots of butterflies in the summer, the mid-section is one of the places owls have been seen or heard on this side of Mount Helena, and the upper section is a very nice walk through an open wooded glade above a draw across which is Road To Mars. Foxes, moose and lots of butterflies have been seen in the lower and middle reaches of OGR, too. The gully portion, about 1/3 of the way up is a bit of a blind spot for bikes coming downhill- keep your ears open.

Main access point: Silverette trailhead, then Le Grande Cannon trail to the second trail leading uphill on the left.

Cross trails: Le Petit Pass; Road To Mars connector; Old Chevy connector.

Panhandle is primarily a neighborhood access trail, but it can also be a section of a very nice loop. This trail follows a pleasant, damp draw uphill from Le Grande Cannon Blvd, to Northwest Passage and continues on to Swaney. Adding Panhandle and Swaney to a Le Grande sidewalk ramble will give a walker a decent bit of elevation and the opportunity for more than a few species of wildflowers and birds in the Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

Main access point: Very modest parking spaces near the intersection of Le Grande Cannon, Reber Rd. and Ambrose Court.

Cross trails: Northwest Passage.

As its name suggests, this trail follows a Powerline corridor and as such goes straight up with no relief in sight. It is the most direct route to the Mt. Helena summit and one of the most popular hikes in the trail system. The trail surface is rocky rubble and can be a bit unstable underfoot in some areas. No downhill bike use permitted. Bicycles not recommended for uphill travel.

Main access point: Mount Helena trailhead.

Cross trails: No Trail; Prospect Shafts connector; Powerline alternate.

After a pleasant .25 miles (.4k) of gentle uphill on the 1906 trail, Prairie branches off to the right and contours through a nice glade to the Daisy Hill intersection. Then it climbs through an open meadow passing a connector trail and levels off at a small promontory that provides great views all around. Continuing on, through a coupke of shaded sections, it meets up with Swaney and a fork of Diretissema where it turns uphill through a series of wiggles – switchbacks – to intersect West End. Peregrine Falcons (on the cliffs), Pileated Woodpeckers, Great Horned Owls, and Coopers Hawks are the occasional visitors to this end of Prairie.

Main access point: Mount Helena trailhead, then up 1906 for a bit.

Cross trails: Daisy Hill; Quarry; Swaney

Launching off to the south from the main parking area, Prospect Shafts is a decently fast way to the top of Mount Helena, but it is a decent bit more exposed than 1906. The lower reach of Prospect Shafts climbs through a nice open grove of mixed conifers and then makes a hairpin turn onto a limestone, rubble, rocky, totally exposed section of trail. One last turn and a gentle climb takes you to a junction with Backside and Hogsback. Hogsback takes you to the top, and Backside offers some of the best views on Mount Helena.

Main access point: Mount Helena trailhead.

Cross trails: Contour; Dump Out; Hanging Draw; Powerline connector.

Starting from the Holter St. trailhead, Quarry wraps around a small hillock that is typically covered in Arrow-leaf Balsamroot in the spring. The trail climbs to a low saddle that is filled with Bitterroots, Prickly Pear Cactus by early summer, and in my version of the Quarry trail, it then skirts along the Old Ambrose trail and climbs a rocky ridgeline up to the park bench where Ambrose accessible ends. This section of the trail system is thick with wildflowers from April through August- Shooting Stars, Larkspurs, Harebells, Blanket flowers and so many others.

Main access point: Very modest trailhead at the top of Holter St.

Cross trails: Bitterroot Way (twice); Cormier (or Feaver); Feaver; Ambrose

Middle and upper Road to Mars appears to be an old two-track that parallels the draw running downhill from the old Chevy truck. Lower Road to Mars is a wonderful recent addition to the northwest section of trails on Mount Helena. This trail is a good conduit to any of the trails on the mid-section of Mount Helena, or you can continue up to the higher elevation trails and the Helena Ridge Trail. The two-track portion of Road to Mars is very rocky and, more or less, a straight shot to the intersection with Diretissema.

Main access point: Silverette trailhead, then a few hundred meters on Le Grande Cannon trail.

Cross trails: Old Guy Ripper connector; Northwest Passage; Ambrose; Diretissema; terminates at another branch of Diretissema.

This trail follows a nice ridge that leads up from the Le Grande trail. Much less traveled than Le Grande, Seven Sisters is a nicely rocky path with lots of wildflowers and birdlife. Views in all directions are lovely along this often windy ridgeline. Continuous with Andy’s trail a its upper terminus, Seven Sisters makes a great part of any west end loop.

Main access point: Silverette trailhead, then about .5 miles (.8k) Le Grande Cannon trail.

Cross trails: Le Petit Pass; Charlies; Old Chevy.

This is a very popular downhill trail for bikers. Trail walkers are encouraged to use this trail early in the day and to keep your ears open for descending bikes. There is virtually no parking at the trailhead, but a couple of cars can pull dmostly off the road and park there if need be. A brambly, wooded gully transitions to nice pine sections and into to open prairie along this really scenic trail. Loads of wildflowers and birds.

Main access point: Slight bulge in the road on Grizzly Gulch.

Cross trails: None. connects Grizzly Gulch Road to the Mount Helena Ridge Trail.

South Dump Gulch is a short-cut to the Helena Ridge Trail from Swaney. It has amazing views of the surrounding hills and back into town. The upper section has some wonderfully steep, rocky sections that are unlike most of the other trails in the south hills. Wildflowers, butterflies, and birds are frequent along this less travelled trail. Bikers love to use this trail as their final descent from the Ridge trail. Stay alert.

Main access point: Dump Gulch trailhead, then up McKelvey.

Cross trails: None that are authorized, but the South Dump Gulch Ridgeline trail merges with this trail near the really steep, rocky section.

Very well used trail. Rising from a modest parking area along Le Grande Cannon Blvd., Swaney zigs and zags at the lower and upper reaches. The middle section is a straight, gently steep reach that affords nice views of the valley. The Scratchgravel Hills and Sleeping Giant are especially picturesque from here. Lower Swaney is seeing a lot of switchback cross-cutting, which is very unfortunate. In the fall of 2024, fire mitigation opened up the lower reaches significantly. The slash piles are stacked in the newly opened space. Expect controlled burns by the spring of 2027 would be my bet.

Main access point: Tubbs trailhead.

Cross trails: Neighborhood connector; Northwest Passage; Pan Handle; Water Tank connector; Ambrose; Diretissema; Prairie.

This trail provides a little bit of contouring and a little bit of climbing. Views are pretty obscured by the dense stand of trees on the downslope side and Mount Helena on the upslope side. There is a lovely patch of bitterroots at the point where the trail levels out and meets the terminus of Prairie. There is also a picnic table at about this point for folks who want to sit a spell. I’m particularly fond of the spots on this trail where tree roots and rocks make you think about your foot placement.

Main access point: Backside, Prairie, or Diretissema trails.

Cross trails: Prairie; Backside.

This version of Westridge differs from the official map. Westridge allows walkers and bikers to connect Le Grande sidewalk to Le Grande ‘trail and get off the dirt section of West Le Grande Rd. in between. It skirts the property lines of a few homes, but it is still a better alternative than using the roadway. The official trail cuts up along a draw and the backs of more homes and enters the neighborhood. This version drops back down to the road near a couple of concrete barriers. You will still have a short section of roadway to get to the Silverette trailhead, but this is a much safer way to walk than the road.

Main access point: Le Grande Sidewalk; Silverette trailhead area.

Cross trails: None.