Whitefish Divide Trail

Whitefish Divide Trail (Ralph Thayer Memorial Trail #26) is a ridgeline hiking route in Montana’s Flathead National Forest, following the western border of Glacier View Ranger District. The mapped length for this route is about 19 km (around 11–40 miles depending on which connections you include).

The trail runs as a sustained steep ridgeline with long rock-walk and talus-style travel where the tread can disappear. Rock cairns mark ridge walks when the trail is less obvious, but junctions aren’t consistently easy to spot, so navigation matters.

A major piece of the route is that it crosses the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail along its way. Expect exposed ridge travel and frequent terrain changes rather than a single continuous tread.

Water is limited: there are no potable sources along the trail, and it requires planning for filtration/treatment. For backpacking, water is available in China Basin and in wetlands to the north for about 2 miles, plus a creek at Haines Pass.

Access and staging typically involve a longer approach with at least two vehicles. One practical start point is Werner Divide Road #1658 near Werner Peak Lookout, and the far end reaches the Whitefish Divide area near the junction with Ninko-thompson Seton Trail #28 (Red Meadow/China Basin area).

The trail is open to non-motorized use (hiking; also open to non-motorized horse use), and it allows dogs when managed per local leash rules where required. It’s managed as a steep, sometimes hard-to-follow backcountry route with route-finding as a core skill.

More information: Visitor information, Visitor information, Whitefish Divide Trail - Visit Montana