Prospect Shaft Trail

Helena, Montana

Save

View all 2 photos

All 2 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

2.4 miles

Elevation Gain

800 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Chris Engelsman

Prospect Shaft Trail is a 3-season trail where you can catch epic sunrises over Helena!

The Prospect Shaft Trail is a lightly used trail used to reach the summit of Mt Helena. The trail is rated as a 'moderate' trail due to its steep, loose, rocky surface. Due to these characteristics, it's rarely used for mountain biking and primarily used for hiking and trail running.

The views are incredible. Hiking up in the morning and you can catch an epic sunrise over Helena. Due to the rocky nature of the trail, and lack of tree cover, this trail is typically dry except for when it's covered in snow. The Prospect Shaft Trail is steep with loose rocks. So, bring a good pair of shoes.

This is an out-and-back trail, but can be combined with other sections to make it longer or a loop. It's approximately 1.2 miles from the parking lot to the Hogback Trail junction.

Intersections:

At .3 miles you will intersect with Dump Out Trail. Keep heading up.
At .8 miles you will intersect with Handing Draw Trail. Keep heading up.
At 1-mile you will interest with the Powerline to Prospect Trail. Keep heading up.
At 1.2 miles you will intersect with Hogback Trail on your right.
Take Hogback Trail is .3 miles and another 350 vert.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Photography

Mountain Biking

Running

Hiking

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Scenic

Prospect Shaft Trail Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

1906 Trail

Located just outside of Helena, the 1906 Trail starts at the Mt Helena Parking Lot. The path is wide enough to share with hikers, trail runners, or mountain bikers. Note: this is an uphill-only trail for mountain biking. It's a very popular trail due to its wide trail and awesome views from the top of Mount Helena. The 1906 is an out-and-back trail. It's approximately 1.5 miles to the top with ...

Rodney Ridge Trail

With it's easy access from Rodney Street, Rodney Ridge Trail is a locals favorite. The trail heads up the ridge and provides fantastic views of Helena below. The trail is rated as moderate, and is used primarily for mountain biking and hiking. Dogs are allowed, so, you'll most like encounter a 4-legged furry friend on the trail. From Rodney Ridge Trail, you can link up to a whole bunch of oth...

Mount Ascension

Mount Ascension is a popular trail in Helena. It's used for hiking, trail running, and mountain biking. It can be accessed year-round, but can get icy and slippery during the winter. The path for Mount Ascension is a network of trails that that can be done as an out-and-back, or a lollipop trail. A lollipop trail is where the first and last parts of the trail will be the same, but you loop up ...

Continental Divide Trail: MacDonald Pass to Priest Pass

The CDT trail is a popular trail with thru-hikers, and is considered one of the three Crown Jewels. The Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail being the other two. This section of the Continental Divide Trail starts 25-minutes to the West of Helena just off Highway 12 at the CDNST Trailhead at MacDonald Pass. This section of trail heads north and consists of an access trail and double t...

Rock Climb and Explore Hellgate Gulch

Known as one of the most serene climbing areas in Montana, as well as some of the best sport climbing in the state, if you're a climber, Hellgate Gulch is worth the visit. Within 30 miles of Helena, you'll be climbing on limestone's funky pockets. There are plenty of climbing options, and most of them are sport climbs (which means they're bolted). Bring trad gear if you have it though as some c...

Explore Refrigerator Canyon

The Refrigerator Canyon Trail is a scenic trail that leads into the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness. While this trail goes back for up to 16 miles, for this adventure, we will focus on the first half-mile of the trail. The first half-mile of Refrigerator Canyon Trail is the most scenic and unique. It passes through a narrow canyon with 200 feet high limestone walls. At the quarter-mile point,...