If you're planning a hike around Helena, Montana — a popular resupply and trail town for anyone walking the Continental Divide Trail — keep your eyes on the ground. Local police have warned that suspected rat poison has been turning up on trails in and around the city, and the sightings appear to be spreading.
The first report came in on October 6th, when someone found a small amount of the suspected poison on a local trail. Police had no suspect and no further incidents for several weeks, but that changed recently: authorities announced that more of the small, green tablets had surfaced across multiple trails in the Helena area.
Helena police described the tablets as small and green, and say accidental ingestion poses a serious health risk — especially for pets and small children. That makes this a real concern for day hikers and trail runners who head out with dogs or families, which is a big part of Helena's trail community. The city sits right on the Continental Divide Trail corridor, so long-distance hikers passing through and locals out for an afternoon loop share the same paths.
Police guidance is simple: if you spot small green tablets or anything else suspicious on a trail, don't touch it, keep pets and kids well clear, and report the location to the Helena Police Department straight away. Dog owners should supervise closely rather than letting animals roam and sniff ahead off-leash.
For travellers, the takeaway isn't to skip Helena's trails — it's to stay observant. The area has excellent access to hiking along and near the Continental Divide, and incidents like this are usually short-lived once reported. But until police identify a source, a little vigilance costs nothing. Scan the path in front of you, keep your dog leashed or close by, and know what you're looking at if something unusual appears on the trail surface. If you're mid-hike and find something, note the location — a GPS pin or trail marker helps authorities respond quickly.
Anyone planning a autumn visit to Helena for trail running, day hiking, or a CDT stopover should follow updates from the Helena Police Department, which has been posting information on social media as the situation develops.
