Wilderness

 

Sphinx Mountain in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness

 

 

We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope. ~ Wallace Stegner

 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest includes parts of two wildernesses, the Lee Metcalf (102,064 acres within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge) and the Anaconda-Pintler (117,598 acres within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge). Together these two areas preserve nearly 219,662 acres of the American West.

Anaconda Pintler Wilderness

The Anaconda Pintler Wilderness

The Anaconda Pintler Wilderness is 159,086 acres of rugged mountains straddling the Continental Divide. It is located in southwestern Montana, in the Pintler Range, southwest of Anaconda and is known for its high, rugged mountain scenery and pristine conditions. The wilderness includes lands in the Bitterroot National Forest as well as the Beaverhead-Deerlodge. Elevations range from 5400 feet in the lower reaches to 10,793 feet on West Goat Peak. It was originally designated due to its outstanding physical and biological characteristics. Features The Anaconda Pintler Wilderness contains the headwaters of Rock Creek and upper branches of the Bitterroot and Big Hole rivers. The wilderness has spectacular cirques, U-shaped valleys and glacial moraines. It also contains numerous sparkling streams fed by high mountain lakes and perpetual snow banks above timberline. Wildlife includes deer, elk, moose, mountain goat and black bear and the occasional grizzly. Cutthroat and rainbow trout are found in most of the lakes and streams.

Access

Wilderness trailheads may be accessed via Forest roads off of major highways serving the area, including State Highway No. 93 on the west, State Highway No. 38 and No. 1 on the north and State Highway No. 43 on the east and south.

What you should know

• Lakes normally remain frozen until the first week of July.
• Mountain passes are commonly snow-packed until mid-July.
• Weather can be variable. Be prepared for snow any month of the year.
• Stock forage is limited. If packing feed, certified weed free feed is required.
• Wilderness is for non-motorized, non mechanized recreation. Leave your bikes at home.
• All water for human consumption should be treated. Filters are recommended.
• Always practice Leave No Trace skills when visiting. This will help preserve the integrity of wilderness for future generations.

Regulations

• Registration forms are located at the trailheads and are required for entry into the wilderness.
• Group size is limited to 12 head of stock and 12 people.
• Campfires are prohibited within 1/4 mile of the following lakes: Oreamnos, Sawed Cabin, Upper Phyllis, Upper Carpp, Surprise, Bear, Buck, Emerald, Lost Lakes, Lower Phyllis, Park Lakes, Sauer, Continental, The unnamed Lake below Queener Mountain, and the unnamed lake west of Warren Lake.
• Camping is prohibited between Trails #96 and #111 and the lakeshore of Johnson Lake.
• View the Regional Camping Restriction Order 
• Certified weed seed free feed is required for stock. View the Weed Free Forage & Mulch Products Order.
• Grazing or tethering of stock within 200 feet of any lake is prohibited.
• Hope Trail #424 is closed to stock travel.
• Use of stock on the Pintler Ranger District is prohibited from April thru July 1.
• Camping with stock is prohibited within 1/4 mile of Sawed Cabin, Oreamnos and Ripple Lakes.
• Stock is prohibited within 200 feet of Big Johnson Lake except on designated trail.

Sanitation

Prevent water pollution. Do not wash in lakes or steams. Dispose of wash and dish water well away from campsites, lakes and streams. Pack out all unburnable food waste, containers and foil. Bury human waste well away from campsites, lakes and streams.

 Anaconda Pintler Wilderness Map

Lee Metcalf Wilderness

On the east side of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest is the Lee Metcalf Wilderness, divided into four separate units in the Madison Range. One unit is administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The other three are administered by the Forest Service in the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge national forests. Wild canyon country along the Madison River, forest and meadow areas filled with wildlife, razor-like ridges leading to glacially carved peaks, and alpine lakes and meadows are all found in these diverse wilderness segments.

 

Wilderness travel involves a bit of risk and challenge. Good preparation and planning will help make your wilderness adventure successful and rewarding. If you prefer not to tackle a trip on your own, many commercial outfitters and guides lead trips into the wilderness, under permit by the Forest Service.

More Information

Additional wilderness information is also available at Wilderness.net

Find current restrictions on campfires and other restrictions on fire at MTFireinfo.org.

Leave No Trace ... in a nutshell choose the right path – walk on the main trail. Tote your trash – pack it in, pack it out ... all of it. Camp at least 200 feet from water sources and trails. Find a good campsite rather than making one. Keep the waters clean – keep out soap, food, toothpaste, etc. Bury human waste well away from water sources and trails. Use a camp stove for cooking whenever possible. If a fire is needed, keep it small and use existing fire-rings. Protect live trees, and for your own health, filter or treat all water before drinking.

Other Wilderness-Related Information

Back Country and Wilderness Challenge Quiz