Darby Ranger District

The Darby Ranger District, whose office is located in the town of Darby, Montana, sits geographically in the center of the Bitterroot National Forest on the southern end of the Bitterroot Valley.

The private land of the valley splits it into a district that has a distinctive west and east half. The eastern half is characterized by rolling hills in the lower elevations transitioning quickly into steep rugged terrain to the peaks of the Sapphire Divide. This area includes a large portion of the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area. The western half transitions quickly from private land to the steep rugged canyons of the Bitterroot Range which consists primarily of the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness area.

The Darby district has the highest level of developed recreation use on the forest, due mostly to the proximity to the population center in Ravalli County and the presence of Lake Como.  Lake Como consists of three developed recreation sites, a beach, a handicap accessible trail and picnic area, a rental cabin and a boat dock/launch.  Lake Como is popular over a larger landscape with many visitors from Missoula and Idaho.  Other developed sites on the district include Black Bear Campground, Schumaker Campground, Lost Horse Cabin, and Gird Point Lookout.