Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

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

 

 

Photo of Sphinx Mountain in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.

 

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.

The Anaconda Pintler Wilderness is rugged high-elevation country, in the Pintler Range, southwest of Anaconda. The wilderness includes lands in the Bitterroot National Forest as well as the Beaverhead-Deerlodge. Anaconda Pintler Map (2.5 MB).

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.

Use the links above or click on a wilderness in the map below to find out more about these areas.

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.

 

Additional wilderness information is also available at http://www.wilderness.net

 

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 Helpful Information

Packing a Bear-Resistant Food Canister

Back Country and Wilderness Challenge Quiz