Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, managed by the Forest Service, is indeed a gem of the Northern Rockies, encompassing 158,615 acres within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Bitterroot National Forests. Situated along the Continental Divide atop the Anaconda Range in southwestern Montana, this wilderness area holds a special place between the Bitterroot Valley to the northwest and the Big Hole Valley to the south. Named after the Anaconda Range and Charles Ellsworth Pintler, a settler of the late 1800s in the Big Hole Valley, the wilderness is a testament to the region's rich history and natural beauty.
Streams and rivers within the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness flow into the Bitterroot and Big Hole rivers as well as Rock Creek. Glacial activity has sculpted the landscape, leaving behind a stunning array of landforms such as tarn-pocked cirques, U-shaped valleys, knife-edged ridges, and moraines. Elevations in the wilderness range from 5,100 feet in the canyon bottoms to 10,893 feet at West Goat Peak, one of several majestic peaks exceeding 10,000 feet.
The geological diversity of the Anaconda Range includes Precambrian and Paleozoic formations, featuring limestones, sandstones, and other sedimentary layers with igneous intrusions. The varied habitats support a rich array of vegetation, from riparian forests and willow thickets in the canyon bottoms to subalpine communities of aspen, pine, and alpine larch in the mountain slopes. At higher elevations along the Divide, bare rock, tundra, and snowfields dominate the landscape.
Wildlife thrives in this pristine wilderness, with native species including mule deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wolverine, gray wolf, puma, black bear, and occasionally the grizzly bear. Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities for recreation in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, with access provided by U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highways 38, 1, and 43 leading to numerous trails. A 45-mile stretch of the Continental Divide Trail traverses the heart of the wilderness, offering backpackers and mountaineers unparalleled experiences amid the rugged beauty of Montana's backcountry.
The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, managed by the Forest Service, is indeed a gem of the Northern Rockies, encompassing 158,615 acres within the Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Bitterroot National Forests. Situated along the Continental Divide atop the Anaconda Range in southwestern Montana, this wilderness area holds a special place between the Bitterroot Valley to the northwest and the Big Hole Valley to the south. Named after the Anaconda Range and Charles Ellsworth Pintler, a settler of the late 1800s in the Big Hole Valley, the wilderness is a testament to the region's rich history and natural beauty.
Streams and rivers within the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness flow into the Bitterroot and Big Hole rivers as well as Rock Creek. Glacial activity has sculpted the landscape, leaving behind a stunning array of landforms such as tarn-pocked cirques, U-shaped valleys, knife-edged ridges, and moraines. Elevations in the wilderness range from 5,100 feet in the canyon bottoms to 10,893 feet at West Goat Peak, one of several majestic peaks exceeding 10,000 feet.
The geological diversity of the Anaconda Range includes Precambrian and Paleozoic formations, featuring limestones, sandstones, and other sedimentary layers with igneous intrusions. The varied habitats support a rich array of vegetation, from riparian forests and willow thickets in the canyon bottoms to subalpine communities of aspen, pine, and alpine larch in the mountain slopes. At higher elevations along the Divide, bare rock, tundra, and snowfields dominate the landscape.
Wildlife thrives in this pristine wilderness, with native species including mule deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wolverine, gray wolf, puma, black bear, and occasionally the grizzly bear. Outdoor enthusiasts will find endless opportunities for recreation in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, with access provided by U.S. Highway 93 and Montana Highways 38, 1, and 43 leading to numerous trails. A 45-mile stretch of the Continental Divide Trail traverses the heart of the wilderness, offering backpackers and mountaineers unparalleled experiences amid the rugged beauty of Montana's backcountry.
