Description/Basic Information
The Bob Marshall Wilderness was named after the forester, wilderness preservation pioneer, and Wilderness Society co-founder, (yep, you guessed it) Bob Marshall. The region was set aside as the South Fork, Pentagon, and Sun River Primitive Areas between the years of 1931-1934 before Congress designated it as wilderness in 1964. In 1978, additional lands were designated, bringing the total to 1,009,356 acres.
GEOGRAPHY: Located in Northwestern Montana on both sides of the Continental Divide, the Bob Marshall Wilderness is part of a larger wilderness complex that also includes the Great Bear and Scapegoat Wildernesses. Known together as the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, this area is comprised of more than 1.5 million acres, making it the third largest in the lower 48 states. The area consists of rugged ridge tops, gently sloping alpine meadows, thickly forested river bottoms and open grass meadows. Across this continuous landscape over 1,700 miles of trail provide challenges and experiences to satisfy visitors with a wide range of skills.
The Continental Divide separates the Flathead and Sun River drainages with elevations ranging from 4,000 feet to more than 9,000 feet, the highest being Rocky Mountain on the Eastern Front at 9,392 feet. Holland Peak, part of the Swan Front on the western edge of the wilderness, rises to 9,356 feet, and in the southern portion of the complex, Scapegoat Mountain towers above the wild country at 9,204 feet. A huge escarpment called the Chinese Wall, a part of the Divide, highlights the Bob's vast untrammeled beauty, with an average height of more than 1,000 feet and a length of 22 miles. The Chinese Wall extends into the Scapegoat Wilderness, which lies to the south, while the Great Bear Wilderness shares the border to the north.
GEOGRAPHY: Located in Northwestern Montana on both sides of the Continental Divide, the Bob Marshall Wilderness is part of a larger wilderness complex that also includes the Great Bear and Scapegoat Wildernesses. Known together as the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, this area is comprised of more than 1.5 million acres, making it the third largest in the lower 48 states. The area consists of rugged ridge tops, gently sloping alpine meadows, thickly forested river bottoms and open grass meadows. Across this continuous landscape over 1,700 miles of trail provide challenges and experiences to satisfy visitors with a wide range of skills.
The Continental Divide separates the Flathead and Sun River drainages with elevations ranging from 4,000 feet to more than 9,000 feet, the highest being Rocky Mountain on the Eastern Front at 9,392 feet. Holland Peak, part of the Swan Front on the western edge of the wilderness, rises to 9,356 feet, and in the southern portion of the complex, Scapegoat Mountain towers above the wild country at 9,204 feet. A huge escarpment called the Chinese Wall, a part of the Divide, highlights the Bob's vast untrammeled beauty, with an average height of more than 1,000 feet and a length of 22 miles. The Chinese Wall extends into the Scapegoat Wilderness, which lies to the south, while the Great Bear Wilderness shares the border to the north.
Wildlife
The Bob Marshall Wilderness is home to elk, whitetail and mule deer, and provides critical habitat to the endangered grizzly bears and gray wolves. Canadian lynx, bobcat, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, wolverines and cougars are also found in the area, along with smaller mammals such as beaver, river otters, snowshoe hares and marten. There are dozens of birds who call this area home, especially in the summer. Bald eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, grouse, woodpeckers - they are all abundant here. In camp areas, you'll find Steller's jays, Clark's nutcrackers, camp robbers, chickadees, nuthatches and more.
Trail Conditions/Reports
The Bob Marshall Wilderness contains approximately 1,856 miles of trails that are open to foot and stock use only. The following links contain trail condition information for many trails within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Not all trails have reports. Please note that trail conditions can change very quickly, so always plan accordingly and use your best judgment when enjoying the great outdoors.
Seeley Lake Ranger District, Lolo National Forest
Mission Mountains Wilderness, Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Hungry Horse Ranger District, Flathead National Forest, includes Jewel Basin
Lincoln Ranger District, Helena National Forest
Glacier View Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Rocky Mountain Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest
Swan Front, Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Spotted Bear Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Personal Experience: The majority of the trails I was on were wide, nicely maintained, and free of down-trees. My only complaint was the amount of dust due to heavy horse traffic throughout the wilderness area.
PERMITS/SPECIAL REGULATIONS: Permits are NOT required for back country travel into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, but you should most definitely check in with a local ranger station to get the most up-to-date reports.
Seeley Lake Ranger District, Lolo National Forest
Mission Mountains Wilderness, Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Hungry Horse Ranger District, Flathead National Forest, includes Jewel Basin
Lincoln Ranger District, Helena National Forest
Glacier View Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Rocky Mountain Ranger District, Lewis and Clark National Forest
Swan Front, Swan Lake Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Spotted Bear Ranger District, Flathead National Forest
Personal Experience: The majority of the trails I was on were wide, nicely maintained, and free of down-trees. My only complaint was the amount of dust due to heavy horse traffic throughout the wilderness area.
PERMITS/SPECIAL REGULATIONS: Permits are NOT required for back country travel into the Bob Marshall Wilderness, but you should most definitely check in with a local ranger station to get the most up-to-date reports.
Back Country Campsites (Work in Progress)
For those of you planning to head to the Bob Marshall, you're probably curious about the availability of back country campsites, including their condition and other specifics. This section is for you. For those of you that have camped in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, I could certainly use your help with this section to make the list as complete and thorough as possible.
Bob Marshall Wilderness Photo Gallery
Contact information
Hungry Horse Ranger District
Phone: (406) 387-3800 10 Hungry Horse Drive PO Box 190340 Hungry Horse, MT 59919 Office Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 - 4:30 |
Rocky Mountain Ranger District
Phone: (406) 466-5341 1102 Main Avenue NW PO Box 340 Choteau, MT 59422 Office Hours: Mon - Fri 8:00 - 4:30 |
Spotted Bear Ranger District
Phone: (406) 758-5376 (June - September) Phone: (406) 387-3800 (October - May) PO Box 190310 Hungry Horse, MT 59919 |