Gates of the Mountains Wilderness
Two sons of Chevalier Vendrye, the French explorer, passed through the area known as the Gates of the Mountains as early as 1742. They were probably the first white men to gaze upon its precipices. However, it was Meriwether Lewis who was responsible for naming the landmark and was the first to leave a record of his passage "from the singular appearance of this place I called it the gates of the mountains." The Gates of the Mountains, as it is known today, is one of the most widely recognized landmarks of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 28,460 acres |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 46.87° N, 111.81° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 14) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 8 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 58 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Willow Creek ↗ | 12.9 | |
| Big Log Gulch ↗ | 11.8 | |
| Refrigerator Canyon ↗ | 9.6 | |
| Hunters Gulch ↗ | 8.1 | |
| Meriwether Canyon ↗ | 6.2 | |
| Missouri River Canyon ↗ | 5.3 | |
| Mann Gulch | 2.7 | |
| Porcupine Creek | 1.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedKelly Gulch Rx
10 mi from the center point · 1,550 acres
- PrescribedBeartrap Gulch Rx
10 mi from the center point
- PrescribedBear Gulch Rx
24 mi from the center point · 300 acres
- PrescribedWakina Sky Rx
25 mi from the center point · 300 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 10.2 miMissouri River Bridge ↗Wolf Creek, MT
- 10.5 miSheep Creek Bridge ↗Wolf Creek, MT
- 11.3 miWolf Creek Hotel ↗Wolf Creek, MT
- 12.3 miSilver Creek School ↗Helena, MT
- 14.3 miSilver City Cemetery ↗Silver City, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Montana
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Gates of the Mountains Wilderness?
28,460 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Gates of the Mountains Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Gates of the Mountains Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Gates of the Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Gates of the Mountains Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Gates of the Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 46.873° N, 111.813° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Gates of the Mountains Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Kelly Gulch Rx at 10 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Gates of the Mountains Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Missouri River Bridge and Sheep Creek Bridge.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.