Lee Metcalf Wilderness
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness consists of four separate units distributed across the Madison Range in southwest Montana. The Bear Trap Canyon unit is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and is the smallest of the four units. The Spanish Peaks, Taylor Hilgard, and Monument Mountain units are administered by the Forest Service and are located in the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests. The Lee Metcalf includes a variety of physical and biological communities ranging from the low-elevation Bear Trap Canyon on the Madison River (about 4,500 feet) to alpine ridges and peaks above 11,000 feet.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 242,068 acres |
| Designated | 1983, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.16° N, 111.40° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 12) |
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 19 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.
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7 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
67 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 399 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Skyline ↗ | 20.4 | |
| High Lakes ↗ | 15.5 | |
| Indian Ridge ↗ | 13.2 | |
| Indian Creek ↗ | 12.6 | |
| Sage Creek ↗ | 12.2 | |
| Cabin Creek Divide ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Hellroaring Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Jourdain Ridge ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Inspiration Divide ↗ | 9.9 | |
| Falls Creek ↗ | 9.6 |
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
- PrescribedFy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx
32 mi from the center point
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
- 2 miCrail Ranch Buildings ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 2.4 miHutchins Bridge ↗Cameron, MT
- 3.4 miSpanish Creek School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 10 miLittle Bear School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 11.9 miLonesomehurst Cabin ↗West Yellowstone, MT
- 12 miSherwood, Joseph, House and Store ↗Island Park, ID
- 12.6 miUpper Madison School ↗Three Forks, MT
- 14.5 miAnderson School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Montana
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
242,068 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lee Metcalf Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lee Metcalf Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1983.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lee Metcalf 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 Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.157° N, 111.400° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lee Metcalf Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Fy26 West Zone Piles Unit 22N 999C 999D Rx at 32 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Crail Ranch Buildings and Hutchins 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.