Mission Mountains Wilderness
The Mission Mountains are a land of ragged peaks with snow on them most of the year, small active glaciers, alpine lakes, meadows, clear streams that run icy cold, slab-like boulders, vertical cliff faces, and talus slopes. The average elevation is 7,000 feet. In the northern portion, you'll find the terrain less severe and more heavily timbered. The southern portion, however, receives more visitors, primarily around the alpine lakes (most of which do not thaw until mid-June). The Flathead and Pend Oreille Indians once hunted, fished, gathered berries, and sought visions (they would go into the Wilderness alone, often depriving themselves of food and water, in hopes of seeing a vision) in the rough and broken Mission Mountains.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 74,524 acres |
| Designated | 1975, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.46° N, 113.86° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 11) |
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 6 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
13 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 62 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Elk Ridge ↗ | 11.9 | |
| Jocko ↗ | 7.8 | |
| Cedar Lake ↗ | 7 | |
| Crystal Lake ↗ | 6.7 | |
| Hemlock Point ↗ | 6 | |
| Piper Lake ↗ | 6 | |
| Glacier Creek | 4.2 | |
| Hemlock Lake | 4.2 | |
| Lindbergh | 2.8 | |
| Turquoise Lake | 2.5 |
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
- PrescribedSl Beaver Plie Rx
9 mi from the center point
- PrescribedRx D6 Westside Bypass 117
25 mi from the center point · 30 acres
- PrescribedRx D6 Seeley Creek Ski Trails
26 mi from the center point · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 38
31 mi from the center point · 40 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
- 4.2 miLaird's Lodge Historic District ↗Seeley Lake, MT
- 8 miOlsson, Don E., House and Garage ↗Ronan, MT
- 8 miFort Connah Site ↗Post Creek, MT
- 9.2 miPolson Feed Mill ↗Polson, MT
- 9.5 miSt. Ignatius Mission ↗St. Ignatius, MT
- 12.9 miCamp Paxson Boy Scout Camp (24mo77) ↗Lolo National Forest, MT
- 13.1 miSt. Joseph's Catholic Church ↗Moiese, MT
- 13.4 miDouble Arrow Lookout ↗Seeley Lake, 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 Mission Mountains Wilderness?
74,524 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Mission Mountains Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Mission Mountains Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Mission Mountains Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1975.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Mission 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 Mission Mountains Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.457° N, 113.864° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Mission Mountains Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Sl Beaver Plie Rx at 9 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Mission Mountains Wilderness?
The National Register has 8 listings within 15 miles, including Laird's Lodge Historic District and Olsson, Don E., House and Garage.
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.