Rattlesnake Wilderness
The Rattlesnake Mountains, located four miles north of Missoula, Montana, form a rugged and scenic vista for the Missoula Valley. The Rattlesnake Wilderness receives its name from Rattlesnake Creek which...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 34,304 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.0419, -113.8871 |
| 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.
Where to camp
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 1 is within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedBison Range Br2F Rx
27 mi from the center point
- WildfireCamp Creek
46 mi from the center point · 9,725 acres · 99% contained
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
- 0 miMineral Peak Lookout ↗Missoula, MT
- 4.9 miEvaro School ↗Evaro, MT
- 6.5 miLincoln School ↗Missoula, MT
- 6.6 miDeSmet Schoolhouse ↗Missoula, MT
- 6.9 miModel Laundry and Apartments ↗Missoula, MT
- 7 miOrange Street Underpass ↗Missoula, MT
- 7.1 miHerzog, J. M., House ↗Missoula, MT
- 7.2 miJohnston, John S., House ↗Missoula, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Rattlesnake Wilderness?
34,304 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Rattlesnake Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Rattlesnake Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Rattlesnake Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Rattlesnake Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Hidden Lake Campground, 9.6 miles out. 1 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Rattlesnake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.042, -113.887. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Rattlesnake Wilderness right now?
2 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-17, the nearest Bison Range Br2F Rx at 27 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Rattlesnake Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 12 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.
Source: NASA Black Marble
Are there historic places near Rattlesnake Wilderness?
69 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Mineral Peak Lookout and Evaro School.
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.
- 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.