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 originates from within the Wilderness and is also part of the City of Missoula's municipal watershed. The rolling hills of the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area (NRA) lie to the south and adjacent to the Wilderness. The mountains and ridges along the northern boundary of the Wilderness form the border with the South Fork Jocko Tribal Primitive Area. The Rattlesnake Wilderness is characterized by scenic lakes, forested ridges, open cliff-banded slopes, and mountain peaks.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 34,304 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.04° N, 113.89° 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 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
14 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 83 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Creek ↗ | 25 | |
| Rattlesnake Creek ↗ | 18.2 | |
| Stuart Peak ↗ | 13 | |
| Boulder Lake ↗ | 5.4 | |
| Carter Lake ↗ | 5.1 | |
| Porcupine Creek | 4.1 | |
| Wrangle Creek | 3.9 | |
| West Fork Gold Creek | 3.8 | |
| Twin Lakes | 1.7 | |
| Fly Lake | 1.3 |
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
- PrescribedRx D3 Lower Blackfoot Corridor F4
13 mi from the center point · 101 acres
- PrescribedRx Mfd Morrison Peak
15 mi from the center point · 672 acres
- PrescribedRx D3 Ginny Mtn
15 mi from the center point · 10 acres
- PrescribedRx D6 Westside Bypass 117
20 mi from the center point · 30 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
- under 0.1 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.
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 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?
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 Rattlesnake Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.042° N, 113.887° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Rattlesnake Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Rx D3 Lower Blackfoot Corridor F4 at 13 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Rattlesnake Wilderness?
The National Register has 69 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.
- 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.