Scapegoat Wilderness
The Scapegoat Wilderness is part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Located in Northwestern Montana on both sides of the Continental Divide, this large complex includes three Wilderness areas: the Great Bear, the Scapegoat, and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Together the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex makes up an area of more than 1.5 million acres, the third largest in the lower 48 states. Grizzly bear, lynx, wolverine, deer, elk, gray wolf, moose, black bear, mountain lion, mountain goat, and mountain sheep roam about these rugged ridge tops, gently sloping alpine meadows, thickly forested river bottoms and open grass parks.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 259,756 acres |
| Designated | 1972, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.26° N, 112.80° 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 Forest Service recreation site
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 9 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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Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 horse Riding. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 5 miBob Marshall Wilderness Complex ↗Horse Riding
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
86 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 606 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Continental Divide ↗ | 116.3 | |
| Hobnail Tom ↗ | 27.4 | |
| South Fork Sun ↗ | 25.3 | |
| Dry Fork ↗ | 25 | |
| East Side South Fork ↗ | 23.1 | |
| Dearborn River ↗ | 20.6 | |
| Landers Fork Trail ↗ | 16.9 | |
| Mainline Trail ↗ | 16.6 | |
| Straight Creek ↗ | 16.6 | |
| Falls-Canyon ↗ | 15.1 |
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
- PrescribedEthel 2 Rx
26 mi from the center point
- PrescribedWillow Piles Rx
27 mi from the center point · 50 acres
- PrescribedRx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 23
28 mi from the center point · 115 acres
- PrescribedRx D6 Horseshoe West Unit 38
29 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
- 6.5 miDearborn River High Bridge ↗Augusta, MT
- 9.6 miLincoln Lodge ↗Lincoln, MT
- 9.7 miLincoln Community Hall ↗Lincoln, 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 Scapegoat Wilderness?
259,756 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Scapegoat Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Scapegoat Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Scapegoat Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1972.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Scapegoat 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 Scapegoat Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.255° N, 112.800° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Scapegoat Wilderness right now?
4 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Ethel 2 Rx at 26 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there historic places near Scapegoat Wilderness?
The National Register has 3 listings within 15 miles, including Dearborn River High Bridge and Lincoln Lodge.
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.