Wilderness.net's Lee Metcalf Wilderness Fact
Sheet
Introduction
The United States Congress designated the Lee
Metcalf Wilderness in 1983 and it now has a total of
242,068 acres. All of the wilderness is in Montana and
is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and
the Forest Service.
Description
Established as part of the National Wilderness
Preservation System in November 1983, the Lee
Metcalf Wilderness consists of 259,000 acres distributed across the Madison Range in southwest
Montana. The wilderness contains four separate units. The Bear Trap Canyon unit of 6,000 acres is
administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The other three units are administered by the
Forest Service and are in the Gallatin and Beaverhead-Deerlodge national forests. The three are
Spanish Peaks, 76,000 acres; Taylor Hilgard, 141,000 acres; and Monument Mountain, 33,000
acres. The Lee Metcalf includes a variety of physical and biological communities ranging from the
low-elevation Bear Trap Canyon on the Madison River (about 4500 feet) to alpine ridges and peaks
above 11,000 feet. There are no active glaciers in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness although the high
cirque basins and U-shaped drainages provide evidence of Pleistocene glaciation. The wilderness
receives variable precipitation, from an average of 11 inches in the Bear Trap to over 60 inches in
the Madison Range. Treeline is generally around 9,000 to 10,000 feet. Between treeline and the high
rocky peaks alpine and sub-alpine vegetation is dominant. Wildlife is abundant throughout the
wilderness and includes mountain goat and sheep, black and grizzly bear, moose, elk, cougar, and
wolf. Cutthroat, rainbow, and brook trout can be found in the lakes and streams. There are 300 miles
of trail and 28 trailheads that provide access to the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. Access to the west side
is via U.S. Highway 287 south from Ennis toward West Yellowstone. The east side of the wilderness
is accessed from U.S. Highway 191 between Bozeman and West Yellowstone.
Leave No Trace
How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the
country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more
about how they apply in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.
Location
Hiking access to Bear Trap Canyon is from the north end of the canyon only. To reach the trailhead,
follow State Highway 84 west from Bozeman. Just before the highway crosses the Madison River,
and directly across from the Red Mountain Campground, a gravel road intersects the highway on the
left and leads upstream on the east side of the river to the trailhead.
Floating access is from the south end of the canyon, near the Madison Powerhouse. The boat launch
provides access to a Class IV segment of whitewater river through the canyon --experienced boaters
only. Floaters can reach the canyon from U.S. Highway 287, 7 miles north of Ennis, at McAllister.
Turn east on a gravel road towards Ennis Lake, follow for approximately 7 miles -- past the lake,
across a bridge, into the canyon, past the dam, to the powerhouse. Floaters should unload at the
launch site, but park upstream in the Fall Creek parking area (interpretive site). Do not park at the
powerhouse!
Area Management
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness is part of the 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation
System. This System of lands provides clean air, water, and habitat critical for rare and endangered
plants and animals. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities like hiking,
backpacking, climbing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, horse packing, bird watching, stargazing, and
extraordinary opportunities for solitude. You play an important role in helping to "secure for the
American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of
wilderness" as called for by the Congress of the United States through the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Please follow the requirements outlined below and use Leave No Trace techniques when visiting the
Lee Metcalf Wilderness to ensure protection of this unique area.
Bureau of Land Management Information
Floaters are prohibited from camping within the wilderness in order to preserve opportunities for
solitude within the canyon.
Backpackers may camp overnight, but are limited to 3 consecutive days within the canyon.
Pack and saddle stock are limited to the period between October 15 and December 15 to minimize
congestion within the narrow river corridor.
There is no "through-hiking" allowed. The south end of the canyon, near the powerhouse is fenced
to eliminate hazards associated with powerhouse emergency overflow, and to improve opportunities
for solitude within the wilderness.
Forest Service Information
General Wilderness Prohibitions
Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited on all
federal lands designated as wilderness. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats,
motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of
aircraft including helicopters, unless provided for in specific legislation.
In a few areas some exceptions allowing the use of motorized equipment or mechanical transport are
described in the special regulations in effect for a specific area. Contact the Forest Service office or
visit the websites listed below for more specific information.
These general prohibitions have been implemented for all national forest wildernesses in order to
implement the provisions of the Wilderness Act of 1964. The Wilderness Act requires management
of human-caused impacts and protection of the area's wilderness character to insure that it is
"unimpaired for the future use and enjoyment as wilderness." Use of the equipment listed as
prohibited in wilderness is inconsistent with the provision in the Wilderness Act which mandates
opportunities for solitude or primitive recreation and that wilderness is a place that is in contrast with
areas where people and their works are dominant.
Wilderness-Specific Regulations
Wilderness managers often need to take action to limit the impacts caused by visitor activities in
order to protect the natural conditions of wilderness as required by the Wilderness Act of 1964.
Managers typically implement 'indirect' types of actions such as information and education
measures before selecting more restrictive measures. When regulations are necessary, they are
implemented with the specific intent of balancing the need to preserve the character of the
wilderness while providing for the use and enjoyment of wilderness.
The following wilderness regulations are in effect for this area. Not all regulations are in effect for
every wilderness. Contact the Forest Service office or visit the websites listed on the 'Links' tab for
more specific information about the regulations listed.
ALL VISITORS
o Party size throughout the Lee Metcalf Wilderness is limited to no more than 15 people per party.
Groups larger than 15 people must split into two or more smaller groups and camp a minimum of
1/2 mile apart.
o Storing equipment, personal property or supplies (caching) is prohibited in the Lee Metcalf
Wilderness.
o Camping within 200 feet of any lake in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness is prohibited.
o Camping or otherwise occupying a single location for a period longer than 16 consecutive days is
prohibited. The term "location" means the occupied undeveloped campsite and the lands within a
five mile radius of the campsite. After leaving a location, a minimum of seven days is required
before any group or person (s) from that group may reoccupy their original location.
o Shortcutting a switchback on a trail is prohibited.
o Disposing of debris, garbage or other waste is prohibited.
o It is prohibited to possess or use a wagon, cart, or other vehicle (including game carts).
o Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire (except camp stoves) is prohibited
within 1/2 mile of Lava Lake, located in the Spanish Peaks Unit of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
o Lee Metcalf Wilderness visitors are required to store all food, refuse, animal carcasses or other
wildlife attractants acceptably (so as to make them unavailable to wildlife) from March 1 through
December 1. See the Gallatin National Forest Website at:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gallatin/home/?cid=stelprdb5127768 for specific information on
proper storage of attractants and food. In summary proper storage means:
1. All food, refuse or other attractants must be acceptably stored or acceptably possessed during
daytime hours (either in certified bear proof containers and/or using a method listed on the most
recent Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee Certified Bear Resistant Products list, or hung 10 feet
off the ground, 4 feet away from the trunk of the tree or pole).
2. All food, refuse or other attractants must be acceptably stored during nighttime hours, unless it is
being prepared for eating, being eaten, being transported, or being prepared for acceptable storage.
3. Any harvested animal carcass must be acceptably stored, unless the carcass is being field dressed,
transported, being prepared for eating, or being prepared for acceptable storage.
4. Camping or sleeping areas must be established at least 1/2 mile from a known animal carcass (on
the ground) or at least 100 yards from an acceptably stored animal carcass.
5. The responsible party shall report the death and location of livestock to a Forest Service official
within 24 hours of discovery. Any Forest user finding dead livestock should contact the Forest
Service.
6. Burnable attractants that cannot be completely consumed by fire (i.e., no post burning residue)
must be packed out.
Also see the Beavehead-Deerlodge website:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/bdnf/specialplaces/?cid=fsm9_003374&width=full for additional
clarification on food storage requirements within the Madison Ranger District portions of the Lee
Metcalf Wilderness.
o Placing or possessing salt for the purposes of attracting wildlife is prohibited in the Lee Metcalf
Wilderness. Persons providing salt to pack and saddle stock in approved corrals or other approved
livestock feeding locations in the immediate vicinity of camp are exempt from this provision.
STOCK USERS
o Using more than 20 head of stock in any group is prohibited in the Monument Mountain or Taylor
Hilgard Units of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
o Using more than 15 head of stock in any group is prohibited in the Spanish Peaks Unit of the Lee
Metcalf Wilderness.
o Hitching, tethering, or picketing horses or otherwise containing livestock in violation of posted
trailhead instructions, or within 200 feet of a lake or 100 feet of a stream or free-flowing water is
prohibited in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
o All livestock feed must be certified weed seed free. It is prohibited to possess, store or use animal
feeds, hay, grain, straw or cubed hay that are not certified as weed seed free in the Lee Metcalf
Wilderness. Weed seed free products must be certified as being noxious weed seed free by an
authorized State of Department of Agriculture official or designated county official; each individual
bale or container must be tagged or marked as weed free and reference the written certification.
o Camping with livestock is prohibited within 1/2 mile of Lava Lake year-round.
o Livestock (including horses, mules, llamas or goats) are prohibited on the Lava Lake Trail #77
between December 2 and September 15 annually.
o Free trailing of pack or saddle stock is prohibited anywhere in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness.
Contacts
Bozeman Ranger District
3710 FALLON, SUITE C
BOZEMAN, MT 59718
Phone: 406-522-2520
Phone: 406-823-6961
Hebgen Lake Ranger District
PO BOX 520
WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT 59758
Phone: 406-682-4253
Madison Ranger District
5 FOREST SERVICE ROAD
ENNIS, MT 59729
General Contact: Chris McGrath
BLM Dillon Field Office
PO Box 765
Ennis, MT 59729
Phone: 406-682-4082
Email: [email protected]
Links to Other Websites
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Custer Gallatin National Forest Wilderness
Links on Wilderness.net
National, Regional and Local Wilderness Organizations (NGOs)
A listing of societies, organizations, coalitions and other wilderness-related advocacy and
stewardship groups.
Career and Volunteer Opportunities
A listing of sites providing information about wilderness- and environmentally-related career and
volunteer opportunities.
Applicable Wilderness Law(s)
Law
Date
Acreage Change (in acres)
Public Law 98-140
October 31, 1983
259,000
Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Act of 1983 - Public law 98-140 (10/31/1983) To
establish the Lee Metcalf Wilderness and Management Area in the State of Montana, and for other
purposes
NOTE: Public law acreage includes FS and BLM acreage.
download 98-140
General Trip Planning Information
The Bear Trap Canyon Wilderness Visitors Guide is available upon request.
Recreational Opportunities
Hiking, fishing, whitewater rafting and kayaking, hunting, backpacking.
Climate and Special Equipment Needs
Weather conditions vary greatly, even within the same day! Be prepared for your trip into the
wilderness by bringing clothing and equipment essential for safe travel.
Safety and Current Conditions
Be alert for rattlesnakes, bears, and other wildlife, as well as poison ivy.
Whitewater boaters should be experienced, and equipped to safely navigate Class IV whitewater. As
river flows increase above 2,200 cfs difficulty increases, and at very high flows is not safely
runnable by even the most experienced boaters.