Bob Marshall Wilderness
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...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 1.1 million acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1964, by Congress |
| Center point | 47.6809, -113.1572 |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 28 are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Show 4 moreHide
16 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 trailhead. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 16 miYoungs Danaher Backcountry Access ↗Trailhead
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
254 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 1,618 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Big River ↗ | 43.7 | |
| Main South Fork ↗ | 38.9 | |
| Spotted Bear River ↗ | 33.9 | |
| Holland-Gordon ↗ | 28.9 | |
| Hobnail Tom ↗ | 27.4 | |
| South Fork Sun ↗ | 25.3 | |
| Smith - Little Salmon ↗ | 23.3 | |
| West Side South Fork ↗ | 23.3 | |
| East Side South Fork ↗ | 23.1 | |
| North Fk Sun ↗ | 22.5 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSb Silver Mule Rx
23 mi from the center point
- PrescribedSb Horse Ridge Rx
27 mi from the center point
- PrescribedBison Range Br2F Rx
45 mi from the center point
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
- 8.4 miDouble Arrow Lodge ↗Seeley Lake, MT
- 8.7 miCamp Paxson Boy Scout Camp (24mo77) ↗Lolo National Forest, MT
- 9.1 miLaird's Lodge Historic District ↗Seeley Lake, MT
- 10.4 miDouble Arrow Lookout ↗Seeley Lake, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Bob Marshall Wilderness?
1.1 million acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Bob Marshall Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Bob Marshall Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Bob Marshall Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1964.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Bob Marshall Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Kenck Cabin, 0 miles out. 28 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
Where are the trailheads in Bob Marshall Wilderness?
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site here, including 1 trailhead. Each one links to its Forest Service page.
Source: Trailheads and sites
How do I get to Bob Marshall Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 47.681, -113.157. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Bob Marshall Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Sb Silver Mule Rx at 23 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Bob Marshall Wilderness?
NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 13 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 Bob Marshall Wilderness?
4 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Double Arrow Lodge and Camp Paxson Boy Scout Camp (24mo77).
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.