Lee Metcalf Wilderness
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness consists of four separate units distributed across the Madison Range in southwest Montana. The Bear Trap Canyon unit is administered by the Bureau of Land Management and is the...
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Montana |
| Size | 242,068 acres (Wilderness Connect) |
| Designated | 1983, by Congress |
| Center point | 45.1570, -111.4001 |
| 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
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. 31 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
19 more within ten miles are not listed here.
Trails
67 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 399 miles in all. The 10 longest are listed here.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Skyline ↗ | 20.4 | |
| High Lakes ↗ | 15.5 | |
| Indian Ridge ↗ | 13.2 | |
| Indian Creek ↗ | 12.6 | |
| Sage Creek ↗ | 12.2 | |
| Cabin Creek Divide ↗ | 11.1 | |
| Hellroaring Creek ↗ | 10.7 | |
| Jourdain Ridge ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Inspiration Divide ↗ | 9.9 | |
| Falls Creek ↗ | 9.6 |
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
- PrescribedLonesome Wood Rx Unit 31B
33 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
- 2 miCrail Ranch Buildings ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 2.4 miHutchins Bridge ↗Cameron, MT
- 3.4 miSpanish Creek School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 10 miLittle Bear School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
- 11.9 miLonesomehurst Cabin ↗West Yellowstone, MT
- 12 miSherwood, Joseph, House and Store ↗Island Park, ID
- 12.6 miUpper Madison School ↗Three Forks, MT
- 14.5 miAnderson School ↗Gallatin Gateway, MT
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
242,068 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service share management. The Bureau of Land Management portion is the largest in the wilderness record.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Lee Metcalf Wilderness in?
Montana.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Lee Metcalf Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1983.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
No federal campground sits inside the boundary. The nearest is Bear Creek Cabin, 0.1 miles out. 31 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 Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 45.157, -111.400. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Lee Metcalf Wilderness right now?
1 active incident within 50 miles as of 2026-09-18, the nearest Lonesome Wood Rx Unit 31B at 33 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
How dark is the night sky at Lee Metcalf 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 Lee Metcalf Wilderness?
8 National Register listings within 15 miles, including Crail Ranch Buildings and Hutchins Bridge.
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.