Bob Marshall Wilderness
Bob Marshall Wilderness is a sprawling, high-elevation landscape in northwest Montana, bounded by the Great Northern Highway and the South Fork Flathead River. As part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, it offers backcountry hiking, wilderness camping, and visceral river crossings behind regulations that protect its dramatic ridges and alpine peaks.
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Geography
| Address | Northwestern Montana, USANorthwestern Montana |
|---|---|
| Continent | North America |
| Region | Pacific Northwest |
| Subregion | Northern Rockies |
| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Lake County and Flathead County |
| District | Lewis and Clark National Forest, Flathead National Forest |
| Timezone | AmericaDenver |
| Latitude | 48.57 |
| Longitude | -113.5 |
| Maps |
7:12 PM LOCAL TIMENamed after conservationist and forester Bob Marshall, the Bob Marshall Wilderness is a vast and remote expanse of high peaks, glacial-carved valleys, and wild rivers across northwest Montana. Spanning nearly 1,800 square miles (4,690 km²), it is characterized by alpine summits rising above 9,000 feet (2,700 m), forested foothills, and major drainages like the South Fork Flathead and McDonald Creek. The landscape is a core component of the larger Crown of the Continent ecosystem and offers diverse recreation under federal wilderness stipulations—reliable for backcountry trail hiking, primitive camping, crossing free-flowing rivers, and observing native flora and fauna like Castor canadensis (beaver) and Ursus arctos horribilis (grizzly bear). Access is generally via long trailheads, with overnight use regulated to maintain the area's wild character and fragile soils. Visitors should prepare for variable weather, steep terrain, and minimal facilities—maps and Leave No Trace practices are essential.
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