Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Area Management
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness is part of the 110 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 on the 'Links' tab 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.
o Camping within 200 feet of any lake 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 Wagons, carts (including game carts), bicycles, and other motorized, mechanized or wheeled vehicles are prohibited.
o Campfires (except camp stoves) are prohibited within 1/2 mile of Lava Lake, located in the Spanish Peaks Unit.
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 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 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 ½ 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 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. Providing salt to pack and saddle stock in approved corrals or other approved livestock feeding locations in the immediate vicinity of camp is allowed.
STOCK USERS
o The maximum number of stock allowed in the Monument Mountain and Taylor Hilgard Units is 20.
o The maximum number of stock allowed in the Spanish Peaks Unit is 15.
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. 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.
Learn more about why regulations may be necessary in wilderness.
