For backpackers seeking an immersive wilderness experience in uncrowded and ruggedly beautiful country, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is a perfect destination. Located along the Montana and Idaho border, this 1.3 million acre wilderness is one of the original wilderness areas designated in the 1964 Wilderness Act and is the third-largest wilderness area in the Lower 48. Hundreds of miles of trails provide access to lakes, peaks, lookouts, enchanting forests, and wild rivers and streams.

This wilderness area truly is a paradise for backpackers. Its sheer size and distance from major population centers allows for great odds at solitude, especially the further from trailheads you hike. Since the highest peak tops out at just over 10,000 feet, most hikers won't need to devote any time to acclimating to altitude as they would for trips to 14ers in Colorado. Whether you're looking to soak in a hot spring, catch trout at a mountain lake, or cover serious distance, you can find a trip suited to your desires.

Selway-Bitterroot Hiking & Backpacking

With 1.3 million acres to spread out in and hundreds of miles of trails to put your feet on, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness offers a lifetime of opportunities for backpacking (as well as trail running and hiking). The most common destinations are the many subalpine lakes which are exceptionally scenic, often filled with hungry trout, and always refreshing to jump in after a hike. Access to most of these mountain lakes typically isn't feasible until mid-June, depending on the previous winter's snowpack.

Often located on the way to mountain passes or near peaks, there are often a wealth of options for dayhikes from a basecamp at a mountain lake. Those experienced in off-trail travel can navigate their way to lakes which lack official trails to them and experience a greater degree of solitude in an already fairly uncrowded wilderness. The fishing, usually for rainbow or cutthroat trout, varies from lake to lake (with some lacking fish altogether) but is generally good to excellent for those tossing dry flies onto the glassy surfaces of these charming bodies of water.

Although the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness is lacking in loop hikes for backpacking, the absolute beauty of the area means you won't really regret doing out-and-back hikes. For those who can arrange a shuttle, a wide variety of point-to-point hikes opens up. Most common among these is to hike up one canyon, traverse over to another (either via a trail or cross-country hiking) and then come out a canyon or two over. An excellent early season point-to-point hike is the Selway River Trail. Paralleling the Selway River for 50-miles, this trail passes through extremely remote country as it bisects the wilderness.

Hot Springs

Several hot springs in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness provide excellent opportunities to observe geothermal phenomena as well as enjoy a soak in a beautiful setting. Weir Creek Hot Springs and Jerry Johnson Hot Springs are the most popular and are frequently used year-round. Their proximity to trailheads invites crowds, but if you can catch them early morning on a weekday you might enjoy a more solitary soak. Another hot spring that is about a six-mile one-way hike in from its trailhead sees less day hikers, but is becoming more popular with backpackers (and thus more impacted). A bit of research will easily lead you to its location, but please use discretion when sharing it across social media if you make the visit to this enchanting hot spring in a beautiful cedar forest.

Lookouts

Perhaps the only thing better than standing on a hard-earned mountain summit is reaching a summit and being able to escape the elements for a bit and kick back and enjoy the view. The lookout atop St. Mary’s Peak is the quintessential Bitterroot Mountain lookout and is still staffed by a volunteer during the summer. A 3.5 mile hike takes you to the summit at 9,351 feet and rewards you with a spectacular panorama of the Bitterroot Mountains, Bitterroot Valley, Sapphire Mountains, and a jaw-dropping expanse of wilderness to the west.

A more remote alternative for those seeking a lookout is Grave Peak Lookout in Idaho. A 9-mile roundtrip hike which passes by meadows and prettier-than-its-name-implies Swamp Lake delivers you to this rustic but architecturally interesting lookout. Lacking a catwalk, but featuring a cupola, this lookout is perched on Grave Peak and offers incredible views of the interior of the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness. If you're looking to spend the night in a unique setting, then pack enough water up to the lookout and stretch out inside. Although in disrepair, most backpackers would likely find it suitable for a night and the views more than make up for the "rough around the edges" ambiance. If you'd rather not haul up the water and prefer not to sleep in derelict accommodations, there are great options for camping at nearby lakes.

Peaks

Summiting the highest point in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, Trapper Peak at 10,147 feet, can easily be accomplished on a dayhike using an official trail that climbs approximately 4,000 feet over four miles. In addition to the standard route up Trapper Peak, other routes lead to the summit as well and are described in guidebooks. Ward Mountain, 9,119 feet, is also an excellent choice for a dayhike which leads to a summit. Although not as lofty as Trapper Peak, the trail up Ward Mountain gains about 4,800 feet in elevation on the roughly six-mile hike to its summit. The views from the top are breathtaking.

Dozens of other peaks in the range can be summitted via scrambling routes, but typically lack trails all the way to the summit. The distance from the trailhead to many summits makes for a demanding dayhike. Backpacking into a lake basin and setting up a basecamp, then summitting nearby peaks, is a great framework to plan a trip around. The best resource for planning trips with peaks in mind is Bitterroot Mountain Summits by Michael Hoyt.

Access

In prime hiking season (mid-June to mid-October), many trailheads can be accessed via standard passenger vehicles. The nearest major roads are Hwy. 93 to the east and Hwy. 12 in the north. Several trailheads are along Hwy. 12, but for most of the trailheads you will be spending some time on dirt/gravel roads. Some of the roads are best travelled in vehicles with decent clearance, like a Subaru or other SUV, and some are primitive and best suited to high-clearance 4WD trucks.

Ranger stations can provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on roads. However, with so many trailheads to choose from the limitations imposed by not having a rugged vehicle aren't of great consequence for those wishing to explore the wilderness, you will just need to choose the most appropriate trailhead for your vehicle.

Best Time to Go

The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness can be enjoyed year round, but snow limits access to higher elevation trailheads from approximately November to May, varying from year to year on the snowpack and from trailhead to trailhead. Prime hiking season is usually mid-June to mid-October, although enjoyable early-season treks up the canyons can be had beginning in April (although reaching the lakes and the high country would require packing in snowshoes to the snowline). Short hikes in April can be particularly rewarding as the mountains are still covered in snow, the creeks are flowing pleasantly but not yet raging with runoff, and glacier lilies provide beautiful highlights of yellow on the forest floor. May is a great time for hiking the Selway River Trail or venturing up well-consolidated snow to certain peaks, as well as trekking up canyons to the snowline, however be aware that streams may be running high during this time and many are unbridged.

July, August and September are the most reliable months for backpacking in the high country. Mosquitoes can be a bit of a bother in July, but typically fade out as August nears. Wildflowers are perhaps best in July, but depending on elevation (and which wildflowers) there are beautiful blooms throughout the summer. September offers no bugs and crisp nights, with the larches turning golden later in the month. Wildfires can limit access (as well as hinder views and air quality) in the summer months, so be prepared to have a Plan B in case the trail you were hoping to backpack is closed.

During the winter, most trailheads along Hwy. 12 are accessible (including those for the hot springs, and few things are more sublime than enjoying a soak in a hot spring while watching snow fall) and certain trailheads accessed from the east side via short gravel roads (Blodgett Creek, Mill Creek, Bear Creek) are reachable most of the winter depending on the vehicle.

Post-trip

There are numerous options for post-trip feasting in Hamilton, Missoula, Darby, and Stevensville if you're exiting a trip on the east side of the wilderness. Each town has at least one local brewery and several restaurants to choose from, with Missoula having the most options and a "city" feel to it. For trips that end along the Hwy. 12 corridor, the options are a bit limited with the Lochsa Lodge being the only option for dozens of miles in either direction.

If you're still looking for outdoor activities after your hike, fishing the Bitterroot River is a great way to spend the day. This beautiful river offers world-class trout fishing and many outfitters in the area provide float trips for half and full days.

Serene lakes in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness offer great fishing and perhaps even better views.

Maps and Books

The US Forest Service publishes their Selway-Bitterroot North Half Map as well as their companion South Half Selway-Bitterroot Map which cover the area. I've found these are sufficient for trip planning, following trails, and most general backcountry navigation. Caltopo would be useful for extended cross-country trips and peakbagging objectives.

Cairn Cartographics also provides maps of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness similar to those provided by the US Forest Service. Additionally, National Geographic offers their Trails Illustrated Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness 874 Map. For getting to and from trailheads and planning trips, an atlas such as the Delorme Idaho Atlas & Gazetteer as well as their Montana Atlas can be useful.

The guidebook Hiking the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness by Scott Steinberg is an excellent resource for trip planning and is the most comprehensive guidebook for the area.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 41 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.