The Anaconda Pintler Wilderness is an overlooked gem in the state of Montana. It doesn’t have the notoriety of a Glacier National Park, or the iconic awe of “The Bob” (as in the Bob Marshall Wilderness), but it has the solitude and grandeur of some of the best wilderness the west has to offer. Lying in the vicinity of Butte, Montana, but closer to the copper-smelting town of Anaconda, this wilderness is part of the spine of the Rocky Mountains and also encompasses a 45-mile stretch of the Continental Divide Trail. Elevations vary greatly from a low of 5,100 feet, to a high at West Goat Peak near 10,800 feet.

Approaching a scenic backcountry lake on an Anaconda Pintler backpacking trip.

Hiking in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness

On this, my third trip to the (158,656 acre) Anaconda Pintler Wilderness, I was there to photograph the landscape (on my first visit I explored the northern boundary, and on my second I walked the entire span from north to south while through-hiking the Continental Divide Trail). This time I had returned to explore the central segment and photograph the area’s most spectacular section.

If you’re interested in a long, continuous backpacking trip, I’d suggest you begin at the northeast corner of the wilderness by Storm Lake and hike up to the pass to follow the CDT (Continental Divide Trail) to the southwest corner of the wilderness. This area will give you a roller coaster ride of a trail, as it constantly descends into valleys and ascends to rocky passes seemingly every mile. You’ll be changing in elevation between 7,500 and 9,000 feet with regularity, so make sure your hiking legs are in shape.

The expansive and exposed Goat Flat offers little protection from weather – there is nowhere to shelter for a couple of miles. For shorter loops while getting the most “bang for the buck” time-wise, I headed for the central section and started just south of the village of Moose Lake. This heads into to the high country in a hurry, and shorter and longer loops can be hiked from here. Trail loops can also be made with a southern approach, but you’ll spend much more time in forested valleys than in the high country. Free wilderness permits are required for hiking into the backcountry and can be found at trailhead kiosks.

Like many areas of the west, the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness has been ravaged by the Pine Bark Beetle and by fire. Given that the area has experienced these environmental problems, it’s surprising how well the trails are maintained. Noticing hatchet marks on the fallen bucked trees; my guess is that backcountry equestrians have given a hand with the trail maintenance.

Mosquitos can be fierce in July and will keep you in your tent most of the time, so August may be a better month with fewer bugs. This area can also look beautiful with a dusting of snow, so late September and early October will be cold and snowy and offer the changing colors of the larch – in addition to being mosquito free. On my most recent trip I wanted to explore the central part of the wilderness. Starting at a trailhead in the northern section of wilderness, I hiked to the center passing the lovely Johnson Lake and over the divide at 9,250 foot Rainbow Pass to Rainbow Lake which is nestled 800 feet below the pass. My next journey began with a southern approach along Fishtrap Creek so I could camp and photograph Warren Lake and dramatic 10,463 foot Warren Peak.

Jim Wolf, who almost single-handedly helped push through the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, named this area of the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness the “Crown Jewel” of the National Scenic Trail. Having through-hiked it from Canada to Mexico, I must concur. The two other times I visited this beautiful setting I arrived late and left early–barely enough time to appreciate its beauty. This time, I spent two days just hanging out and photographing. A few through-hikers ambled by while I camped, and I enjoyed the stories and updates from the trail.

The southwest corner of this wilderness is lower and has fewer loop possibilities. The divide trail pops above 8,500 feet a few times and leaves the woods now and again. The hiking is easier as the trail mainly follows the spine of the divide and stays close to 8,000 feet. Here side trails divert to an occasional lake, and the wilderness boundary keeps a myriad of logging roads at bay. As you head further south you finally leave the wilderness boundary and the trail heads south on its way to Mexico.

Need to Know

Information

The area is managed by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Phone: (406)-683-3900.

Getting There

To the Storm Lake Trailhead take highway 1 west from the town of Anaconda, Montana and exit off of Forest Road 675. You may need 4WD for the last mile or two. For a western approach to the central high peaks of the wilderness past Moses Lake, again take highway 1 west from the town of Anaconda, Montana to Highway 38 south, to Forest Road 5106 east to Trailhead 29 parking area. For an eastern approach to the central high peaks of the wilderness, take Highway 15 near Butte, Montana south to Highway 43 west. Exit west on Forest Road 1203 near Fishtrap to Forest Road 1279 north and the trailhead parking area for trail 128 up Fishtrap Creek.

Maps and Books

Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Forest Service map, and Cairn Cartographics offers their Anaconda Pintler Wilderness map. For guidebooks see Hiking the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness.

All images in this article © David M. Cobb Photography.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor David Cobb originally appeared in Issue 5 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content. See more of David’s photography at dmcobbphoto.com.