A northern Rockies wilderness protecting the high country of the Rattlesnake Mountains above Missoula, Montana.
Rattlesnake Wilderness
Rattlesnake Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in western Montana, lying just north of the city of Missoula within the larger Lolo National Forest. It protects a substantial portion of the high country of the Rattlesnake Mountains, safeguarding rugged forested ridges, alpine zones, and the headwaters that feed the Rattlesnake Creek drainage.
Established by Congress in 1980, the wilderness is a core component of the broader Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and is managed under the 1964 Wilderness Act. Its proximity to an urban center makes it an unusually accessible example of a high-country wilderness, while its protections ensure that its forested slopes, alpine basins, and water sources remain free of roads, logging, and mechanized intrusion.
The area's significance lies in its combination of ecological integrity and recreational character. The wilderness offers trail-based hiking, backcountry camping, and fishing opportunities within a landscape that retains the qualities of the Northern Continental Divide ecosystem, including conifer forests, wildlife habitat, and high-elevation terrain typical of the northern Rockies.
