Protected Areas and National Parks Near Yellowstone National Park in the American West

Lee Metcalf Wilderness: Geographic Profile and Protected Landscape Boundaries in Montana

Mapping rugged alpine terrain across four distinct mountainous units

Located in southwestern Montana, the Lee Metcalf Wilderness serves as a cornerstone of ecological connectivity within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Spanning over 250,000 acres, this protected area features a unique fragmented geography consisting of the Bear Trap Canyon, Spanish Peaks, Taylor-Hilgard, and Monument Mountains units. The landscape is defined by its roadless mountain ridges, forested slopes, and deep river corridors, providing essential sanctuary for large mammal populations.

Area

1,029.07 km²

Established

1983

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Shoshone National Forest: A Comprehensive Map and Geography of America's Oldest National Forest

Rugged wilderness and glacial peaks in Wyoming

Discover the immense geographic scale of Shoshone National Forest, which protects a diverse landscape ranging from sagebrush valleys to 13,000-foot granite summits. This atlas overview details its role within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and its expansive, federally designated wilderness areas, offering a clear perspective on its volcanic and glacial terrain.

Area

9,992.69 km²

Established

1891

IUCN

VI

Visitors

500K annual

Jedediah Smith Wilderness: Protected Alpine Terrain and Teton Range Geography

Glacially sculpted high-country basins in western Wyoming

Spanning the western face of the Teton Range, the Jedediah Smith Wilderness serves as a federally protected buffer for iconic mountain landscapes. The region features dramatic cirques, hanging valleys, and dense subalpine forest habitats, forming an essential, roadless link within the broader Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Explore the terrain features and structural geography that define this remote high-country wilderness area.

Area

499.59 km²

Established

1984

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Grand Teton National Park: Protected Landscape and Geographic Atlas Exploration

Explore the mapped terrain and regional park geography.

Grand Teton National Park is a protected landscape offering rich geographic discovery opportunities within the United States of America. This detailed entry facilitates an atlas-style exploration of its mapped boundaries, the surrounding regional geography, and its identity as a significant national park. Understand the specific landscape context and discover its placement within the broader natural terrain of North America.

Area

1,300 km²

Established

1929

IUCN

II

Visitors

2.8M annual

Red Rock Lakes Wilderness: Nature Reserve and Wetland Geography in Beaverhead County

High elevation marshes and protected water basins.

Red Rock Lakes Wilderness preserves an extensive high-elevation wetland complex in Beaverhead County, Montana. This nature reserve, characterized by shallow lake basins and forested mountain ridges, serves as a vital ecological corridor in the Northern Rockies. Its protected landscape offers a study in water-driven geography, where remote marshes and reflective lakes define the terrain's character.

Area

130.9 km²

Established

1976

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Upland

Fitzpatrick Wilderness: Exploring the Rugged Protected Landscapes of Western Wyoming

A core alpine environment within the Wind River Range.

Fitzpatrick Wilderness represents one of the most uncompromisingly wild segments of the Wind River Range, featuring persistent glaciers, dramatic U-shaped valleys, and high granite spires. This protected landscape offers a deep look into the alpine geography of Wyoming, preserved under the Wilderness Act to maintain its rugged character, remote glacial cirques, and intricate mountain ecosystems.

Area

803.4 km²

Established

1976

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest: Geographic Overview and Protected Area Map

Montana wilderness spanning the Continental Divide

Spanning from the rolling eastern plains to the crest of the Northern Rockies, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest serves as a massive protected landscape in central Montana. This forest system protects eight unique mountain ranges and critical wilderness corridors, offering a comprehensive look at the ecological transition zones of the American Mountain West.

Area

11,000 km²

Established

1897

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Temperate

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area: Maps and Protected Landscape Geography

A reservoir-anchored protected area in the Montana high desert

Defined by its striking contrast between deep blue reservoir water and sheer canyon walls, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area protects an essential arid landscape in the Mountain West. This region encompasses portions of the Pryor Mountains and the historic Bad Pass Trail, offering a window into the intersection of vast high-desert plains and rugged mountain terrain.

Area

486.82 km²

Established

1966

Visitors

217.7K annual

Relief

Upland

Salmon, Challis National Forest: Geography and Protected Land Map in Central Idaho

Extensive alpine ridges and wild river corridors

Spanning over 4.2 million acres, Salmon, Challis National Forest is a foundational protected landscape in Idaho. This area includes the highest peaks in the state, such as Borah Peak, and holds the majority of the Frank Church, River of No Return Wilderness. Utilize this atlas resource to examine the intricate mountain topography, expansive river systems, and the contiguous wild corridors that define this significant portion of the northern Rockies.

Area

17,142.2 km²

Established

1908

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Temperate

Popo Agie Wilderness: Protected Landscapes in the Wyoming Wind River Range

High-altitude alpine terrain and glacial basins

The Popo Agie Wilderness in Wyoming encompasses a dramatic vertical landscape, ranging from forested valleys to alpine summits above 13,000 feet. This protected area features the iconic Cirque of the Towers, dense hydrological networks of glacial tarns, and expansive granite formations that anchor its identity within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Area

412.3 km²

Established

1984

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Gates of the Mountains Wilderness: Montana Protected Landscape and Geographic Overview

Explore Missouri River canyon boundaries and local terrain

Gain insight into the geological drama of Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, a protected reserve in Montana. This atlas entry focuses on the limestone canyon walls and historic river corridors that define the regional geography, offering a structured look at its protected boundaries and terrain.

Area

115.59 km²

Established

1964

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Sawtooth National Forest: Geographic Overview and Protected Mountain Boundaries

Central Idaho mountain systems and wilderness corridors

Spanning over two million acres, Sawtooth National Forest defines the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Idaho. This protected landscape contains a complex network of glacial basins, alpine lakes, and varied ecosystems ranging from arid sagebrush foothills to high-altitude peaks. Explore the internal boundaries, drainage systems, and structural geography of this significant wilderness area.

Area

8,540.52 km²

Established

1905

Visitors

1.2M annual

Relief

Mountain

Jim McClure, Jerry Peak Wilderness: Geography and Protected Landscape Map in Idaho

Mapping central Idaho's remote mountain backcountry

Investigate the high-elevation wilderness geography of Jim McClure, Jerry Peak. This protected area in Custer County sits within the Salmon-Challis landscape, featuring a rugged mix of mountain peaks, dense coniferous forests, and remote drainages that define the character of the American West.

Area

473.07 km²

Established

2015

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Lolo National Forest: An Atlas of Protected Lands and Mountainous Terrain in Montana

Ecological transition zone of the northern Rocky Mountains

This protected area covers two million acres of diverse northern Rocky Mountain geography. Known for its massive western red cedars and transitional ecology, the forest features a complex network of ridgelines, glacial lake basins, and river corridors that serve as vital habitat across the Montana landscape.

Area

8,894.85 km²

Established

1906

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Temperate

Curlew National Grassland: Protected Area Geography and Sagebrush Steppe Landscape in Idaho

Mapped regional geography and rangeland conservation context

Located in southeastern Idaho, Curlew National Grassland offers an expansive view of the Intermountain sagebrush steppe. This protected area provides a historical example of Depression-era land restoration and currently functions as a vital habitat for sagebrush-associated wildlife, showcasing the unique, rolling plains and semi-arid terrain characteristic of the northern Great Basin.

Area

193.4 km²

Established

1934

Relief

Upland

Scope

Terrestrial

Mount Naomi Wilderness: Mapping High-Altitude Protected Landscapes in Northern Utah

Alpine summits, forested ridges, and subalpine lake basins

Situated in the Bear River Range of northern Utah, Mount Naomi Wilderness stands as a protected corridor of rugged mountain terrain. This wilderness area preserves a diverse high-elevation environment, spanning from the steep western canyons of the Logan River to the prominent summits of Naomi Peak. It serves as a vital point of geographic interest for understanding the subalpine ecosystems and wilderness boundaries within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Area

180.18 km²

Established

1984

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Frank Church, River of No Return Wilderness: Idaho Protected Mountain and River Landscapes

Discover massive roadless geography and river-carved mountain terrain.

Spanning over 2.3 million acres in central Idaho, the Frank Church, River of No Return Wilderness represents one of the most significant intact roadless landscapes in the lower 48 states. This protected area features a complex mosaic of coniferous forests, high-altitude alpine ridges, and the steep, jagged canyons of the Salmon River, creating a unique geographic profile for regional exploration.

Area

9,578.21 km²

Established

1980

IUCN

Ib

Relief

Mountain

Sawtooth National Recreation Area: Mapping the Protected Landscape of Central Idaho

A vast mountain wilderness of granite peaks and glacier-carved lakes.

The Sawtooth National Recreation Area encompasses a quintessential northern Rocky Mountain terrain defined by the dramatic Sawtooth, White Cloud, and Boulder ranges. This protected landscape preserves over 700,000 acres of high-elevation wilderness, ranging from jagged granite arêtes to the broad, U-shaped Sawtooth Valley, serving as a critical hydrologic anchor for the rivers of the American West.

Area

2,957.7 km²

Established

1972

Relief

Mountain

Climate

Alpine

Payette National Forest: Geographic Overview of Idaho's Rugged Mountain Wilderness

Protected granite landscapes and glacial basin geography

Encompassing a vast portion of central Idaho, Payette National Forest represents a significant protected wilderness corridor. The forest geography transitions from granite-based alpine peaks and deep river gorges to dense coniferous slopes, providing essential habitat and extensive trail connectivity throughout the Northern Rockies.

Area

9,419.55 km²

Established

1944

Relief

Mountain

Access

Access unknown

Wasatch-Cache National Forest Protected Area: Geography, Mountains, and Wilderness Mapping

Analyzing high-mountain terrain and watershed connectivity across the Intermountain West

Wasatch-Cache National Forest serves as a major ecological anchor in the United States. Its territory encompasses the iconic Wasatch Range, extensive designated wilderness zones, and alpine basins. The region provides critical watershed protection and supports diverse high-altitude ecosystems, from narrow, dissected ridges to broad, glaciated terrain throughout northern Utah and surrounding areas.

Area

6,504.01 km²

Established

1906

Relief

Mountain

Access

Easy access