Great Bear Wilderness
| Great Bear Wilderness | |
|---|---|
wilderness area) | |
 | |
  Location in Montana | |
| Location | Flathead County, Montana, United States |
| Coordinates | 48°11′10″N 113°35′03″W / 48.18611°N 113.58417°W |
| Area | 286,700 acres (1,160 km2) |
| Established | 1978 |
| Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
| Website | Montana Office of Tourism |
The Great Bear Wilderness is located in northern
U.S. Highway 2
.
National Forests and Bureau of Land Management areas also allow hunting
in season.
The Great Bear is located west of the
fault that spans for 400 miles (640 km) through Canada and Montana. Great Bear is the origination point of the wild and scenic designated Middle Fork of the Flathead River
, which flows for 50 miles (80 km) through the wilderness and is rarely visited.
In the valleys a dense
coniferous forest is dominated by various species of spruce, pine and fir. Living up to its name, the wilderness is prime grizzly bear habitat and has some of the most dense populations of the species anywhere in the lower 48 states. Black bears are more common however and there is a sizable number of black bears that are cinnamon colored here, which are often mistaken for grizzlies. Other mammals found in the wilderness include lynx, wolverine, mule deer, elk, moose, mountain goat, and bighorn sheep
. There are few lakes in the wilderness, but over 500 miles (800 km) of named streams and rivers.
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300 miles (480 km) of
. The winters are often bitter with deep snowfalls and frigid temperatures. This is a wilderness for the experienced adventurer but guided packtrips are available.See also
External links
- "Great Bear Wilderness". The National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness.net. Retrieved 2006-08-16.
- "USGS Crescent Cliff (MT) Topo Map Quad". TopoQuest. Retrieved 2008-06-29.
- "Wilderness Legislation: The Wilderness Act of 1964". The National Wilderness Preservation System. Wilderness.net. Archived from the original on 2012-02-28. Retrieved 2006-08-16.