Kootenai National Forest

Cabinet Mountains Wilderness

Recommended Guides

Safety in Bear Country
How to avoid attracting bears, hiking safely in bear country, and what to do if you encounter a bear.

Grizzly Bear Facts and Safety Information
Learn how to identify grizzly bears and how to be safe in grizzly bear country. Includes diamgrams and photos.

Click on the map to go to a larger map (232k) of the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness

Wilderness Links

• Wilderness Areas of Montana
• Wilderness.net
• Aldo Leopold Wilderness Research Institute

The Cabinet Mountains Wilderness is located in northwestern Montana approximately 15 miles southwest of Libby, Montana. This area contains some of the most beautiful sub-alpine scenery in western Montana. Elevations range from a low of 3,000 feet to 8,738 feet atop Snowshoe Peak. Variety best describes the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness...ranging from the high, rocky peaks often snowcapped year-round, to groves of huge cedars in the canopied valleys. Hidden in the peaks and ridges are scores of deep blue lakes, feeding clear, cold streams that tumble to moose country below.

The list of resident animals is extensive and their homes varied - from the high rocks of the mountain goat, mountain sheep, pika and golden eagle, to the lower slopes and brushy canyon bottoms of the beaver, woodrat, and beautiful Western Tanager, other animals include wolverines, deer, elk, and moose. Cutthroat, rainbow, and brook trout have been introduced and are now found in many lakes, streams and beaver ponds. The wide range of ecosystems has created a great diversity of plants. You can find the giant Western Red Cedar and prickly Devils Club in moist, lower valleys, midslopes produce Douglas Fir and huckleberries, and on the windswept ridges are the gnarled Whitebark Pine and stunted heath. Wildflowers scent the mountain air. Fall usually arrives in September, and with it a wonderful assortment of Mountain Maple scarlets, Mountain Ash reds, Alder browns, and the Larch golden yellows. While mining and trapping during the early settlement of the area, French explorers named these mountains for their cabinet-like appearance when viewed from the valley floor.

Access

Trails preserve the fragile country and provide visitors the best access. Most are marked at major intersections, some form loops, and many offer panoramic views. Others end at lakes in beautiful alpine settings. Major highways in the area include U.S. Highway No. 2 on the north and east sides, and Montana State Highway No. 56 on the west. You may pick your own route to a nearby peak or high basin, but, beware of unstable rock formations that make technical climbing unsafe in most areas. Limit must be placed on the number of persons and stock when traveling in parties. You may get information and written permission at the local Ranger Station.

On the Trail

Trail difficulty varies from easy stream bottoms, to the ups and downs of major ridges, to steep switchbacks, avoid cutting across switchbacks since this destroys vegetation vital in preventing erosion. Use of the trail registers provides information that is helpful in managing the Wilderness. Giardia has been found in some water sources, so bringing your own water or using a water purifier is recommended, Snowstorms may occur as late as July and as early as September, so be prepared for the unexpected with extra food and clothing. Some areas provide opportunities for cross-country skiing, but avalanche danger occurs in winter and spring, and you must exercise extreme care.

Hunting and Fishing

Fish and game laws apply in the Wilderness. Information about seasons and permits is available from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Wilderness Scenes

Wilderness scenes vary from ridge top panoramas, reflective lakes, wildlife, colorful plants and rushing waters. They can be recorded with a camera or brush. Binoculars will enhance landscapes or wildlife that are not approachable. Pack your field guides to help you identify the species!

Stock Use

To avoid tying to trees, use temporary stakes or rope hitch racks and keep stock away from lakes, streams and campsites. Natural forage is scarce and hay may contain weed seed, so use only certified weed-seed-free feeds. Remember, leave as little evidence of your visit as possible.

Camping

Make camps away from lakeshores or from areas where others may also be seeking solitude. Use any existing fire rings first, but when constructing your own, scatter the rocks away from the campsite when done, or use a shallow pit in place of the fire ring. Replace the soil in the pit before you leave. Use only dead wood, and remember to always use extreme caution with fire. Some hikers have found that modern backpacker's stove is most efficient, and even carrying the fuel can be lighter than an axe.

Waste

Cans, foil, packaging, and other nonburnables must be packed out. Do not bury these since animals and the frost action will expose them again. Human waste decomposes rather quickly in the top 6-8 inches of the soil, and a small garden trowel can be used to dig an 8-10 inch diameter hole. Construct these latrines well away from camp and water sources, and use only unscented white toilet paper. Replace the sod when done.

Bears and Wildlife

Grizzlies, black bears and other large wildlife may be encountered here. Use proper food storage, keep a clean, odorless camp, and avoid close confrontations. Males in the fall, and mothers with young may be aggressive if you get too close, so view them from a safe distance. Firearms are not necessary.

More Wilderness Areas of Idaho and Montana

Wilderness areas in the Northern Region (North Idaho and Montana) encompass close to 5 million acres of rugged and beautiful mountain country. They are devoted to recreational, scenic, scientific, educational, conservation, and historic purposes. These include the Absaroka-Beartooth, Anaconda-Pintler, Bob Marshall, Cabinet Mountains, Gates of the Mountains, Gospel Hump, Great Bear, Hells Canyon, Mission Mountains, Rattlesnake, River of No Return, Scapegoat, Selway-Bitterroot, and Welcome Creek Wilderness. Designated a Primitive Area in 1935, the 94,360 acre area then became part of the National Wilderness Preservation Act of 1964, and is defined as "an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain...."