Quick Tips
- You need to be in good physical condition
- Bring good optics and good quality clothing that can withstand the elements
- Always pack bear spray as you are in grizzly country
On The Ground
This district is between the communities of Hamilton and Stevensville along U.S. Highway 93 and the Idaho state line. Part of the area is the Bitterroot National Forest which include portions of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
An adventure awaits for the lucky hunter who draws a tag. The Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness has a of vertical terrain with trails winding across ridges and dropping into drainages. The long season allows hunters plenty of time to take a couple of trips in September and October, but November snows can make trails impassable. Billies typically range from 8-9"
Terrain
The Bitterroot Range includes a number of granite mountain peaks over 9,000 feet. The two major drainages are Lolo Creek and the Bitterroot River. Lolo Creek establishes the northern edge of the unit, while the Bitterroot River sets the eastern boundary. Many alpine basins have small lakes nestled above timberline. This mountainous area is almost entirely vertical with only small valleys breaking up the peaks and ridges.
Roughly 692 square miles
77.4% public land
Elevations from 3,600-10,000 feet
Vegetation
The alpine consists of meadows filled with wildflowers. Moss and lichens growing on rocky ridges and boulders. Some avalanche chutes have small areas of grass. Dropping below tree line the dense forest is made up of spruce, fir, ponderosa and lodgepole pine with groves of aspen near wet areas. Low elevation ridges and foothills have stands of ponderosa pine, mountain shrubs and grassy south facing slopes. Along the Bitterroot Valley there are cottonwoods, willows and scattered meadows.
Access
U.S. Highway 93 and 12 are the two major routes that connect to a good road system established by the Forest Service. The various trailheads lead to over a 1,000 miles of trails, allowing tag holders to travel deep into the backcountry of the wilderness area. Travel by foot or horseback is very challenging due to the ruggedness of the wilderness.
No motorized vehicles allowed in the wilderness
Camping and Lodging
Wilderness camping is restricted to 14 consecutive days at one site. Hamilton and Stevensville are small communities in the Bitterroot Valley that offer motels, rustic river lodges, café and restaurants, medical facilities, gas and diesel.
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