Spanish Peaks
The scenic community of Big Sky, Montana nestles high in mountain meadows, surrounded by timberland of the Spanish Peaks Primitive Area and the Gallatin National Forest. Located 40 miles southwest of Bozeman, Big Sky offers a year-round playground for the outdoor recreationists. The protected lands of wilderness are set aside for the people's enjoyment and to preserve the natural ecosystem and its wildlife. more info
Country West Ranch & Land - We Know Montana
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Spanish Peaks Primitive Area is now called the Lee Metcalf Designated Wilderness Area. The wilderness area and the Yellowstone ecosystem help comprise over 3 million acres of land. Several mountain peaks in the area exceed 11,000 feet, including Big Sky's own Lone Peak at 11,188 feet. The wild lands offer many high alpine views, lakes, abundance in wildlife and great fishing opportunities.
The Lee Metcalf Wilderness, which consists of four separate units, lies to the northwest of Yellowstone National Park, and protects significant portions of the Madison mountain range. The general area contains some of the best grizzly bear and elk country in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. In the 1970s, Montana conservationists were optimistic that a big 600,000 acre wilderness could be set aside to protect almost all of the northwest flank of the Yellowstone County. This area would include the Spanish Peaks Primitive Area and the roadless region of the Madison Range to the south. However, Congress passed a bill that split this roadless area into four sections and allowed logging development to take place. The established wilderness area was given the name "Lee Metcalf", one of Montana's great senators and champions of wilderness.
The four established sections are:
Spanish Peaks, the north section, consisting of 76,000 acres of rugged alpine peaks and cirque lakes. Beartrap Canyon, comprised of 6,000 acres, is nearby Spanish Peaks but is separated. This is a long narrow wilderness that surrounds the deep, scenic and good angling canyon of the Madison River as it cuts through the mountains in the last miles of its journey to becoming the headwaters of the Missouri River.
Taylor-Hilgard unit, located in the southern Madison Range is southward and separate from the Spanish Peaks and Beartrap Canyon. The 141,000 acres are of glaciated rugged peaks, cirque lakes, deep canyons, and on the east, large meadows.
The Cabin Creek Wildlife Management section remains roadless, and snowmobilers are excluded from the area after mid-March when the grizzlies begin to emerge from their dens.
Monument Peaks unit, lies to its east along the Yellowstone National Park Boundary and adjoins the cabin Creek area. It is a 33,000 acre area of peaks, and offers outstanding wildlife habitat.
Some of the most significant environmental protection in the area has come through private action by TNT founder, Ted Turner, who owns a 125,000 acre ranch abutting the north boundary of the Spanish Peaks. 25,000 acres of the ranch is a roadless area adjacent to the wilderness. The entire ranch is under a conservation easement donated to the Nature Conservancy. Turner eliminated cows from the ranch and raises bison. Both wild wolves and grizzly bears are welcome on his Montana Ranch.
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