Lee Metcalf Wilderness

The Lee Metcalf Wilderness is located in the Northern Rocky Mountains of the U.S. state of Montana. Created by an act of Congress in 1983, this rugged alpine wilderness is in four separated parcels typified by complex mountain topography: Bear Trap Canyon unit, Spanish Peaks unit, Taylor-Hilgard unit, and Monument Mountains unit. The Bear Trap Canyon unit was the first designated wilderness area to be managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (an agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior), and comprises a region of canyonlands adjacent to the Madison River. The other three sections of the wilderness are jointly managed by Beaverhead-Deerlodge and Gallatin National Forests both of which are a part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The wilderness was named after the late Montana congressman Lee Metcalf.

Lee Metcalf Wilderness
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)
LocationMadison / Gallatin counties, Montana, USA
Nearest cityBozeman, MT
Coordinates45°08′N 111°27′W
Area254,288 acres (1,029.07 km2)
Established1983
Governing bodyU.S. Forest Service
U.S. Bureau of Land Management

The portion of the wilderness within Gallatin National Forest is also within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and borders Yellowstone National Park. U.S. Wilderness Areas do not allow motorized or mechanized vehicles, including bicycles. Although camping and fishing are allowed with proper permit, no roads or buildings are constructed and there is also no logging or mining, in compliance with the 1964 Wilderness Act. As such, the Metcalf Wilderness serves as a critical wildlife refuge for many threatened and endangered species of North America and is home to the highest population density of Grizzly bear in the Lower 48 according to the National Forest Service and National Park Service[1]. Many other large North American fauna also inhabit this undisturbed alpine ecosystem, such as moose, elk, black bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wolverine, cougar, Canadian lynx, and wolf as well as Bald eagles, osprey, pelican, and trumpeter swan[2].

References
  1. White, Gunther, & van Manen. "Yellowstone Grizzly Bears: Ecology & Conservation" (PDF). US National Park Service. Yellowstone National Park, USGS. Retrieved 13 August 2020.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. US National Park Service. "Report: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem" (PDF). USNPS. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
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