Mount Jefferson

Mount Jefferson is a peak in the Tobacco Root Mountains rising above 10,500 feet with prominent granite and metamorphic rock formations. These geological features shape the appearance of the landscape across this part of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

The mountain was named after Thomas Jefferson, the third US president, though it underwent multiple name changes during geological surveys of the region. This naming reflects the 19th-century exploration and mapping of the American West.

Local mining operations near Mount Jefferson produced substantial gold deposits, with the Mammoth Mine generating over 2 million dollars in the late 1800s.

Hikers can reach the summit using established trails in the Tobacco Root range, with access points near the towns of Pony and Harrison. The warmer months offer the best conditions for hiking, when the trails are clear and most passable.

The Nicholson Gold Mine on the western slope operated for over a century before ceasing activity in the mid-1990s. This extended history of mining left marks on the landscape and shaped the region's development.