Gates of the Mountains Wilderness
Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, Protected wilderness area in Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, Montana.
Limestone cliffs rise perpendicularly from the Missouri River, forming a narrow passage of 150 yards wide through solid rock formations.
The area received its name when Meriwether Lewis documented the passage through these formations during the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805.
Mann Gulch within this wilderness became the subject of Norman Maclean's literature after a devastating fire claimed thirteen firefighters' lives in 1949.
The wilderness spans 28,562 acres with 53 miles of trails, accessible through multiple entry points in the Beaver Creek drainage system.
Natural springs emerge directly from the rock walls at water level, while the 1918 construction of Holter Dam raised the river by 14 feet.
Location: Montana
Operator: United States Forest Service
Address: Helena, MT 59602, USA 59602 Helena 59602 Helena
Website: https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=200
GPS coordinates: 46.88500,-111.89900
Latest update: May 14, 2025 02:23
Montana hosts natural and historic sites ranging from the limestone gorges of Bighorn Canyon, where red cliffs rise over 300 meters, to the Makoshika badlands dotted with dinosaur fossils. Visitors explore the boiling River near Gardiner, where thermal springs blend with the cold waters of the Gardner River, or cross the Kootenai suspension bridge that spans the river for 64 meters. The state also preserves traces of its past with the Pompeys Pillar, a sandstone formation bearing William Clark's signature from 1806, and the Gates of the Mountains, a canyon named by Meriwether Lewis during the 1805 expedition. From craft distilleries like Glacier Distilling Company in Coram, old railway infrastructures converted into accommodations, to artistic installations such as the Blue Horses in Three Forks, Montana offers a variety of discoveries for travelers exploring its regions.
Montana offers a range of landscapes from the peaks of Glacier National Park to the central plains. The state has several mountain routes including the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway, both exceeding 3,000 meters in elevation. Glacial lakes such as Flathead Lake and Lake McDonald stretch over miles, with geological formations revealing millions of years of natural history. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman holds significant dinosaur fossil collections. Montana's mining history is evident in the streets of Virginia City, a former territorial capital founded in 1863, where over 200 buildings from the 19th century are preserved. The Little Bighorn Battlefield commemorates the 1876 conflicts between the U.S. Army and Native American nations. To observe local wildlife, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center houses bears and wolves in protected habitats. Hikers can take the 18-kilometer Highline Trail along the continental divide or walk to the Grinnell Glacier through alpine lakes in Glacier National Park.
Cathedral of Saint Helena
34.4 km
Hauser Dam
13.4 km
Holter Dam
14.4 km
Canyon Ferry Dam
29.4 km
Confederate Memorial Fountain
34.2 km
Temple Emanu-El
34.4 km
Hardy Bridge
31.8 km
Tower Rock State Park
34.5 km
Helena Montana Temple
29.4 km
Helena Civic Center
34 km
Black Sandy State Park
15.5 km
Kluge House
33 km
W.C. Child Ranch
35.3 km
Hauser Mansion
34.1 km
Lewis and Clark County Hospital Historic District
31.1 km
Porter Flats Apartments
34.7 km
Olsen House
34.3 km
Morris Silverman House
34.5 km
T. H. Kleinschmidt House
34.6 km
Great Northern Carousel
33.7 km
Robert and Elizabeth Fisk House
34.6 km
Young Women's Christian Association
33.9 km
Montana Veterans and Pioneers Memorial Building
34.4 km
Mann Gulch Wildfire Historic District
1.3 km
Wick-Seiler House
34.3 km
St John's Lutheran Church (Helena)
33.6 km
Former Montana Executive Mansion
34.7 km
Craig Bridge
21.6 kmReviews
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