Cabinet Mountains Wilderness, Protected wilderness area in Montana, United States

Cabinet Mountains Wilderness is a protected wilderness area in Montana, part of Kootenai National Forest and Kaniksu National Forest. A steep ridge of banded gray and brown rock rises above a valley of dense coniferous forest, with a lower scree ridge across the basin. Snowshoe Peak is the highest summit, and the area holds many mountain lakes.

The area was designated as a Primitive Area in 1935 and later protected as official wilderness through the National Wilderness Preservation Act in 1964. This legal status has kept the landscape in its natural state for decades.

The name Cabinets comes from the box-like shapes of the peaks seen from the valley. Since 1964 the area has been managed under the Wilderness Act, so visitors find no roads, buildings or logging, though hunting is allowed in season. Snowshoe Peak is the highest summit in the range.

No roads or buildings exist in the wilderness, and bicycles, motorized vehicles and machinery are barred, so access is on foot or horseback. Camping and fishing need a permit, and hunting is allowed in season. Snowshoe Peak is the highest summit; plan for steep, rocky ground and carry gear for sudden weather.

The wilderness began as a Primitive Area in 1935, three decades before the 1964 Wilderness Act gave it full protection. It spans parts of both Kootenai and Kaniksu National Forests, and Snowshoe Peak is its highest summit.