For the Forest, For the Fun

   
Fish in Wisdom
A word to the wise: Montana fishing is nothing less than fantastic , and in the western part of the forest you can find the Holy Grail of casting. No less than 1,000 miles of trout streams and 73 lakes are spread over the Deerlodge section of this natural wilderness. The Wisdom area alone, which abuts Idaho, contains 58 of those lakes, and 35 of them are stocked with game fish. So drop a line and grab brook trout, cutthroat, grayling, lake trout, mountain whitefish, and rainbow and golden trout. Two places to focus: the Ruby-May Creek Trail #102, a primitive 10-mile trail that runs from the May Creek Campground to the junction with Forest Service Road #624. Or take the Sand Lake, Lily Lake Trail #380, which begins one mile west of Steel Creek Campground.  

Hike the Nation's Spine
Hard-core hikers and day hikers alike jump at the chance to trek up to and over the Continental Divide (which runs along the Montana-Idaho border), for either one day or several. It's rugged country out here; while the waving grasses and placid lakes lure you with innocent-looking beauty, steely mountain walls bring you back to the reality of the tough terrain. Start with Homer Youngs Peak, which begins in Lower Miner Lakes campground off Highway 278. The trail's about eight miles long; you'll start up a jeep road with a modest uphill, then head toward Upper Miner Lakes. Once you hit Rock Island Lakes, get ready: After a steep climb to Little Lake, it's an oxygen-sucking scramble up to a saddle that's virtually on the Divide. For the coup de grace, look east to 10,624-foot Homer Youngs Peak.

Drive into Pioneer Times
Everyone who visits the forest wants to see its big game, and most who drive the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway won't be disappointed. Odds are you'll pass moose, deer, and the occasional elk. But more likely you'll see large animals of a more domestic variety: 900,000 sheep, cattle, and horses graze on these lands. People have been ranching ever since they migrated out here starting in 1852 and the fevered push for gold dissipated. Like many visitors, these migrants fell in love with the land; they stayed on and used the routes to develop the ranching industry. The Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway is a great chance to see much of this land, as well as some of the small towns that the pioneers' descendants inhabit. Trailheads abound along this road, leading into the East and West Pioneer Mountain ranges, as do sites and activities, such as digging crystals at Crystal Park and visiting Elk Horn Hot Springs.

The Scenic Byway starts at Montana State Highway #43 in the town of Wise River and travels south approximately 49 miles over County and Forest Service Roads to Highway #278. From Wise River the Byway goes south up the Wise River Valley for a distance of 26 miles to Crystal Park near where the Byway tops out at approximately 7800 feet above sea level. This section of the road is paved. From this high point, the road drops slightly to Price Creek where it turns into a lane and a half wide graveled and dirt surfaced road. This section of the road winds along steep forested hill sides descending into the Grasshopper Creek Valley, passing near Elkhorn Hot Springs and the Maverick Mountain Ski Area before reaching the open grass and sage brush covered hills near the valley bottom along Grasshopper Creek. Approximately 4 miles further down the valley lays the small settlement of Polaris, Montana. The Scenic Byway ends at the junction with Beaverhead County Road #278, 7 miles down the road from Polaris.

Leaving the Town of Wise River the scenic route passes ranch land on a dry bench where there are usually cows and sheep grazing during the summer months. Four and a half miles south of Wise River the road enters the Beaverhead National Forest. Here the valley begins to narrow down and tree cover dominates the steep hill sides along the Wise River. There are a number of summer as well as permanent residences along this section of the road. For the next 20 miles the road follows fairly close to the Wise River, traveling primarily through timbered hills with interspersed openings in the form of willow bottoms and dry grass and sage brush covered hills.

There are also numerous dispersed campsites along the Byway where individuals can pull off and picnic or camp. These sites have few or no developments and are used as overflow areas when the established campgrounds become full, or by individuals who want to rough it and get away from developed areas. Pull outs and interpretative sites are being planned for the Byway and some are in the process of being constructed. These sites will provide an historical overview of the area, explain its ecology and geology, and elucidate past and present forest management practices.

Wildlife such as moose and deer can be seen along the Byway as well as an occasional elk. Most wildlife is observed early in the morning or late in the day. Fishing for brook trout, rainbow trout and cutthroat trout is available in the Wise River and many of the smaller side streams.