Bob Marshall Wilderness
"Crown Jewel"

Known to locals as "The Bob," this wilderness area joins others to form a 1.5 million acre section of protected forest accessible only by trail. The Seeley Swan Valley abuts its western flank and the The Continental Divide runs through the middle of the wilderness.

Bob Marshall was a forester, author, explorer and leader in the protection of wild lands throughout America. Before Marshall's death at the age of 39 of ill health, he spent days, weeks and months hiking the unmapped country known as the South Fork of the Flathead River. By the late 1930s, he had laid out initial plans for the designation of the Wilderness area, which included three separate primitive areas: South Fork, Sun River and Pentagon.

In 1940, shortly after he died, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designated 950,000 acres of wilderness.

In 1964, The Wilderness Act was passed by Congress and the Bob Marshall Wilderness received statutory wilderness protection as a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System.

See more Wildlife Viewing.

The Most Anticipated Upcoming Montana Events Are: RUST - Rails Under the Stars Big Sky December 19 Annual Montana State Chokecherry Festival Lewistown continuing Elves Decorate for Christmas Bigfork November 21 First Night Missoula Missoula December 31 Christmas Stroll and Parade of Lights Great Falls December 4

Other upcoming events include: Festival of Trees Helena December 2 thru December 6 Artists and Craftsmen of the Flathead Winter Holiday Art and Craft Show Kalispell November 27 First Night Missoula Missoula December 31 Christmas at Moss Mansion Billings November 17 thru January 2 Christmas Tours at the Conrad Mansion Kalispell November 27 thru December 27