Purple Mountains Majesty and More
Montana takes its name from the Spanish word for
mountains, and virtually every type of mountain can be found
under the Big Sky. Grassy mounds ease up from the prairie,
while flat-topped buttes command attention on the plains.
Massive pine-covered ranges provide passage to boundless
woods, and jagged peaks serve as the rugged sentinels of
time. |
| Range | Elevation | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absaroka | 11,206 ft. | S of Livingston, SE of Bozeman, N of Yellowstone Park | High spires, ridges and peaks. Heavily forested to treeline. Eastern boundary is formed by the Boulder River. Western boundary is the Yellowstone River running through the Paradise Valley. |
| Anaconda-Pintler Range | 10,793 ft. | SW of Anaconda, N of Wisdom | The Anaconda-Pintlar Range lies between Anaconda to the north and the Big Hole Valley to the south. Nearly 40 miles long, it extends west to the Bitterroot Valley. Many wilderness lakes and peaks from 9,000 to over 10,0000 ft. are located on the range. |
| Beartooth | 12,799 ft. | S of Red Lodge, N of Cooke City, SW of Billings | Alpine vistas. Treeless tundra plateaus. Jagged peaks, lakes, waterfalls. |
| Big Belt | 9,472 ft. | N - NE of Helena | Limestone cliffs, intricate rock formations. Grassy meadows, pine forests. |
| Bitterroot | 11,393 ft. | W of Hamilton, SW of Missoula | Jagged pinnacles and rocky peaks. Deep canyons, lush timber. |
| Bridger | 9,666 ft. | N of Bozeman, NE of Livingston | Abrubt steep peaks above timberline, lakes. |
| Cabinet | 8,738 ft. | S of Libby | Craggy mountain peaks, lush forest slopes below timberline. Cedar forest. |
| Crazy | 11,214 ft. | NW of Livingston/Big Timber | Rises up from plains. Peaks, serrated ridges. 23 peaks above 10,000 feet. |
| Gallatin | 10,992 ft. | S of Bozeman, SW of Livingston | Waterfalls, lakes and creeks. Forested with jagged, rocky peaks. |
| Glacier Nat'l Park | 10,466 ft. | NE of Kalispell/Whitefish, W of Browning | Massive peaks lead to forested lower slopes. Broken cliffs and walls sculpted by glaciers. Many lakes and streams. |
| Gravelly | 10,000+ ft. | S of Virginia City, SW of Ennis, SE of Alder | From the floor of the Madison Valley, the Gravelly Range seems a less rugged and gentle range of mountains approximately 40 miles in length. A well-maintained road follows the ridgeline, winding in and out of flower-covered meadows and forest groves, emulating a Sound of Music look. Black Butte looms up at the south end of the range. |
| Little Belt | 8,801 ft. | SE of Great Falls, E of Helena | Low ridge system with timbered and talus domes. Lush forests, high grassy meadows. |
| Madison | 11,316 ft. | E of Ennis, SW of Bozeman, N of West Yellowstone | Precipitous mountain peaks, many lakes. Yellowstone National Park lies to the south. |
| Mission | 9,820 ft. | N of Missoula, S of Kalispell and Polson, W of Seeley Lake | Abrupt rise from valley floor. Beautiful lakes on both east and west sides. |
| Pryor | 8,786 ft. | E of Red Lodge, S of Billings, W of Hardin | Flat benches, high deserts, mesas, buttes and deep limestone canyons. Partially forested. |
| Rocky Mountain Front | 9,392 ft. | E of Great Falls, Augusta, Choteau, Browning | Towering limestone walls, deep canyons. Peaks rise up from plains. Grassy meadows, buttes, rivers and creeks. |
| Ruby Mountains | 9,000+ ft. | E of Dillon, SW of Alder | A small range of mountains approximately 15 miles long between Virginia City and Dillon. Highest peak is over 9,000 ft. The ownership is primarily Bureau of Land Management. |
| Swan | 9,356 ft. | S of Bigfork, N of Seeley Lake | Rugged mountain peaks stretch in unbroken line for 100 miles. |
| Tobacco Root Mountains | 10,600 ft. | N of Virginia City, NW of Ennis, E of TwinBridges | A dense concentration of peaks rise over 10,000 ft. Mt. Jefferson at 10,600 ft. is the highest. Has 40,000 acres of roadless area. Numerous alpine lakes and old mining claims are pocketed throughout. Best access is in the Meadow and Willow Creek drainages and the S. Boulder River. |
