Maps: Greater Yellowstone Region

The Greater Yellowstone Region consists of lands directly connected to Yellowstone National Park and extending all the way to the Crazy Mountains to the north. The hiker, birdwatcher or hunter who explores any of the five mountain ranges within the region in search of inspiring vistas, solitude, and wilderness challenges will not be disappointed.

The Gallatin Range is home to grizzlies, cutthroat trout, elk and deer. The animals that call this range home are unaware of the humanly defined boundaries that bisect the range, with the lower reaches in Yellowstone Park and the upper part managed by the Forest Service. The northernmost part of the range is just 15 miles from downtown Bozeman and can be clearly seen from town.

Just to the west of the Gallatin is the Madison Range, made up of snow-capped, jagged peaks often featured in outdoor calendars. The Wilderness Act guards the Madison Range’s Spanish Peaks and Taylor-Hilgard area, but large and important areas of the Madison Range, such as the famed hunting grounds of Cowboys Heaven, have yet to be protected for future generations.

The Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains serve as corridors for wildlife entering and leaving Yellowstone, and as a wild playground for family backpackers and horsepackers. The Beartooth Plateau is often the destination point with its spectacular views of Granite Peak, the highest mountain in Montana. With its sparkling lakes full of wild trout and long, rocky ridgelines that seem to scrape up against the sky, the Plateau offers some of the greatest hiking and most spectacular vistas in Montana.

The Bridger and Crazy mountains are outside of the Yellowstone ecosystem, but their high crests can often be spotted from vantage points within the region. The Bridgers are Bozeman and Belgrade’s community mountain range. Town residents head to the many trailheads for an after-work hike, and to find peace and quiet. The Crazies are sacred ground for the Crow Tribe, and it’s easy to see why. These mountain cathedrals offer the solitude and wilderness experiences so many seek.

You can get involved in this region by contacting our Madison-Gallatin Chapter (Bozeman), Eastern Wildlands Chapter (Billings) or joining us on a Wilderness Walk.

The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, Lee Metcalf Wilderness, Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Custer National Forest, Gallatin National Forest and Lewis and Clark National Forest are found in this region. For more information check Wilderness Areas, Wilderness Study Areas and National Forests.

More information on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge Partnership can be found at Campaigns.