Lee Metcalf Wilderness

About Lee Metcalf Wilderness

The Bear Trap Wilderness is one of the four units of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. The Bear Trap is the first wilderness areas to be managed by the BLM. The 6,347-acre area offers beautiful wilderness scenery plus exciting whitewater rafting featuring the famous Class IV - V Kitchen Sink rapid. The 1,500-foot cliffs that border the canyon provide a dramatic backdrop along the nine-mile Bear Trap National Recreation Trail. The trail follows the river the length of the canyon but can only be accessed from the north end. Open Year Round.*River level and temperature information is available at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/mt/nwis/current?type=flow. Refer to the "Madison River below Ennis Lake.

How to Get There

Floater access is at the south end of the canyon at the Wilderness Boat Launch. Turn east off US Hwy 287 at McAllister, follow the Ennis Lake road to the Wilderness Boat Launch. Hiker access is at the north end of the canyon.

Plan Your Visit to Lee Metcalf Wilderness

Heading to Lee Metcalf Wilderness? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• Park map (PDF)
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)