Wilderness Areas
A Waterfall in the Bechler River Area
© National Park Service
When traveling to Cody, Montana, you will want to take the time to explore
the wondrous wilderness areas that surround this adventurous mountain town.
Nearby are the Washakie Wilderness, the Absaroka Wilderness, and the popular
Yellowstone National Park.
Washakie Wilderness
The Washakie Wilderness is located just 30 miles southwest of Cody, 25 miles
west of Meteesee, and just 15 miles north of Dubois. The entire wilderness area
expands 1,019,544 and yields ecosystems ranging from Rocky Mountain Douglas fir
forests, lodgepole pine, sagebrush steppes, and large grasslands on south facing
slopes. The best season to visit is July through September when weather is
conducive to horseback riding, hiking, backpacking, hunting, and fishing.
Travelers should be aware that the area is home to many grizzly bears, and
sudden thunder storms are known to break without warning.
The area was originally established as Yellowstone Timberland Reserve by
Congress in 1891, but was redesignated as the Washakie Wilderness in 1972. The
area was named after Chief Washakie, an important leader from the Shoshone
Tribe.
Along the 473 miles of hiking trails, most of which are not maintained
regularly, you'll be able to find and abundance of wildlife. There are over
8,000 elk, 16,000 mule deer, 1,000 bighorn sheep, and hundreds of moose that
live in the wilderness. Antelopes are found in the grasslands, while the
grizzlies live mainly in the northwest corner of the wilderness in the valleys
of Canfield and Fishhawk Creeks. Some trails take you into Yellowstone National
Park or the Teton National Park. These trips take several weeks or more, and
backcountry permits are required if you spend the night in a national park.
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Moose in a Fall aspen grove
© Peter Volf Photography
The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness are located 10 miles east of Cooke City,
Montana. It spans 943,610 acres and yields ecosystems of Douglas fir forests,
lodgepole pine, western spruce-fir, and large areas of alpine tundra. The best
time to visit is July through August.
The vast Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness stretches over the Montana border and
includes the granite peaks of the Beartooth range. South, at the Wyoming portion
of the wilderness, you can find low granite benches, forests of lodgepole pine,
and several woodland lakes.
The Beartooth Mountains were created by an uplift that happened 30 million years
ago. Some granite found in the Beartooths is over 3.7 billion years old, making
it some of the oldest rock known to man. The Absaroka range was built by
volcanoes.
The area is popular for dayhiking. If you are driving along the Beartooth Scenic
Highway, one of the Beartooth High Lakes would make an excellent dayhike
adventure. Horsebackriding, fishing, cross-country skiing, and bird hunting are
other recreational activities that the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness has to
offer.
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is located 50 miles west of Cody,Wyoming and 55
miles north of Jackson, Wyoming. Yellowstone National Park was the world's first national
park and was established by Congress in 1872. The purpose was to preserve the
natural and geologic wonders for all to enjoy.
Yellowstone expands 2.2 million acres and is larger than the entire state of
Rhode Island. The area was created by heavy volcanic activity. The two largest
eruptions occurred 1.3 million years ago and deposited layers of basalt and
other volcanic rocks. Like the Hawaiian Islands, Yellowstone is considered a
geological Hotspot where the continental plates drift over a fixed magma source.
Many volcanic features can be found in the park: geysers, mud pots, and hot
springs.
Some highlights in Yellowstone National Park include: Mammoth Hot Springs, Old
Faithful, Yellowstone Falls, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Mud Volcanoes,
Yellowstone Lake, and wildlife viewing. Outdoor recreational activities abound
in Yellowstone. You'll find excellent hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and
wildlife viewing. Bikes are only permitted on designated roads. There is no
mountain biking.
35FOther pages you might find helpful:
Clark Resource Council
The Clark Resource Council is dedicated to the conservation and preservation of the Beartooth Mountain's Front Range.
