The Bears Paw Mountains.gif)
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| Bear
Paw Mountain Country |
The
Bears Paw Mountains in northcentral Montana are one of
the more intriguing mountains in the state. The Bear
Paw Mountains are located about 20-30 miles south of US Highway
2, between Havre and Chinook. The Bears Paw Mountains run
for about 40 miles in distance from east to west and are
about 20 miles in distance from north to south.
The
Bear Paw’s are essentially divided into two distinct
areas – east and west. The western half of the mountains
is where the tallest peaks are located, with the tallest,
Baldy Mountain, rising to an elevation of 6916 feet. Other
peaks in the western half of the Bears Paw Mountains generally
have elevations that range between 5000-6000 feet. The western
Bear Paws are characterized by these moderately tall mountains
that are also fairly thickly wooded, both on the mountains
themselves as well as down in the valley’s below.
By contrast,
the eastern Bear Paws are characterized by a mix of rolling,
grassy hills with moderately tall mountains
and/or buttes rising from the valley floors. The mountains
in this part of the Bear Paws aren’t very high – with
a maximum elevation of around 6000 feet. Additionally, since
the eastern half of the Bear Paw’s receives less moisture
than the western half, trees are generally confined to the
peaks themselves, while the valleys below are open expanses
of grass.
The
Bears Paws are rarely visited by people out of state, due
mainly to their out of the way location. The mountains,
while visible from Highway 2, will not dazzle the passer-by,
especially since the taller peaks are obscured by the smaller
mountains in front. Additionally, the Bear Paws lack many
of the “draws” that other mountain ranges in
Montana have – such as popular and well known hiking
trails or secluded, alpine lakes.
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| Higher
Peaks of the Bears Paw Mountains |
In some
ways, the Bears Paw Mountains resemble the Black Hills
of South Dakota. At least that was my impression when
I first visited them. The mountains of the Bears Paw range
are not that high, and are generally “rounded” in
nature – with no soaring peaks. Anyone who has visited
the Black Hills will probably feel right at home in the Bears
Paw Mountains – although the amount of people who visit
this area will be far less than over in the Black Hills!
Although
the mountains are not known for outdoor recreation, the
Bears Paw Mountains have terrific recreation opportunities
for the more adventurous. There are tons of hiking, horse
and ATV trails in the mountains. Excellent hunting is found
throughout the mountain range. Fishing is rather limited,
with most of it found down in Bearpaw Reservoir and Beaver
Creek. And, surprisingly, a small ski area (Bear Paw Ski
Area), is also located in the mountain range. It’s
a small ski area, and is only open on the weekends, but at
least one is there.
Overall,
the Bear Paw Mountains are an excellent place to visit
if you like to explore. You won’t find any “must
see” tourist attractions here. Instead, you’ll
find a segment of Montana that has changed very little over
the past years. For anyone who enjoys seeing big spaces and
exploring new places, by all means, make time to spend a
day in the Bear Paw Mountains.
Bears
Paw Mountain
Pictures
Click on any of the images for a larger picture
See more photographs of the Bears Paw Mountains in the Various
Hi-Line Photo Gallery, I
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