The Centennial Mountains
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The Centennial Mountains are a remote and beautiful mountain
range lying along the Montana-Idaho border near Yellowstone
National Park. These mountains, which are part of the Continental Divide, run
for more than 40 miles in a east-west direction. The Centennial Mountains
receive very little use due to their isolated and remote location, their
steep nature and limited access points.
On the north flank of these mountains lies the broad and empty centennial
valley, which also contains the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red
Rock Lakes and the Red
Rock River. The mountains rise abruptly and very steeply up from
the Centennial Valley, completely dominating the southern skyline.
On the Montana side of the border, the Centennial Mountains are part
of the Centennial Mountains SRMA, which is managed by the Bureau of Land
Management (not the forest services, as are most mountain ranges in Montana).
The Centennial Mountains SRMA is 26,000 acres in size, with additional
acreage lying within adjacent National Forest Lands as well as in Red
Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail cuts through the Centennial
Mountains. Other than this trail, few trails will be found in the Centennial
Mountains. Most hiking in the Centennials involves making your own trail
through steep, isolated and rocky countryside.
Access to the Centennial Mountains is both easy and difficult.
It is easy in that from the Montana side, to gain access to the mountains
simply involves parking the car in the Red Rock Lakes Wildlife Refuge
below and heading up (no private property limits access to the mountains).
It is difficult, though, due to the lack of trails in the Centennial
Mountains. The lack of trails keeps all but the adventure hikers and
hunters away from the Centennials. Solitude can be easily found in these
mountains for the hiker that is looking for it. The best and easiest
access to the Centennial Mountains comes from a road on the Idaho side
of the border. This road, which leads to radio towers on the summit of
Mt. Jefferson, provides the only high-altitude access to these rugged
and beautiful mountains.
These mountains have only limited fishing opportunities. Only a handful
of lakes are found within these mountains, most of which are on the Idaho
side of the border. These high mountain lakes have decent fishing for
cutthroat trout, brook trout and rainbow trout. Water is also scarce
when up in the mountains, so pack plenty of water and bring your own
water filter.
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