STONY MOUNTAIN

The Stony Mountain roadless area is located on the Bitterroot, Lolo, and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests, approximately 50 miles southeast of Missoula, in the Sapphire Mountains. The Sapphire Wilderness Study Act area, across Skalkaho Pass Road, is adjacent to the south, providing continuity along the Sapphire Crest, which provides an important biological corridor for wildlife. In addition, some of the best and most extensive elk summer habitat on the Bitterroot National Forest occurs in the upper Daly Creek/Burnt Fork Basin.

The Divide and several ridges are at an elevation of about 8,000 feet with some prominent landmarks including Domed-Shaped, Eagle Point, Skalkaho and Palisade Mountains, along with Stony, and Little Burnt Fork Lakes. Major drainage includes the headwaters of the Burnt Fork Bitterroot River and practically the entire length of Stony, Lyman, Hutsinpillar Creeks (tributaries of Rock Creek, a blue ribbon trout stream).

The Bitterroot National Forest proposed travel plan protects most of the northern portion of Stony Mountain from motorized use, but in the southern area it permits motorized use on the Palisade National Recreation Trail (#44 and #86), which connects with the Easthouse National Recreation Trail (#313).

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