Wilderness Connect

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The Welcome Creek Wilderness is located in the Rock Creek drainage 25 miles east of Missoula, Montana. This 28,135 acre wilderness measures, approximately, nine miles by seven miles. The ridges are steep, the valleys narrow, and numerous talus slopes are found throughout the landscape. Most of this Wilderness is heavily forested with pine, fir and larch. South-facing areas have a few open, steep, and grassy slopes that provide winter range for deer and elk. Mountain lions, moose, black bears, and the occasional grizzly bear also wander through these mountains. Welcome Creek itself flows cold and clear providing habitat for native trout. There are approximately 28 miles of trail in this Wilderness area, as well as, outstanding opportunities for solitude. There are no lakes in this Wilderness.

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the Welcome Creek Wilderness.

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.

Location

Maps

Digital and paper maps are critical tools for wilderness visitors. Online maps can help you plan and prepare for your visit ahead of time. You can also carry digital maps with you on your GPS unit or other handheld GPS device. Having a paper map with you in the backcountry, as well as solid orienteering skills, however, ensures that you can still route-find in the event that your electronic device fails.

Online Maps

Interactive Map of the Welcome Creek Wilderness
Google Earth

Montana Wildernesses

Printed Maps

Fetching MyTopo from Database

USGS Store

Management & Regulations

Motorized equipment and equipment used for mechanical transport is generally prohibited in all wilderness areas. This includes the use of motor vehicles, motorboats, motorized equipment, bicycles, hang gliders, wagons, carts, portage wheels, and the landing of aircraft including helicopters.

Wilderness-Specific Regulations

Learn more about why regulations may be necessary in wilderness.

Contacts

Applicable Wilderness Law(s)

Public Law 95-237

Date: February 24, 1978
Acreage: 28,440 acres

Endangered American Wilderness Act - Public law 95-237 (2/24/1978) To designate certain endangered public lands for preservation as wilderness, and for other purposes

For more information (To download or see all affected Wilderness areas) visit our law library for 95-237 or special provisions for 95-237 or legislative history for 95-237.

Want to Volunteer for Wilderness?

Citizens who volunteer their time to steward our wilderness areas are an essential part of wilderness management. Contact the following groups to inquire about volunteer opportunities.