Gates Of The Mountains Wilderness Picture And Video Tour
Welcome to the Gates of the Montains Wilderness Picture and Video tour. Located thirty miles northeast of Helena, Montana the Gates Of The Mountains Wilderness is a tresure that is often overlooked. The area consisting of 28,562 acres was designated as the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness by the United States Congress in 1964. The large expanse of open terrain found in the wilderness is due to the devastating forest fires of 2003 and 2007. An amazing 20,000 acres burned during the fires. Thankfully, the wilderness still has pockets of Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir trees bordered by seasonal rivulets of cool mountain water. To begin the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness tour (see map below), we’ll start at the Hunters Gulch trailhead, walk north via trail number 255 to Willow Mountain (elevation 7,192 ft) via the Kennedy Spring. After a night under the stars, we’ll walk west on the Meriwether Canyon Trail, trail number 253, from the Willow Mountain saddle toward the Meriwether Picnic Area (elevation 3,600 ft) on the banks of the Missouri river. On the third day, we walk upstream along the Missouri river to the Colter Campground. From the campground it’s a long climb up and over the hill to the Big Log Gulch trailhead. To return to our vehicle, we’ll walk 6.2 miles on the American Bar road then Beaver Creek road to our starting point at Hunters Gulch.
Want more walking miles? Start your 18 mile hike at the Refrigerator Canyon trailhead (below) located north of Nelson, Montana. You will end up at the Kennedy Spring and continue on to the Meriwether Picnic Area describe above.
Hiking the Gates Of The Mountains Wilderness
For the hikers out there, water becomes more difficult to find in the Gates Of The Mountains backcountry late in the Summer. Speaking of water, Kennedy Spring was a huge disappointment. During our late June 2025 hike, we found a small circular body of water that was less than two feet in diameter. The water surface was covered with a film of light green algae. Yum! Keep a close eye for the trail as you walk west towards the Meriwether Picnic Area from the Willow Mountain saddle. The Meriwether Canyon Trail has a switch-back that is very difficult to locate. Hiking apps on your phone do not accurately depict where the trail is located. Avoid walking south from the saddle along the ridge, the trail is a dead end. If you lose the trail, return to the saddle and look for the switch-back located towards the northwest.
An early June hike through the Gates Of The Mountains Wilderness will reward you with the best views, wildflowers and easy to find water sources. By late June 2025, the wildflowers were almost all faded and water was elusive. We are happy to report, trail maintenance was being conducted from the Meriwether Picnic Area on the Missouri River towards the switch-back section of the Meriwether Canyon Trail near the Willow Mountain saddle to the east. Hopefully, by the time you read this post the trail maintenance will continue eastward, all the way to Kennedy Spring. As you walk west from the Willow Mountain saddle towards the Meriwether Picnic Area keep an eye out for burnt trees that could fall and put dent in your hiking hat.
Short On Time?
To get a “feel” of the Gates Of The Mountains Wilderness in a short amount of time and without blisters, you can always ride on the Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour. The boat tours begin in late May and end by mid-September. You will pass the Colter Campground, Meriwether Picnic Area and the trailhead to the site of the deadly 1949 Mann Gulch fire. Check their website, gatesofthemountains.com to check on scheduled departure times and reservations.
