This district sits west of Dillon and Interstate 15 within portions of the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest. The National Forest provides thousands of acres of accessible public lands along the peaks and valleys of Pioneer Mountains.

Great access, steep rugged talus slopes, alpine basins and a stable herd all make this a great district to apply for a mountain goat tag. Be in the best physical condition possible to hike into the backcountry. Billies range from 8” to over 9”. If you’re looking for long hair and a heavy coat hunt as late in the season as possible. Remember that heavy snows can make backcountry travel impossible.

One of the two areas that make up the mountain goat habitat include Table, Odell, Bobcat and Shaw Mountains. They are rugged granite peaks and sharp ridges that reach over 9,000 feet. Isolated valleys, alpine lakes and headwaters of Wise River consisting of Pettengill and Jacobson Creeks all feed into the Big Hole River. East of the Wise River drainage consists of two peaks, Torrey and Tweedy, that rise over the valley floor some 10,000 feet with a number of other peaks reaching over 9,000. Major drainages in this area are Grasshopper, Rattlesnake, Birch, Willow and Canyon Creek that flow into the Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers.

River valleys have irrigated crops, willows, cottonwoods and areas of lush meadows. Foothill slopes have some sagebrush, mountain shrubs, clusters of aspens, ponderosa pines and oak brush. The slopes of the mountains have thick stands of lodgepole pine, spruce, fir and open parks with grasses and wildflowers. Alpine terrain has grassy meadows, moss and lichens with some willow near streams and lakes.

Excellent access into the Beaverhead Bitterroot is provided by a good Forest Service road and trail system. By using the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway, trailheads can be reach that leads to the Pioneer National Recreational Trail west of the Wise River. Trails east of the Wise River can also be reached off Forest Service roads that connect with a maintained trail system.

A number of developed National Forest campgrounds are along the Wise River. Camping is limited to 16 days within the National Forest. Dillon has number of motels, cafés and restaurants along with medical facilities and 24/7 gas and diesel. Wisdom offers limited lodging, cafés and fuel options.