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A Walk in the Clouds in Lee Metcalf Wilderness Complex
November 10, 2010
Who wouldn’t want to wile away the afternoon in Cowboys Heaven? Seventy-six hundred feet above the floor of the Madison Valley, with only the umbrella of sky and aspen leaves above, you can see forever up here. The rest of the world looks like a chunky, day-old braid of green and gold threaded with the blue ribbon of the Madison River. Yes, this is Cowboys Heaven.
Sprawling across terrain that spans from rugged river canyon to craggy mountain peaks, the four-part, 254,944-acre Lee Metcalf Wilderness Complex offers what Jonathan Klein, Wilderness Manager for the Madison Ranger District, calls “an island of wild country in a sea of civilization.” The area, designated in 1983 and named for the Montana Senator who fought to protect our wilderness, nudges up to Ennis on the west side, Bozeman on the north, Big Sky on the east and pushes into the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park. Twenty-five peaks in the Lee Metcalf’s three mountain regions—Monument Mountain, the Spanish Peaks, and the Taylor-Hilgard Peaks—soar upwards of 10,000 feet. A rich diversity of wildlife abounds including elk, moose, mountain sheep and the far-ranging grizzly bear. Cowboys Heaven is just a stop on a 14-mile loop of some 216 miles of trail.
From Trail Creek, along the Madison between Ennis Lake and the dam, trail 341 climbs steep switchbacks into open grassland with sweeping views of the Madison valley and the Tobacco Roots to the west. After 3 miles (and 1,600 feet in elevation gain) the trail flattens as it meanders through wide-open alpine meadows and then hearty Douglas-fir forests. Three more miles (and 1,165 feet in elevation) will bring you to Cowboys Heaven, an aspen parkland so aptly named you’ll want to just sit awhile. The area is an important wildlife migration route between the lowland scrub of Bear Trap Canyon and the alpine tundra of the Spanish Peaks. Remember, you are the one visiting.
As with all wilderness areas, there is both a personal and public responsibility associated with visiting. Leave No Trace ethics are critical for the preservation of this wilderness, both for its native inhabitants and future generations of visitors. Thoughtful preparation—including bear spray, a small shovel for digging catholes, and adequate personal gear—is just the beginning. Groups should be small and everything packed in must be packed out. Though the trail is ideal on horseback or foot, snowshoes can be used for winter access. The terrain can be steep and icy; and the weather can change dramatically in minutes.
Cowboys Heaven seems like a place someone dreamed up at the end of a long day’s work. Lucky for us, that dream exists up in the mountains above Ennis, just waiting to be explored.
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