PRYOR MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS STUDY AREA
Values
The WSA is located along the mid-elevation, south-trending slopes of the Pryor Mountains in Montana and Wyoming. Elevations range from 3,780 feet at the southern end of the WSA to 8,480 feet in the north. Vegetation at the lower elevations is characterized by the Red Desert and salt shrub community. The mid-elevations of the WSA are characterized by the mountain shrub community, including Utah juniper, mountain mahogany and big sagebrush. Douglas fir and limber pine occur in patches at the highest elevations of the WSA, along with occasional open parks with big sagebrush, shrubby cinquefoil and a variety of grasses.
Visitation Information
Take Highway 310 south from Bridger MT. Pryor Mountain Road turns left (east) 2.5 miles south of Bridger and 0.5 mile south of the bridge over the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River. (This junction is 1.4 miles south of the junction of Highways 310 and 72 from Belfry and Red Lodge.). Turn just north of the house on the east side of the highway All mileages below are measured from the beginning of Pryor Mountain Road. Motorized travel is expressly prohibited. Additionally, the WSA is closed to mineral entry, including gold panning.
Visitor Advisory
Access to wild lands inherently requires good navigational skills and four-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicles. Visitors should be prepared for adverse weather and road conditions. The WSAs in the BLM Field Office are primarily accessed by unnamed or unsigned two-track roads that in many cases may be difficult to find without sufficient navigational skills and equipment.
Wilderness Study Areas
WSAs are undeveloped federal lands that retain their primeval character and influence, without permanent improvements or human habitation, and are managed so as not to impair their suitability for preservation as wilderness. Backcountry recreation is a common use along with Leave no Trace Outdoor ethics. Please be advised these areas are restricted and do not allow for the use of motorized and mechanized equipment.