3,600 acres in the Big Hole River area conserved for public access
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BUTTE, Mont.) – Approximately 3,600 acres of pristine wildlife and riparian habitat in Montana’s popular Big Hole region is now in public ownership, thanks to a conservation collaboration by the Bureau of Land Management, a landowner, and conservation organizations.
“The Seymour Creek property has been under private ownership for generations,” said Lindsey Babcock, BLM’s Butte Field Manager. “Thanks to the private landowners, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and other partners, the public can now explore an additional 3,600 acres of diverse landscapes in the Big Hole Valley.”
This acquisition supports a wide range of recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, camping, and boating.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund, Montana Fish & Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Conservation Alliance, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation provided funding for the project, which supports the President’s “America the Beautiful” conservation initiative. This initiative is a locally led and voluntary nationwide effort that aims to conserve, connect, and restore 30 percent of America’s lands and waters by 2030.
The property is about 55 miles south of Butte in Beaverhead and Deer Lodge counties. It features mountains, meadows, sagebrush, grasslands, and conifer and aspen stands that are home to elk, mule and whitetail deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, small game, upland birds, waterfowl and other species.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.