List of mountain ranges in Montana explained

This is a list of mountain ranges in the state of Montana. Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States and is well known for its mountains. The name "Montana" means "mountainous" in Latin. Representative James Mitchell Ashley (R-Ohio), suggested the name when legislation organizing the territory was passed by the United States Congress in 1864. Ashley noted that a mining camp in the Colorado Territory had already used the name, and Congress agreed to use the name for the new territory.^[1]

According to the United States Board on Geographic Names, there are at least 100 named mountain ranges and sub-ranges in Montana. However, mountain ranges have no official boundaries, and there is no official list of mountain ranges in the state.^[2]

List of mountain ranges

The mountain ranges below are listed by name, county, coordinates, and average elevation as recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey. Sub-ranges are indented below the name of the primary range. Some of these ranges extend into Wyoming, Idaho, and Canada.

• Absaroka Range; Park County, Montana; 43.9611°N -109.3392°W; 13140feet^[3]
• Anaconda Range; Deer Lodge County, Montana; 45.9811°N -113.4422°W; 10197feet^[4]
• Badger Hills; Big Horn County, Montana; 44.9781°N -106.6783°W; 4655feet^[5]
• Bears Paw Mountains; Blaine & Hill County, Montana; 48.2083°N -109.5175°W; 4623feet^[6]
• Beartooth Mountains; Park County, Montana; 45.1633°N -109.8081°W; 12693feet^[7]
• Beaverhead Mountains; Lemhi County, Idaho; 44.3547°N -112.8225°W; 11352feet^[8]
• Big Belt Mountains Broadwater County, Montana; 46.4542°N -111.2644°W; 7385feet^[9]
• Big Horn Mountains; Big Horn County, Montana; 45.2506°N -107.9339°W; 4734feet^[10]
• Big Sheep Mountains; Dawson County, Montana; 47.3161°N -105.2922°W; 2900feet^[11]
• Big Snowy Mountains; Fergus County, Montana; 46.7083°N -109.2244°W; 6673feet^[12]
• Bitterroot Range; Clearwater County, Idaho; 46.7356°N -115.4075°W; 7126feet^[13]
  • Bitterroot Mountains; Mineral County, Montana; 47.1025°N -115.1592°W; 7208feet^[14]
  • Grave Creek Range; Missoula County, Montana; 46.8358°N -114.3117°W; 6135feet^[15]
• Black Reef; Lewis and Clark County, Montana; 47.5914°N -112.8544°W; 6378feet^[16]
• Boulder Hills; Jefferson County, Montana; 46.3244°N -112.0711°W; 5768feet^[17]
• Boulder Mountains; Deer Lodge County, Montana; 46.55°N -112.3508°W; 6096feet^[18]

• Bridger Range; Gallatin County, Montana; 45.8886°N -110.9583°W; 8747feet^[19]
• Bull Mountains; Musselshell County, Montana; 46.3333°N -108.2508°W; 3845feet^[20]
• Butcher Hills; Carter County, Montana; 45.1756°N -104.3664°W; 3553feet^[21]
• Cabinet Mountains; Sanders County, Montana; 48.1667°N -115.8344°W; 4058feet^[22]
• Calderwood Hills; Valley County, Montana; 48.4633°N -106.3978°W; 2799feet^[23]
• Castle Mountains; Meagher County, Montana; 46.4697°N -110.765°W; 8117feet^[24]
• Cayuse Hills; Sweet Grass County, Montana; 46.0789°N -109.7°W; 5079feet^[25]
• Centennial Mountains; Clark County, Idaho; 44.5622°N -111.5047°W; 10177feet^[26]
  • Eastern Centennial Mountains; Clark County, Idaho; 44.5622°N -111.5047°W; 10180feet^[27]
  • Western Centennial Mountains; Clark County, Idaho; 44.5514°N -111.8708°W; 9390feet^[28]
• Chalk Buttes; Carter County, Montana; 45.7342°N -104.6864°W; 4134feet^[29]

• Coeur d'Alene Mountains; Sanders County, Montana; 47.75°N -116.0011°W; 3497feet^[30]
• Crazy Mountains; Park County, Montana; 46.1667°N -110.5008°W; 11214feet^[31]
• Dahl Hills; Valley County, Montana; 48.7831°N -106.5808°W; 3245feet^[32]
• Dickie Hills; Silver Bow County, Montana; 45.8686°N -113.0467°W; 7831feet^[33]
• Dry Range; Meagher County, Montana; 46.8°N -111.2842°W; 6152feet^[34]
• Ekalaka Hills; Carter County, Montana; 45.8767°N -104.4717°W; 3720feet^[35]
• Elkhorn Mountains; Jefferson County, Montana; 46.4806°N -111.8761°W; 4944feet^[36]
• Flathead Alps; Powell County, Montana; 47.5111°N -113.1567°W; 8337feet^[37]
• Flathead Range; Flathead County, Montana; 48.2667°N -113.7342°W; 6102feet^[38]
• Flattops; Carter County, Montana; 45.3167°N -104.6897°W; 3835feet^[39]
• Flint Creek Range; Granite County, Montana; 46.3667°N -113.1092°W; 6542feet^[40]
• Franklin Hills; Sweet Grass County, Montana; 46.0536°N -109.8908°W; 4879feet^[41]
• Gallatin Range; Gallatin County, Montana; 45.3136°N -111.0789°W; 9737feet^[42]
• Gallatin Range; Park County, Wyoming; 44.9167°N -110.8842°W; 9003feet^[43]
• Garnet Range; Powell County, Montana; 46.7217°N -112.9592°W; 6014feet^[44]
• Granite Range; Stillwater County, Montana; 45.26°N -109.8303°W; 11092feet^[45]
• Gravelly Range; Madison County, Montana; 45.0892°N -111.8569°W; 8258feet^[46]
• Greenhorn Range; Madison County, Montana; 45.1089°N -111.9681°W; 8622feet^[47]
• Henrys Lake Mountains; Madison County, Montana; 44.7811°N -111.4°W; 10148feet^[48]
• Highland Mountains; Madison County, Montana; 45.7261°N -112.4789°W; 9081feet^[49]
• Highwood Mountains Chouteau County, Montana; 47.4631°N -110.5608°W; 5148feet^[50]
• Honeycomb Hills; Powder River County, Montana; 45.6019°N -105.0058°W; 3094feet^[51]
• Horn Mountains; Madison County, Montana; 44.7411°N -111.5003°W; 7638feet^[52]
• Horseshoe Hills; Gallatin County, Montana; 46.0236°N -111.2725°W; 6673feet^[53]
• Humbolt Hills; Carter County, Montana; 45.8247°N -104.1067°W; 3314feet^[54]
• John Long Mountains; Granite County, Montana; 46.4378°N -113.4478°W; 7923feet^[55]

• Judith Mountains; Fergus County, Montana; 47.2189°N -109.2286°W; 6017feet^[56]
• Larb Hills; Phillips County, Montana; 48.3458°N -107.3839°W; 2549feet^[57]
• Lewis Range; Glacier County, Montana; 48.8833°N -113.8508°W; 8172feet^[58]
• Lewis and Clark Range; Powell County, Montana; 47.5003°N -113.1342°W; 7109feet^[59]
• Limestone Hills; Broadwater County, Montana; 46.2497°N -111.6261°W; 4977feet^[60]
• Little Belt Mountains; Meagher County, Montana; 46.8381°N -110.7183°W; 8195feet^[61]
• Little Rocky Mountains; Blaine County, Montana; 48.0094°N -108.6019°W; 4531feet^[62]
• Little Snowy Mountains; Fergus County, Montana; 46.7575°N -109.16°W; 5978feet^[63]
• Little Wolf Mountains; Big Horn County, Montana; 45.8425°N -106.9108°W; 4800feet^[64]
• Livingston Range; Glacier County, Montana; 48.9631°N -114.0239°W; 9321feet^[65]
• Long Pines; Carter County, Montana; 45.6889°N -104.2283°W; 4094feet^[66]
• Madison Range; Madison County, Montana; 45.25°N -111.5008°W; 9308feet^[67]
  • Spanish Peaks; Madison County, Montana; 45.3869°N -111.4275°W; 8441feet^[68]
  • The Wedge; Madison County, Montana; 45.0297°N -111.5131°W; 10548feet^[69]
• Milk River Hills; McCone County, Montana; 48.0286°N -106.3019°W; 2644feet^[70]
• Mission Range; Lake County, Montana; 47.8111°N -113.925°W; 6063feet^[71]
• North Hills; Missoula County, Montana; 46.9139°N -114.0064°W; 3556feet^[72]
• North Moccasin Mountains; Fergus County, Montana; 47.2964°N -109.485°W; 5384feet^[73]
• Opheim Hills; Valley County, Montana; 48.8819°N -106.5125°W; 3304feet^[74]
• Papoose Hills; Valley County, Montana; 48.6583°N -107.0897°W; 2815feet^[75]
• Park Hills; Meagher County, Montana; 46.6128°N -110.9219°W; 6260feet^[76]
• Pike Creek Hills; Petroleum County, Montana; 46.835°N -108.6108°W; 3707feet^[77]
• Piney Buttes; Garfield County, Montana; 47.4583°N -106.7839°W; 2651feet^[78]
• Pioneer Mountains; Beaverhead County, Montana; 45.4986°N -112.9736°W; 10065feet^[79]
• Pryor Mountains Big Horn County, Montana and Carbon County, Montana; 45.25°N -108.5006°W; 6417feet^[80]
• Purcell Mountains; Lincoln County, Montana; 48.9633°N -115.9683°W; 7707feet^[81]
• Rattlesnake Mountains (Montana); Lake County, Montana and Missoula County, Montana; 47.095°N -113.9228°W; 8620feet^[82]
• Rocky Hills; Beaverhead County, Montana; 45.0703°N -112.9789°W; 6916feet^[83]
• Ruby Range; Madison County, Montana; 45.2842°N -112.2344°W; 8727feet^[84]
• Salish Mountains; Lincoln County, Montana; 48.2667°N -114.7344°W; 5049feet^[85]
• Sapphire Mountains Ravalli County, Montana; 46.25°N -113.7508°W; 7582feet^[86]
• Sawtooth Range; Teton County, Montana; 47.8°N -112.7936°W; 7877feet^[87]
• Smoky Range; Flathead County, Montana; 48.5372°N -114.2547°W; 7100feet^[88]
• Snowcrest Range; Madison County, Montana; 44.8428°N -112.0947°W; 9846feet^[89]
• South Hills; Missoula County, Montana; 46.825°N -114.0147°W; 3592feet^[90]
• South Moccasin Mountains; Fergus County, Montana; 47.1725°N -109.5239°W; 4951feet^[91]
• Spear Hills; Powder River County, Montana; 45.0153°N -105.8794°W; 3694feet^[92]
• Spokane Hills; Lewis and Clark County, Montana; 46.6172°N -111.7706°W; 4058feet^[93]
• Swan Range; Flathead County, Montana; 47.725°N -113.6264°W; 7385feet^[94]
• Sweet Grass Hills; Liberty County, Montana and Toole County, Montana; 48.8472°N -111.3753°W; 6309feet^[95]
• Taylor Hills; Carter County, Montana; 45.6547°N -104.4631°W; 3474feet^[96]
• Tendoy Mountains; Beaverhead County, Montana; 44.7436°N -112.8072°W; 7854feet^[97]
• The Pine Hills; Custer County, Montana; 46.4242°N -105.5783°W; 3202feet^[98]
• The Pinnacles; Cascade County, Montana; 47.0481°N -111.6431°W; 6545feet^[99]
• Thoeny Hills; Phillips County, Montana; 48.8922°N -107.3708°W; 3104feet^[100]
• Three Buttes; Blaine County, Montana; 48.1761°N -108.75°W; 3848feet^[101]
• Tobacco Root Mountains Madison County, Montana; 45.5544°N -111.9744°W; 7497feet^[102]
• Whitefish Range; Flathead County, Montana; 48.6331°N -114.4953°W; 6982feet^[103]
• Wilson Range; Glacier County, Montana; 48.9833°N -113.8342°W; 7119feet^[104]
• Wolf Mountains; Big Horn County, Montana; 45.1961°N -107.1408°W; 4842feet^[105]

See also

• Mountains and mountain ranges of Glacier National Park (U.S.)
• Mountains and mountain ranges of Yellowstone National Park
• List of mountains in Montana
• Mountain passes in Montana (A-L)
• Mountain passes in Montana (M-Z)

Further reading

• Book: Graetz, Rick . Montana's Mountain Ranges-Montana Geographic Series #1 . Montana Magazine . Helena, Montana . 2003 . 1-891152-09-2 . registration .
• Book: Anderson, Jonathan . Beartooth Country: Montana's Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains-Montana Geographic Series #7 . Montana Magazine . Helena, Montana . 1984 . 0-938314-13-0.
• Book: Melroy, Mark . Islands on the Prairie-The Mountain Ranges of Eastern Montana-Montana Geographic Series #13 . Montana Magazine . Helena, Montana . 1986 . 0-938314-24-6.

Notes and References

1. Aarstad, Rich; Arguimbau, Ellen; Baumler, Ellen; Porsild, Charlene L.; and Shovers, Brian. Montana Place Names From Alzada to Zortman. Helena, Mont.: Montana Historical Society Press 2009, p. xiii.
2. http://nris.mt.gov/MontanaFacts/mtnRanges.pdf "Mountain Ranges of Montana." Map #08prvt0087. Natural Resource Information System. Montana State Library. September, 14, 2007.
3. 778860 . Absaroka Range .
4. 779022 . Anaconda Range .
5. 768433 . Badger Hills .
6. 767915 . Bears Paw Mountains .
7. 779574 . Beartooth Mountains .
8. 377296 . Beaverhead Mountains .
9. 779760 . Big Belt Mountains .
10. 1716381 . Big Horn Mountains .
11. 1715631 . Big Sheep Mountains .
12. 779873 . Big Snowy Mountains .
13. 395685 . Bitterroot Range.
14. 801776 . Bitterroot Mountains .
15. 784222 . Grave Creek Range .
16. 800469 . Black Reef .
17. 806178 . Boulder Hills .
18. 1888618 . Boulder Mountains .
19. 780408 . Bridger Range .
20. 767916 . Bull Mountains .
21. 799704 . Butcher Hills .
22. 378670 . Cabinet Mountains .
23. 1819594 . Calderwood Hills .
24. 781029 . Castle Mountains .
25. 769689 . Cayuse Hills .
26. 398998 . Centennial Mountains .
27. 807072 . Eastern Centennial Mountains .
28. 767940 . Western Centennial Mountains .
29. 769741 . Chalk Buttes .
30. 781471 . Coeur d'Alene Mountains .
31. 781867 . Crazy Mountains .
32. 799897 . Dahl Hills .
33. 782374 . Dickie Hills .
34. 778798 . Dry Range .
35. 799710 . Ekalaka Hills .
36. 783135 . Elkhorn Mountains .
37. 783509 . Flathead Alps .
38. 793846 . Flathead Range .
39. 799709 . Flattops .
40. 793920 . Flint Creek Range .
41. 805744 . Franklin Hills .
42. 800821 . Gallatin Range .
43. 1609338 . Gallatin Range .
44. 771717 . Garnet Range .
45. 784180 . Granite Range .
46. 784225 . Gravelly Range .
47. 784305 . Greenhorn Range .
48. 383109 . Henrys Lake Mountains .
49. 784869 . Highland Mountains .
50. 784881 . Highwood Mountains .
51. 772507 . Honeycomb Hills .
52. 806780 . Horn Mountains .
53. 785072 . Horseshoe Hills .
54. 799425 . Humbolt Hills .
55. 785512 . John Long Mountains .
56. 806782 . Judith Mountains .
57. 773226 . Larb Hills .
58. 767937 . Lewis Range .
59. 801733 . Lewis and Clark Range .
60. 786150 . Limestone Hills .
61. 786240 . Little Belt Mountains .
62. 773481 . Little Rocky Mountains .
63. 786367 . Little Snowy Mountains .
64. 773504 . Little Wolf Mountains .
65. 773513 . Livingston Range .
66. 1688744 . Long Pines .
67. 786769 . Madison Range .
68. 791128 . Spanish Peaks .
69. 792055 . The Wedge .
70. 774218 . Milk River Hills .
71. 787501 . Mission Range .
72. 1781198 . North Hills .
73. 774840 . North Moccasin Mountains .
74. 799905 . Opheim Hills .
75. 800327 . Papoose Hills .
76. 788642 . Park Hills .
77. 805530 . Pike Creek Hills .
78. 1716057 . Piney Buttes .
79. 788938 . Pioneer Mountains .
80. 789222 . Pryor Mountains .
81. 394167 . Purcell Mountains .
82. Web site: McLeod Peak, Montana. 21 December 2011.
83. 767904 . Rocky Hills .
84. 775996 . Ruby Range .
85. 793924 . Salish Mountains .
86. 790019 . Sapphire Mountains .
87. 806323 . Sawtooth Range .
88. 790748 . Smoky Range .
89. 790786 . Snowcrest Range .
90. 1781197 . South Hills .
91. 776901 . South Moccasin Mountains .
92. 776929 . Spear Hills .
93. 801510 . Spokane Hills .
94. 793845 . Swan Range .
95. 777365 . Sweet Grass Hills .
96. 799482 . Taylor Hills .
97. 791956 . Tendoy Mountains .
98. 777526 . The Pine Hills .
99. 777528 . The Pinnacles .
100. 800156 . Thoeny Hills .
101. 777599 . Three Buttes .
102. 792223 . Tobacco Root Mountains .
103. 793222 . Whitefish Range .
104. 807073 . Wilson Range .
105. 778649 . Wolf Mountains .