HD 444 covers the heart of the Madison Range around Big Sky and the Spanish Peaks—some of the most dramatic high country in southwest Montana. Elevations run from about 5,500 feet on the Gallatin River at Big Sky to over 11,000 feet on Hilgard Peak and the Spanish Peaks. The range is a granite-and-metamorphic backbone with deep glacial cirques, alpine lakes, and forested mid-slopes climbing through dense lodgepole and Douglas fir into spruce-fir and alpine larch on the upper drainages. The Lee Metcalf Wilderness occupies the high country; the Spanish Peaks Unit of the wilderness is some of the more striking alpine country in MT. Elk live the high parks and migrate down into the canyons in late season; mule deer use the timbered slopes; mountain goats and bighorn sheep on the cliffs; black bears throughout; the occasional grizzly drifts in. Custer-Gallatin NF and the Lee Metcalf Wilderness make up nearly all the public ground; the wilderness bans motors past the boundary. Big Sky Resort and the surrounding development cover a chunk of private at the base of Lone Peak. US-191 (the Gallatin Canyon highway) is the spine, with forest roads (Spanish Creek, Beaver Creek, Cinnamon Creek) climbing into the wilderness boundary. Big Sky has full resort services at resort prices—gas, restaurants, lodging that books up. Bozeman is north 50 miles, West Yellowstone south. Cell service holds along US-191 and in Big Sky, dies in the wilderness. The wilderness pack-out from the upper drainages is real work; plan for stock or a strong back. Limited permits common on some elk and goat seasons.