District 213, Montana

The district covers approximately 218 square miles with elevations ranging from roughly 4,800 feet in valley bottoms to 9,067 feet at Twin Peaks in the Flint Creek Range. Terrain is characterized by steep ridges, deep gulches, fast-flowing creek drainages, and pristine alpine lakes above 7,500 feet (including Hunters, Green, Meadow, and Racetrack lakes). Slopes are notably steep — 80% of the terrain has a slope equal to or less than 24 degrees, meaning significant portions exceed that grade.

Primary vehicle access is via Montana Highway 1 (the Georgetown Lake highway between Anaconda and Philipsburg). The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest's Pintler Ranger District (headquarters at 88 Business Loop, Philipsburg, MT 59858; phone 406-859-3211) manages public land within the district. Numerous Forest Service roads — many passable by passenger cars and stemming from historical mining activity — reach alpine lakes and ridges; Modesty Creek Road is specifically noted as passenger-car accessible, though heavy rain or snow can make roads difficult even with four-wheel drive. Flint Creek Campground (3 miles west of Georgetown Lake on Hwy 1) serves as a staging area. The eastern half of the district is predominantly private land, blocking direct access to eastern slopes and drainages. A special area exists: the State Prison Ranch (MCE Ranch, 350 Conley Lake Road, Deer Lodge, MT 59722; email NChandler2@mt.gov) contains an Archery-Only Area — hunters must contact the MCE Ranch Office between August 1 and December 15 for an archery-only land use permit; background checks are required (minimum 48-hour processing). Grant Kohrs Ranch (near Deer Lodge) is a restricted check area. No wilderness designation falls within HD 213; the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness lies in adjacent districts to the south/southwest.

Cover types include subalpine fir and spruce-fir at higher elevations transitioning to lodgepole pine and mixed conifer on mid-slopes. Creek drainages (Warm Springs Creek, Modesty Creek, North Fork Flint Creek, Racetrack Creek) support riparian willow and alder corridors. Lower eastern elevations grade into grasslands and sage-shrub habitats on private range land. The area's road network, largely a legacy of historic mining activity, creates a patchwork of disturbed edge habitat and regenerating forest.

Elk are the primary big game species and the Flint Creek EMU population is significantly above its management objective: 2,520 elk counted in 2025 (3-year average 2,259) against a management objective of 920-1,380. Elk congregate along North Fork Flint Creek and Racetrack Creek drainages. White-tailed deer are present in lower riparian areas, particularly along Warm Springs and Modesty creeks. Mule deer occupy higher open ridges such as Thornton Ridge and the slopes above Foster Creek. Black bears and mountain lions inhabit the forested slopes. Note: Region 2's first CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) detection occurred in HD 213 near Deer Lodge in 2023; no new detections were found in 2024, but monitoring continues.