District 303, Montana

The district is dominated by the Tendoy Mountains, a subrange of the Beaverhead Mountains, which rise abruptly from the sagebrush-filled Red Rock River Valley. Elevation ranges from approximately 6,279 feet in the valley bottoms near I-15 to roughly 8,850 feet on the higher ridges (the Tendoy highpoint, Dixon Mountain, reaches 9,674 ft — the highest confirmed point in the range per Southwest MT Tourism). The adjacent Lima Peaks reach 10,961 ft at Garfield Mountain along the Continental Divide, but those summits may fall in adjacent HD 300. Terrain is characterized as steep, with narrow limestone gorges, canyon sections, scree fields, and broad alpine basins. The Continental Divide forms the western boundary along the Idaho border.

The primary motorized access corridor is the Big Sheep Creek Back Country Byway, a 50-mile BLM-maintained gravel road (BLM Route 302) running from Dell (on I-15, Exit 23) westward through the canyon and connecting to Beaverhead County Road 324 west of Clark Canyon Reservoir. Forest Service Road 3920 provides access to Morrison Lake; Forest Service Road 3929 accesses the Little Sheep Creek drainage. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail and Great Divide Mountain Bike Route traverse the western ridgeline. A BLM primitive campground at Deadwood Gulch offers a staging point; limited developed campgrounds exist. Land ownership is approximately 56% USFS, 9% BLM, 8% State, and 27% private — private ranching blocks interrupt public access in valley bottoms, and a Block Management Area map is advised for navigation. Infrastructure is minimal: no hospitals, hotels, or grocery stores within 20 miles; Lima (pop. ~212) is the nearest supply point on I-15.

Lower elevations and valley floors support sagebrush grasslands and riparian corridors along Big Sheep Creek and Medicine Lodge Creek. Mid-slope vegetation transitions to Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and mountain mahogany, with scattered aspen stands. Higher ridges carry open alpine cover with exposed rock, scree, and wind-scoured meadows. The valley fringes contain private ranch pasture and irrigated meadow habitat that transitions to public land foothills.

The district is within the Tendoy Elk Management Unit; the 2025 FWP aerial count recorded 777 elk with a management objective of 650-1,100 (currently at objective). Elk migrate between this district and adjacent HD 302 and across the Montana-Idaho border, so distribution is influenced by seasonal forage and snowfall. Mule deer are historically the dominant deer species; white-tailed deer occur in lower drainages. Pronghorn occupy the open sagebrush valley areas. Black bear and mountain lion are present. Montana FWP released 26 bighorn sheep (19 ewes, 5 rams, 2 lambs, captured from Wild Horse Island on Flathead Lake) into the Tendoy Mountains on February 19, 2021, in a reintroduction effort; FWP planned a total of 60 translocations over 2021-2022 targeting a self-sustaining population of approximately 150 animals. Sage grouse are present in sagebrush habitats. Grizzly bear activity has been noted in the broader Beaverhead drainage area and bear spray is recommended. Wolf packs have been documented, with hunters reporting observed impacts on ungulate distribution.