Castle Mountains (Montana)

Castle Mountains
Western face of Castle Mountains near Ringling, Montana
Highest point
Peak Elk Peak (Meagher County, Montana)
Elevation 8,589 ft (2,618 m)
Coordinates 46°28′11″N 110°45′54″W / 46.46972°N 110.76500°W / 46.46972; -110.76500Coordinates: 46°28′11″N 110°45′54″W / 46.46972°N 110.76500°W / 46.46972; -110.76500 
Geography
Country United States
State Montana

The Castle Mountains, highest point Elk Peak, el. 8,589 feet (2,618 m),[1] are an island range east of White Sulphur Springs in Meagher County, Montana, United States.[2] About 30,000 acres of the Castles were roadless as of 1995.[3] The western portion of the Castles are moist, while the eastside is dry, porous limestone hills.[3] The range gets its name from "castle turrets", 50-foot high igneous rock spires on the western slopes.[3] The range was the focus of mining activity in the previous century; crumbling remains of old miners' cabins and diggings are present throughout the area.[4] The landscape is characterized by a central cluster of peaks over 8,000 feet and extensive grassy parks surrounded by lodgepole pine and limber pine.[3] The Castles are lightly used by recreationists except for hunters in the fall.[3] On the peak of Castle Mountain itself is a login book for the few who reach the top. There is no trail that leads to the peak.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Recreational Map of Western Montana. Canon City, CO: Western GeoGraphics. 1990. ISBN 0-528-92551-2.
  2. ↑ "Castle Mountains". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Cunningham, Bill (1995). Wild Montana. Helena, MT: Falcon Publishing, Inc. p. 237. ISBN 1-56044-393-6.
  4. ↑ Cunningham (1995), pp. 240
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