Unit 216 District 216 (Region 2)
High, roadless Sapphire timber and blue-ribbon Rock Creek bottoms — a rare mostly-public western unit
Sapphire Mountains / West Rock Creek — Region 2 · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
297
sq mi
Public land
89%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–8,400
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
HD 216 climbs the west face of the Sapphire Mountains from Skalkaho Pass (MT-38) north through Granite and Missoula counties, straddling the Rock Creek, Willow Creek and Ranch Creek drainages. Nearly 90% public — Lolo and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests plus BLM — it is one of the more accessible western Montana units, with two Block Management Areas adding private ground. Elk hold isolated high basins off 8,000-foot Sapphire peaks while whitetails work the creek bottoms and mule deer the higher country.
Terrain
Steep, heavily timbered west slope of the Sapphire Range broken by major creek drainages, ridgelines and open subalpine parks.
Cover: Dense conifer timber on the slopes, brushy willow and cottonwood creek bottoms, open meadows and high parks near the peaks.
Landmarks: Sapphire Mountains · Skalkaho Pass (MT-38) · Rock Creek · Upper Willow Creek · Ranch Creek · Black Pine Ridge
Access
One of the most public-accessible western units — thousands of acres of Lolo and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and BLM, with Forest Service roads reaching many ridges and drainages and pack trails climbing the gulches to the high Sapphires. The Bohrnsen Ranch and Black Pine Ridge Block Management Areas add private acreage; sign in per BMA rules.
Managers: USFS Lolo NF, USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, BLM, private ranch + Block Management
Access points: Skalkaho Highway (MT-38) over the pass · Rock Creek Road corridor · Upper Willow Creek drainage roads · Forest Service ridge roads and pack trails into the Sapphires · Bohrnsen Ranch & Black Pine Ridge BMAs
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityElk hold isolated pockets high on the Sapphire face that offer cool cover, water and forage, dropping into the drainages with snow.
- →Hike well off the Forest roads to isolated high basins where bulls escape pressure
- →Follow FS pack trails up the gulches to reach untouched benches
- →Work the timber-park edges near 8,000-foot peaks early season, then hunt drainage funnels as snow accumulates
Whitetail Deer
common opportunityWhitetails favor the heavy cover, travel corridors and feeding areas of the Upper Willow, Ranch and Rock Creek bottoms.
- →Hunt creek-bottom cover edges at dawn and dusk
- →Sit travel corridors between bedding and feeding during the November rut
- →Rock Creek and Willow Creek brush hold the densest whitetail sign
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer range the higher timbered slopes and open parks of the Sapphires above the whitetail bottoms.
- →Glass high open parks and burns off the Sapphire ridgelines at first light
- →Still-hunt the timbered upper slopes after fresh snow
- →Push above the road-accessible country for less-pressured bucks
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are well distributed through the Sapphire timber and creek drainages; grizzly are increasingly possible as they expand across western Montana.
- →Glass avalanche chutes, burns and green slopes in spring/early fall
- →Hunt berry patches and forest creek bottoms
- →Identify bears carefully — treat the area as potential grizzly country
Cougar
common opportunityLions follow the deer and elk through the Sapphire timber.
- →Cut tracks on Forest roads and ridges after fresh snow
- →Focus deer wintering slopes and drainage bottoms
- →Fresh snow greatly improves tracking odds
Pro tips
- →This is a rare mostly-public western unit — hike beyond the Forest roads to isolated basins where bulls escape pressure
- →Use FS pack trails up the gulches to reach untouched high benches
- →Split effort: whitetails in the Rock Creek/Willow Creek bottoms, elk and mule deer up high
- →Time the general season to intercept elk moving to the drainages with the first snows
- →Carry detailed GPS/topo — the steep, timbered Sapphire face is easy to get turned around in
Watch out for
- !Steep, heavily timbered terrain — long, hard pack-outs from the high basins
- !Grizzly presence is expanding across western Montana; carry bear spray and identify bears carefully
- !Skalkaho Pass (MT-38) closes/becomes impassable in winter snow
- !Confirm Block Management sign-in rules before hunting Bohrnsen Ranch or Black Pine Ridge
- !Snow accumulates fast on the west face — plan late-season access accordingly
Logistics
Missoula to the north and Philipsburg/Hamilton to the east and south provide services; the Skalkaho Highway (MT-38) is the main east-west artery over the range and closes to through-traffic in winter. Rock Creek Road accesses the lower drainages. Carry GPS/topo maps — steep terrain and dense timber make Sapphire navigation difficult.
Nearest towns: Philipsburg, Hamilton, Rock Creek, Missoula, Drummond
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Montana sources:
Research sources: MTFWP Hunt Planner · GoHunt — Montana Unit 216 Profile · HuntScore — HD 216 West Rock Creek/Quigg · MTFWP 2024/2025 Deer & Elk Legal Descriptions
FAQ
- How big is Unit 216 in Montana?
- Unit 216 (District 216 (Region 2)) covers about 297 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 8,400 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in Unit 216?
- Approximately 89% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Lolo NF, USFS Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, BLM, private ranch + Block Management. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for Unit 216?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Whitetail Deer, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Cougar. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Montana agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put Unit 216 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.