Considered by many to be the most beautiful val- ley in Montana, the Bitterroot Valley is dominated by the heavily glaciated, jagged, rocky peaks and deep canyons of the Bitterroot Mountains. The Bit- terroots on the west side of the valley contrast sharply with the docile rolling hills of the Sapphire Mountains to the east. The entire length of Highway 93 from Missoula to the Idaho border is designated as a scenic byway. Combined with the Frank Church River of No Return (bordering the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Idaho), and the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness (on the southern end of the Bitterroot Valley), the Bitterroot Valley is a gateway to the largest combination of unspoiled, designated “Wilder- ness Areas” in the lower 48 States.
The Beautiful 24 DISTINCTLY MONTANA • SUMMER 2011
