Bureau of Land Management -conservationlands15 Social Media Takeover, May 15th, BLM Montana and Partners Maintain Continental Divide Trail and Centennial Mountains WSA (17505191830)

The BLM Dillon Field Office in Montana rebuilt a section of the Continental Divide Trail with the help of participants from the Montana Wilderness Association and the Montana Conservation Corps. The trail had been heavily damaged from a large landslide in a steep and narrow canyon within the Centennial Mountains Wilderness Study Area. The project involved removing tons of loose rock and then felling and stripping trees to build a wall to support the trail. The 12 MWA volunteers, eight-member MCC crew and BLM employees completed the heavy, difficult task within a week.

The majority of the Continental Divide Trail managed by the BLM is located within the Centennial Mountains Wilderness Study Area. The 27,691-acre (11,206 ha) Centennial Mountains WSA contains some of the most wild and biologically important lands in southwest Montana. The area provides refuge for grizzly bears and other rare and endangered species that require wild, undeveloped landscapes for survival. Visitors to the area enjoy backcountry hiking, horseback riding, fishing and more.

Photos by Bob Wick, BLM

Note: The #conservationlands15 Social Media Takeover is a 2015 monthly celebration of the 15th anniversary of the BLM’s National Conservation Lands.