pioneer mountain wilderness area

Access to strictly defined wilderness does begin here, preferably with good maps/gear/experience. But for those of us who love our forest, mountains, snow, skiing and hot springs a little nearer a paved roadway, it is still a wonderfully "wild" area. Yes, you will see cattle in surprisingly forested places, as the other reviewer pointed out, but you may see moose, lion, bear, elk, mule deer, goats, sheep, "antelope" and more in the same areas. Make sure you top off gas tank in Dillon. Grasshopper Inn has petrol at "stranded/desperate" pricing, Wisdom has after hours fuel with credit card only. Am unsure about Wise River. Scenic Byway incredible drive but closes "over the top" to vehicles in winter and becomes snowmobile trails. Ski Maverick Mountain. Dig for cystals, visit Coolidge. No toll roads

Not sure why this is called a wilderness area, especially since it has been mined, timbered and lived on for well over 120 years. Roads cut through all parts of this "wilderness" area, and most of the local residents like it that way. People living in New York and Washington D.C. may think this largely unpopulated area is wilderness, and want to shut if off for all locals, but it is not wilderness. It is home to local residents for horseback riding, 4-wheeling, snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, and hunting. It is a beautiful area, but it is not wilderness. Ranchers have been driving their cows into this forest since the 1870's.