Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 17, 2026

Madison Range

The Madison Range is a mountain range located in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Idaho, in the United States. The range was named for President James Madison, then the United States Secretary of State, by Meriwether Lewis as the Lewis and Clark Expedition travelled through Montana in 1805. The range extends 80 miles (130 km) from West Yellowstone, Montana to Bozeman, Montana and is flanked by the Madison River on the west and the Gallatin River to the east. The highest point in the range is Hilgard Peak at 11,316 ft (3,449 m), a remote peak that was not climbed until 1948.

Last revised
Jun 17, 2026
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≈ 2 min
Length
447 w
Citations
6
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Madison
Madison Range near Hebgen Lake
Highest point
PeakHilgard Peak
Elevation11,316 ft (3,449 m)
Coordinates44°55′00″N 111°27′35″W / 44.91667°N 111.45972°W / 44.91667; -111.45972
Dimensions
Length80 mi (130 km)
Width25 mi (40 km)
Geography
Madison
Country
United States
Region
Montana / Idaho
Parent rangeRocky Mountains

The Madison Range is a mountain range located in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Idaho, in the United States.1 The range was named for President James Madison, then the United States Secretary of State, by Meriwether Lewis as the Lewis and Clark Expedition travelled through Montana in 1805. The range extends 80 miles (130 km) from West Yellowstone, Montana to Bozeman, Montana and is flanked by the Madison River on the west and the Gallatin River to the east. The highest point in the range is Hilgard Peak at 11,316 ft (3,449 m), a remote peak that was not climbed until 1948.2

The Madison Range is the westernmost section of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Most of the range lies within Beaverhead–Deerlodge and Gallatin National Forests, with a small portion of the range later being protected with the creation of the Lee Metcalf Wilderness. The region has grizzly and black bears and at least one pack of wolves. Most other larger mammal species native to the region continue to exist in the range.

Quake Lake lies not far to the south of Hilgard Peak. The lake was created by a landslide which dammed the Madison River at the time of the M7.5 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake.3

Climate

Yellow Mule is a Remote Automated Weather Station on Buck Ridge, located 7.5 miles (12.1 km) north of Big Sky Meadow Village.45 Yellow Mule has a subalpine climate (Köppen Dfc).

Climate data for Yellow Mule (RAWS), Montana, elevation 9,200 feet or 2,800 meters, 2002–2020 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 22.1
(−5.5) 		21.3
(−5.9) 		28.1
(−2.2) 		34.8
(1.6) 		44.6
(7.0) 		54.3
(12.4) 		65.2
(18.4) 		62.7
(17.1) 		53.6
(12.0) 		39.0
(3.9) 		27.5
(−2.5) 		19.7
(−6.8) 		39.4
(4.1)
Daily mean °F (°C) 16.4
(−8.7) 		14.9
(−9.5) 		21.1
(−6.1) 		26.6
(−3.0) 		36.5
(2.5) 		46.1
(7.8) 		56.1
(13.4) 		53.6
(12.0) 		45.5
(7.5) 		32.0
(0.0) 		21.5
(−5.8) 		14.0
(−10.0) 		32.0
(0.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 10.6
(−11.9) 		8.6
(−13.0) 		14.1
(−9.9) 		18.4
(−7.6) 		28.5
(−1.9) 		37.8
(3.2) 		46.9
(8.3) 		44.5
(6.9) 		37.3
(2.9) 		25.0
(−3.9) 		15.5
(−9.2) 		8.2
(−13.2) 		24.6
(−4.1)
Source: XMACIS26
Western face of Madison Range from just west of Ennis, Montana
Southwest Face of Madison Range from across Madison Valley on the Cliff-Wade Lakes road, May 29, 2017
See also

See also

Notes

Notes

  1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hilgard Peak
  2. "Hilgard Peak". Summitpost. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey. "Largest Earthquake in Montana". Historic Earthquakes. Archived from the original on 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
  4. "Yellow Mule". NOAA. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  5. "Yellow Mule Cabin". USDA Forest Service. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  6. "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 3, 2023.