Humbug Spires

Along the western foothills of the Highland Mountains south of Butte, the Boulder Batholith pushes upward. The Batholith, a large, late Cretaceous granitic intrusion, pierces the earth with one of its most spectacular outcroppings of quartz monzonite. The result is the Humbug Spires, 50 rock towers dramatically eroding along Moose Creek. Nine spires rise 300 to 600 feet over the surrounding terrain.

Location: 26 miles south of Butte, Montana.
Size: 11,175 acres.
Features: Rolling hills of douglas fir and lodgepole pine; granite spires rising 300 to 600 feet.
Activities: Rock climbing, hiking, fishing, XC skiing, horseback riding.

The Land and its Life

Humbug Spires is characterized by rolling hills of Douglas fir and lodgepole pines accentuated by majestic granite spires. Lush meadows, dense forests and grassy flats are found throughout the area.

Three types of vegetation dominate the Humbug Spires. Bunchgrasses and sagebrash characterize the outer extremities, mixed with stands of young trees. Mature stands of Douglas fir or lodgepole pine take over in the central, steeper areas near the spires themselves. Willows, dogwood, aspen and lush grasses are found in the riparian areas along Moose Creek and its tributaries, Lime and Selway Gulches, the South Fork of Tucker Creek, MacLean Creek and Pine Gulch. Small, open meadows and beaver dams are scattered along most of these riparian bottoms.

Most of the soils in the Humbug Spires formed from granitic materials and are coarse-grained, shallow, acidic, well drained and highly erosive. In some areas, soils formed from both alluvial and metamorphic materials. In contrast to the granitic soils, these tend to be finer-grained, richer in nutrients, capable of holding more water and are less erosive.

With habitats ranging from dense forest to sagebrush, meadows and riparian drainage bottoms, Humbug supports a variety of wildlife. Black bear, moose, elk, mule deer and bighorn sheep roam the area. Other mammals passing through include mountain lion, coyote, fox, bobcat, weasel, chipmunk, red squirrel, porcupine, cottontail and snowshoe hare. There are also several species of small rodents. Birds include blue and ruffed grouse, several species of raptors, and small nongame species.

Rock Climbing

The spires sing like sirens to avid rock climbers. Routes can be found to challenge climbers of all abilities from beginner to expert. The majority of climbs are difficult, however. Exposed to weather for centuries, the spire walls are frequently smooth, almost featureless surfaces with only limited spots where climbers can place protection as they climb. Vertical crack systems make the best routes, generally in the 5.5 to 5.7 range of difficulty. Some of the more difficult routes reach 5.12.

On the Trail - Hiking, Horseback, Snowshoeing, and Skiing

The most popular trail starts at the end of Moose Creek road (see Getting There). The route winds easily along Moose Creek, passing through stands of Douglas fir trees more than 250 years old. The path is headed for the rock spires scattered through the northern part of the WSA. During the winter season, bring your snowshoes or skis.

To reach the trail, cross the foot bridge just downhill from the parking area and the visitor information board. After about 1.5 miles, the trail forks. Take the right fork marked by white arrows. The trail continues for .3 miles up a small side drainage over a ridge, and then along the northeast fork of Moose Creek. From this drainage, numerous game trails leading in all directions are available to the adventurous hiker.

To reach the Wedge, one of the more prominent spires, continue 1.3 miles up the main trail along the intermittent creek. The Wedge is about a hundred yards uphill from an abandoned miner's cabin at the head of the drainage.

Given the diverse topography of the heavily timbered terrain, visitors hiking off the designated trail should have topographic maps, a compass, and drinking water. United States Geologic Survey 7 1/2 minute quadrangle maps cover the area and are available locally. You will need the Tucker Creek, Mount Humbug, Melrose and Wickiup quads for full coverage.

Fishing

Moose Creek is a tributary of the Big Hole River and supports populations of brook, rainbow, and cutthroat trout in its lower reaches, and cutthroat only in its upper portions. Steep waterfalls form a barrier separating the trout in the lower reaches from the cutthroat in the upper parts of the stream. The fish are small, rarely exceeding 10 inches, but good tasting and fun to watch from numerous vantage points along the established trails.

Getting There

To reach the area, take I-15 south from Butte to the Moose Creek interchange. Go east about 3 miles along the creek on an improved gravel road. Park at the trail head parking lot. There are restrooms and a Visitor Information Board at the parking lot.

Offsite camping facilities are provided at BLM's Divide Bridge Campground, about 2 miles west of the Divide Interchange along Highway 43 on the west side of the Big Hole River.