Painted Rocks

Painted Rocks State Park encompasses 88 acres on the shore of Painted Rocks Reservoir in Ravalli County, deep in the Bitterroot Mountains of western Montana. The park provides camping and fishing in a remote mountain setting surrounded by national forest.

The reservoir and surrounding forests support diverse wildlife including black bears, moose, elk, and white-tailed deer. The lake supports rainbow trout, bull trout, and kokanee salmon. Ospreys and bald eagles fish the reservoir.

Dense forests of Douglas fir, lodgepole pine, and Engelmann spruce surround the reservoir. The lush understory includes huckleberry and other mountain shrubs. The high mountain setting supports subalpine plant communities.

Painted Rocks Reservoir was created by a dam on the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. The Bitterroot Mountains consist of granitic rocks of the Idaho Batholith and metamorphic rocks of the Belt Supergroup. The painted rocks for which the area is named feature Native American pictographs.

The mountain setting at about 5,100 feet produces cold, snowy winters and mild summers with cool nights. Annual precipitation exceeds 20 inches. The reservoir typically freezes in winter.

Native American pictographs on rocks near the reservoir give the area its name. The Bitterroot Valley was home to the Salish people. The dam was constructed for irrigation in the 1940s.

Painted Rocks State Park was established to provide recreation at the reservoir in the remote upper Bitterroot Valley. The park offers solitude and mountain scenery.

Fishing for trout and kokanee is the primary activity. The remote mountain setting provides scenic beauty and solitude. Access to surrounding national forest trails is nearby.

The park offers primitive camping and a boat ramp. It is located about 23 miles south of Conner on the West Fork Road in the remote upper Bitterroot Valley.

Bull trout conservation is a priority in the reservoir. The park's remote setting naturally limits visitor impact. Surrounding national forest management affects the park ecosystem.