This is a list of mountain ranges in the state of Montana. Montana is the fourth largest state in the United States and is well known for its mountains. The name "Montana" means "mountainous" in Latin. Representative James Mitchell Ashley (R-Ohio), suggested the name when legislation organizing the territory was passed by the United States Congress in 1864. Ashley noted that a mining camp in the Colorado Territory had already used the name, and Congress agreed to use the name for the new territory. [1]
According to the United States Board on Geographic Names, there are at least 100 named mountain ranges and sub-ranges in Montana. However, mountain ranges have no official boundaries, and there is no official list of mountain ranges in the state. [2]
The mountain ranges below are listed by name, county, coordinates, and average elevation as recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey. Sub-ranges are indented below the name of the primary range. Some of these ranges extend into Wyoming, Idaho, and Canada.
There are 45 streams named Willow Creek in the U.S. state of Montana.
Square Butte is a name used for 11 buttes in Montana. Two of the most prominent buttes are located in a) Cascade County, Montana, about 22 miles (35 km) due west of Great Falls and in b) Chouteau County, Montana, about 50 miles (80 km) due east of Great Falls and about 15 miles (24 km) due east of the Highwood Mountains. Charles Marion Russell, the noted Montana western artist used both features as background in his paintings of Montana.