Zinke’s New Wilderness Bill Proposes 132,000 Acres for Protection

Since 1962, efforts to protect the Blackfoot River headwaters have evolved, leading to Zinke's recent wilderness bill.

September 25, 2026

Efforts to safeguard the Blackfoot River headwaters date back to 1962 when Cecil Garland contested a road-building project by the U.S. Forest Service around Scapegoat Mountain. Garland’s advocacy led to the Scapegoat Wilderness inclusion in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex in 1972, marking the first citizen-initiative wilderness designation before the Wilderness Act of 1964. Still, it left unresolved sections between Lincoln and Seeley Lake.

An unexpected development occurred on Sept. 9 with Montana Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke proposing the A River Runs Through It Act. This bill aims to create 132,000 new acres of wilderness, 181,000 acres of forest restoration areas, and 60,000 acres for motorized and bike recreation, while another 60,000 acres would be designated as Conservation Management Areas prohibiting future development.

University of Montana political scientist Rob Saldin noted, “The major piece of this has been floating out there for a long, long time.” Zinke’s bill responds to past challenges faced by Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, which in 2010 proposed adding 666,260 acres of wilderness and mandated logging in Montana. Efforts to pass it faced political hurdles.

While Tester reintroduced similar legislation multiple times, his Blackfoot Clearwater Stewardship Act in 2017 focused on Seeley Lake, adding 79,000 acres to the Bob Marshall Wilderness edge. Zinke’s proposal echoes Tester’s, but with added wilderness and recreation areas near Lincoln. The proposal also includes Inventoried Roadless Areas for logging and commercial work, with local support from timber and wilderness groups.

As Tester remarked, “The Lincoln component that wasn’t in mine was a very positive addition.” While Tester praises Zinke’s approach, he noted no prior discussions had occurred with Zinke. The success of this legislation before the congressional term ends depends on how much support Zinke can muster. With only 21 days scheduled in the legislative calendar, the passage remains uncertain.