Andersons Pasture Springs
Andersons Pasture Springs surfaces at 82°F at 6,840 feet elevation in Madison County, Montana — one of the higher-elevation thermal features in the state. Located 846 feet from Gravelly Range Road near Virginia City, the near-neutral water (pH 7.4) shows a calcium-sulfate signature with 66.5 mg/L calcium and 114 mg/L sulfate.
The spring occupies the Gravelly Range, a broad, rolling highland of alpine meadow and scattered timber in southwestern Montana. At nearly 6,900 feet, the landscape opens into expansive grasslands broken by patches of lodgepole pine and whitebark pine. The Madison River valley lies to the east, and the Gravelly Range Road traverses the ridgeline seasonally. Annual snowfall tops 86 inches, and the average air temperature of just 37°F makes this one of Montana's colder spring sites year-round.
Gravelly Range Road is typically passable only from July through September; snow closes the route for most of the year. The 846-foot walk to the spring crosses open high-country terrain with no shade. West Fork Cabin, a reservable 1928 Forest Service patrol cabin 11 km away, provides seasonal shelter. At this elevation, afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Bring sun protection and wind layers.
The name points to historic pastoral use of these high meadows for livestock grazing. Virginia City, the nearest town, boomed as a gold-mining center in the 1860s and served as Montana's territorial capital. The springs themselves appear in geological survey records but lack documented development history. The Gravelly Range has remained largely undeveloped rangeland under mixed federal and private ownership.
The water at Andersons Pasture Springs is slightly alkaline (pH 7.4).
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Overview West Fork Cabin is a small, secluded cabin in the mountains of southwestern Montana, located high in the Gravelly Range. The cabin was built in 1928 as an intermediate station for patrolling grazing allotments. The area is home to a variety of wildlife and offers numerous trails for hikers, equestrians and off-road vehicle riders during warmer months and snowmobilers in the winter. The cabin is available from July 1 through March 31. It can typically be accessed by vehicle; however...
Andersons Pasture Springs sits at 6,840 feet above sea level, way above the mile-high mark. You may not feel the altitude strongly, but hot water still dehydrates you faster at elevation. UV is about 27% stronger than at sea level, so bring sunscreen and drink more water than you normally would.
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Andersons Pasture Springs is road-accessible, so you can bring more gear. Cold air temperatures make a changing robe or warm layers essential.
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Slightly Alkaline Springs (pH ~7.4)
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