St. Mary's Peak April
Historic St. Mary's Mission
Where the State of Montana began
406-777-5734
Email: stmary@cybernet1.com
www.saintmarysmission.org
P.O. Box 211
West End of 4th Street
Stevensville, MT 59870
Stevensville, Montana site of Historic St. Mary's Mission
Where Montana Began
Mission Complex, Cross on a Hill brand at St. Mary's Mission
The Many Faces of St. Mary's Peak
Father Pierre Jean De Smet, S. J., together with his fellow Jesuit Missionaries, Fathers Gregory Mengarini and Nicolas Pointe and three Lay Brothers first entered the Bitterroot Valley on September 24, 1841. The wagon and three carts holding their supplies were the first "vehicles" to enter the area.  They established the first white settlement in what was to become Montana, on the east bank of the Bitterroot river, immediately west of the present town of Stevensville.  The new mission, as well as the river and the tallest mountain peak to the west, were named "St. Mary's".  Fifty years later the name of the river was changed to "Bitterroot" by the Forest Service.
The Salish considered the Peak to be sacred and was a place for a Vision Quest.  Today,  hundreds of hikers visit each summer to view the timeless scene of the Bitterroot Valley first witnessed by the Catholic Missionaries more than 160 years ago.
St. Mary's Peak

  • Elevation 9300 ft.
  • Trailhead Elevation 6900 feet
  • 4.5 miles from parking area to the summit and the fire lookout station.
  • Moderately difficult climb. Allow a full day to hike.
2004 Historic St. Mary's Mission, Inc. * All Rights Reserved
©
Web Site Design by SMJ-Designs
Last Update: 3/5/2008
St. Mary's Peak rises 9300 feet above the valley floor.  At its pinnacle is a fire lookout station that offers breathtaking views for miles around.  The 4.5 mile hiking trail is considered moderate in difficulty, although there is a 2400' gain from the parking area to the top.
St. Mary's Peak in July