Bears Paw Mountains
The Bears Paw Mountains are an insular-montane island range in the Central [Montana Alkalic Province] in north-central Montana, United States, located approximately 10 miles south of Havre, Montana. Baldy Mountain, which rises above sea level, is the highest peak in the range. The Bears Paw Mountains extend in a 45-mile arc between the Missouri River and Rocky Boy Indian Reservation south of Havre.
Name
Locals refer to the range as the Bearpaws. Indigenous names include,, and.While highway signs designate the range as the Bears Paw Mountains, historically, the names Bearpaw Mountains and Bear Paw Mountains also have been used, including on early state maps of the region. The U.S. Geological Survey continues to use Bearpaw Mountains on publications.
Geology
The core of the Bearpaws are composed of extensive Eocene aged igneous intrusions left over from one of the largest eruptive centers in the Central Montana Alkaline Province. Shonkinite, latite, and tinguatite are among the most common igneous rock compositions found in the Bearpaws.The Cretaceous Bearpaw Formation outcrops in these mountains, and is named for the range.