Painted Rocks State Park offers visitors boating, fishing, swimming and wildlife. The reservoir sits along the west fork of the Bitterroot River southwest of Darby, Montana.
Painted Rocks received its name from the green, yellow and orange lichens which cover the grey and black rock walls of the granite and rhyolite cliffs.
Wildlife abounds in the area around Painted Rocks. Elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, black bear, and moose can be found here. In the 1980s, bighorn mountain sheep as well as peregrine falcons were reintroduced to the area. The reservoir is used as a stopping ground for waterfowl during spring and autumn migrations.
The park is 23 acres in size and is 4,724 feet in elevation. This area offers 25 sites with vault toilets, grills, fire rings, picnic tables, boat ramp and dock. The park is pack-in/pack-out and there is a 25 foot limit on the length of RV trailers. Water levels for boating can be poor at this site after 8/1 and there is a 14 day limit for camping in a 30 day period. A museum is located nearby in Darby.
Montana State Parks – Painted Rocks
Painted Rocks State Recreation Area, Painted Rocks State Recreation Area Darby Ravalli County