Calypso Chapter serves Southwest Montana including the greater Anaconda – Dillon – Butte – Deerlodge – Whitehall areas.
For information, contact:
Field trips and events
Calypso holds our Annual Potluck and Planning Brunch on Sunday, December 1st, at the Grange Hall in Divide. This is our chapter’s only regular meeting except for the spring-summer-fall field events. We will gather to celebrate the season, enjoy a meal together, and plan the trips and events we will offer in 2025.
During 2025, here’s what we did:
- For the fifth time, we pulled weeds on Pipestone Pass, under the “Adopt a Trailhed Montana” program in partnership with the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Seven members participated with three Forest Service folks, and we carried 61 pounds of weeds away to the landfill.
- We held an evening outdoor workshop about “How to Collect Native Plant Seed.” Three people participated, guided by Krystal Weilage.
- Eleven people came to an evening or overnight camping event on the Big Hole River, “A Night of Fun with Moths,” presented by Nick Tucci. We camped overnight and learned a lot about moths, which are major pollinators.
- Forest Service botanist Jessie Salix conducted our annual “Dyeing with Native Plants” workshop. Nineteen people participated! Member Catherine Cain helped Jessie, a good thing since this year many more pots were brewing, more plant materials were used, and many gorgeous designs were produced.
Information on scenic/botanically interesting drives in Southwest Montana
Vipond Park driving loop
Click here for the Vipond Park plant list.
There are several special interest and plant areas on this loop.
- From the north turning at the Wise River exit and turning south on the Quartz Hill road just past Dewey.
- From the south, go to Melrose, across the tracks and river and head up Trapper Creek road. From this approach, first pass the old town of Glendale, but there’s not much is left. The next stop is the charcoal kilns, which are being restored. Then head up the switchbacks to Vipond Park. Look for Penstemon lemhiensis on the road cuts on the switchbacks. There’s a good viewpoint to the top of the switchback to observe the glacial terrain of Canyon Creek.
Once on top, you’re in Vipond Park. Depending on the time of year, you can see fields of camas, Camassia quamash, along with numerous wet forbs, Claytonia lanceolata, Pedicularis groenlandica and more.
Coming down, look for pygmy bitterroots and fields of pasque flowers. Abundant Calypso orchids bloom about 3.4 miles from the end of Quartz Hill road. Look in the Douglas-fir zone, just after the subalpine-fir zone, off the road by the rotten logs — they’re in clumps of 30 to 40 plants. Mid to late June is ideal.
In lower elevations there is plenty to see: townsendia, bluebells, penstemons, phlox, erigerons, senecios and more. Glacier lilies are the early bloomers.
Flora changes from week to week. For the best road information, obtain a Forest Service travel plan map and contact the Forest Service office in Dillon at 406-683-3900 or in Wise River at 406-832-3178.
Gravelly Mountain tour
Click here for the Gravelly Mountain Tour plant list.
This area is south of Ennis. Several loops can be made to access the subalpine meadows. High elevations and open meadows dominate the area. July through August are the best flora viewing months.
Fields of Polygonum bistortoides, Hymenoxys grandiflora and Wyethia are abundant. Rare pink Agoseris lackschewitzii and Thalictrum alpinum can be found.
In early- to mid-July, the Forest Service leads a public tour of the area. To obtain a Forest map and more information, contact the Madison Ranger District Office at 406-682-4253.