Montana's native plants and their communities
Thursday, May 14, 6 pm to 8 pm Columbia Falls - Columbia Mountain Garden Tour Join Forestoration, Inc. on their third annual tour of a private residence that has been transformed into a beautiful and diverse landscape with hundreds of species and thousands of plants. Learn about the process, from soil health, landscape design principles, […]
Thursday May 14, 6:30 pm - at the Pineview Park Pavilion just west of Rattlesnake School Our Spring Potluck will be held at the Pineview Park Pavilion in the Upper Rattlesnake off of Rattlesnake Drive, just west of Rattlesnake School. Bring your own plate, utensils and a dish to share. No alcohol please. Call Peter […]
9 am on Friday, May 15, near Bigfork Phillips/Beardance Trail on Crane Mountain Join Pat Jaquith to hike up to 6 miles on Trail #373 over varied terrain with a great assortment of colorful wildflowers. There are some steep sections, but we’ll be rewarded with great views of Flathead Lake. Bring water, lunch, and be […]
Saturday, May 16 Paradise Valley - Hiking the Hogback Climb the ridge trail atop this prominent geological feature on private land. The south face of this steep, knife-edged ridge hosts rocky, xeric plant communities, while the north side supports coniferous forest and associated understory plants. To sign up, contact leader Gretchen Rupp at beesgrmt@gmail.com or […]
Saturday, May 16 Libby - Old Highway 2 Trail This low-elevation trail meanders through a mixed forested basin with minimal elevation gain, perfect for a relaxed outing. Along the way, we’ll explore the diversity of native and non-native plants, with a special focus on identifying spring wildflowers in bloom. The easy 2-to-3-mile trail offers beautiful […]
Saturday, May 16, 9:30 am in the Swan Valley Lion Crk trail near Condon Take an easy hike up the Lion Creek Trail to view spring wildflowers with plant ecologist Maria Mantas. We'll visit open forests, shrubfields, and bedrock plant communities. Call Maria at 406-407-2045 for more information, to reserve a spot, and inquire about […]
Tuesday, May 19, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Columbia Falls - Cedar Flats Trails Learn about forest plants and hunt for wildflowers on in our backyard, just north of town. The terrain is gentle, and our journey will be less than two miles. Limit 12 people. Contact Rachel Potter at jrepotter@gmail.com to reserve a spot, […]
Saturday, May 23 Noxon - Berray Mountain This walk goes through a number of plant communities as you gain elevation. Last year, more than 35 species were recorded in bloom! Total distance of hike will depend on snow and the group's energy. Moderate, 4 miles total, elevation gain about 1,800 feet. Contact Eric Dickinson at […]
Monday, May 25, 6 pm to 8:30 pm Columbia Falls - Columbia Mountain Trail Join Ellen Horowitz for a 2½-hour evening wildflower walk. We’ll travel through a variety of habitat types, from moist forests to dry, open slopes. Expect an easy pace with lots of stops to view big, bold blossoms like balsamroot, and less […]
Saturday, May 30 Trout Creek - White Pine Creek. Moderate walking for less than a half-mile -- there's no trail to follow and it’s a bit brushy. But once we arrive, we'll find some rather uncommon orchids. Based on where people are traveling from, we may carpool from Libby or just meet up in Trout […]
Saturday, May 30, 9:30 am Polson - Loon Lake Ranch Join us while we explore intact intermountain grasslands on the largest conservation easement in northwest Montana. Loon Lake Ranch is more than 15,000 acres recently conserved by the Montana Land Reliance. Led by Mark Schiltz of the Reliance and plant ecologist Maria Mantas. Call Maria […]
Sunday, May 31, 9 am to noon Columbia Falls - Bumble Bee Atlas Training To kick off Bumble Bee Atlas field season, join Michelle Toshack of the Montana Bumblebee Atlas, and Tabitha Graves of USGS, for the Columbia Falls field day only about 10 minutes outside of town. We will practice catching, photographing, and releasing […]
