Montana's native plants and their communities
North Cottonwood (Belgrade) Saturday, May 30 – 9 am Explore the rich prairie flora atop this alluvial fan, then climb into the forested foothills on the west side of the Bridger Mountains. This will be a slow-paced walk on trail that may cover 3 miles total. Please bring a lunch. Meet at the trailhead on […]
Loon Lake Ranch - Polson Saturday, May 30, 9:30 am - FULL 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 […]
Bumble Bee Atlas Training - Columbia Falls Sunday, May 31, 9 am to noon 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 […]
Bird’s Eye View Trail - Dillon 10 am on Sunday, May 31 - Bannack State Park This is a moderately strenuous 2.3-mile-hike on a loop trail with about 500 feet of elevation gain. The leisurely, plant-focused hike, including a lunch stop, promises wide views over the sagebrush/ grassland steppe. An extensive native flora should be […]
Bitterroots at Gopher Hill - Libby Saturday, June 6 We'll walk on a road and through a number of rocky openings on the way to viewing Montana's state flower. These shallow soils areas always hold a variety of spring flowers, with excellent views of Lake Koocanusa as well. Moderate, 4 miles. Contact Jon Reny at […]
Exploring the Prairie - Melville Saturday, June 6 – 8 am to 5 pm Join Jeff Copeland and Matt Lavin in exploring the native plants on state lands in northern Sweet Grass County. During an easy meander of 1-to-2 miles, we should see many plant species of the northern grasslands and sagebrush steppe. Jeff and […]
Rare Flowers and a Grand View - Piquett Divide trailhead Saturday, June 6 - 8 am to 6 pm Join Deborah Goslin, who surveyed this location in 2018, and Laura Johnston, USFS Botanist, on this adventure in Citizen Science. We will carpool from the Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor's Office (1801 N First in Hamilton) to […]
Tobacco Valley - Black Lake Saturday, June 6, 9:30 am A saunter through the Tobacco Plains to look for bitterroot, milkweed and other grassland species. Meet at the Historical Village in Eureka. Call Joe Rizzi at 406-334-9583 for more information and to reserve a spot.
House of Sky Trail - Missoula Tuesday, June 9 – 11 am Join Annie Garde for a morning hike on the House of Sky trail above Pattee Canyon. We hope to see abundant wildflowers and breathtaking views of the Bitterroot Range and Miller Creek Valley. Plan to meet at the top of Pattee Canyon, on […]
Flora of Lost Creek: Lost but not found Wednesday, June 10 – 6 pm Join Krystal Weilage for an early evening hike from Lost Creek State Park. A leisurely hike uphill following Lost Creek through forest and meadow environments, looking especially for any uncommon species in the Anaconda-Pintler area. For more information and to register […]
Foraging Montana - Pony Saturday, June 13 & Sunday, June 14 Walk with expert Thomas Elpel through meadows and woodlands, learning to identify edible and medicinal plants and the techniques and essential guidelines for ethical foraging. Harvest wild greens and prepare communal dinners with Tom, author of Foraging the Mountain West and Botany in a […]
Pulpit Ridge trail #709 - Troy Saturday, June 13 – 8:30 am to 5 pm Moderate hike, up to 6 miles round trip, depending on the flora and group’s interests. Trail 709 starts on Road 331 (Rabbit O’Brien) and follows the ridge toward Pulpit Mountain. We’ll see spring flowers, grassy meadows, shaded forest, open soil […]
