I’m a little late this month, but here are a handful of ways to celebrate the explosion of colorful wildflowers on western Montana’s hillsides in July:

On Friday, July 15, through Sunday, July 17, the Montana chapter of the Sierra Club is leading a backpacking trip through the high country of the proposed Great Burn Wilderness, 30 miles west of Missoula. The trip will explore the jagged peaks and subalpine meadows along the Bitterroot Divide in this 275,000-acre roadless area, beginning and ending at the Schley Mountain trailhead. It’s a 15-mile round-trip, two-night backpack. Email trip leader Bob Clark at bob.clark@sierraclub.org for more information and to check availability.

On Saturday, July 16, the Sierra Club chapter leads a dayhike through a scenic canyon to Peterson Lake in the Bitterroot Mountains. The hike is 11 miles round trip. Email Mary Owens at mowens320@gmail.com for more information and to check availability. http://montana.sierraclub.org/outings.html

The Glacier Institute will hold a “Photography in Glacier Country” course Wednesday, July 20, through Saturday, July 23. The course is taught by Tom Ulrich and will cover everything from panoramic vistas, to wildlife, to close-ups of wildflowers. It costs $490 with lodging or $400 without, and is limited to 13 students age 18 and older.

On Sunday, July 31, the Glacier Institute will hold a “Wildflower Wanderings at Logan Pass” course. Explore alpine meadows, stream banks and glaciated rockscapes with Janet Paul Bones. The course costs $65 and limited to 13 students age 18 and older.