With spring ending and summer starting in June, it’s the perfect time to view wildflowers – and there are plenty of events planned from the Bitterroot Valley north to Glacier National Park and the Tobacco Valley.
Here they are, by date:
This Saturday, June 2, the Flathead chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will take a two- to three- mile hike to view flowers on the mossy Johnson Mountain terraces. Meet at 9:30 a.m. at the rest area at the soccer fields next to Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish. Bring lunch. Call (406) 892-0129 for information and to sign up.
The Clark Fork chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will hold a weed pull at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, in John Toole Park, along the Clark Fork River off of South Fourth Street East. Bring weeding tools. Call 542-2640 for more information.
Also on Tuesday, June 5, the Flathead MNPS chapter will be hiking at Columbia Mountain. Glacier Park biologist Tara Carolin will lead the two- to three-mile hike to view late spring flowers. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Columbia Mountain trailhead. Bring dinner. Call 888-7863 or email writetaraywc@yahoo.com for more information.
The Glacier National Park Fund’s Friday Hiking Club begins on June 8. The Glacier Fund isn’t leading the group or providing interpretation – the hikes are intended to be a fun, social outing. The June 8 hike is to be determined. The group will go on a 12-mile outing to Huckleberry Lookout on June 12, and a 9.4-mile outing to Scalpock Lookout on June 29. Carpooling may be available from the Glacier Fund office in Columbia Falls. Call (406) 892-3250 or email glacierfund@glacierfund.org to register.
Also on Friday, June 8, the Glacier institute will hold a course titled “Spring Wildflowers along the Rocky Mountain Front” with instructor Ellen Horowitz. After a slideshow, participants will observe wildflowers on the Firebrand Pass Trail in Glacier National Park, hiking about two miles. Bring lunch. Meet at 9 a.m. at the Glacier Park Field Camp Meeting Hall in West Glacier. The group will return at about 4:30 p.m. Cost is $65.
The Clark Fork MNPS chapter will hold its third and final Dyer’s Woad pull at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12. Meet at the “M” trailhead. Call 544-7189 for more information.
The Montana Natural History Center will offer advice on plants to pull and plants to leave at “Which are Weeds? A Native Plant Gardener’s Conundrum” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Gardens. There is a $5 suggested donation for the public; MNHC members are free.
Steve Wirt will lead a course titled “Orchids: Glacier’s Precious Beauties” for the Glacier Institute on Friday, June 15. After a slideshow, participants will take several short hikes along the park’s Camas Road, upper McDonald Creek and/or Inside North Fork Road in search of 10 to 15 orchid species. Bring a lunch. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Glacier Park Field Camp Meeting Hall. The course will end at about 5 p.m. Cost is $65.
MNHC’s Saturday Discovery Day on June 16 will go hiking from 10 a.m. to noon on the Mount Jumbo Saddle Trail. Participants will look for flowers, insects and birds. Nets, binoculars and journaling tools provided. Meet at the trailhead at the top of Lincoln Hills Drive. There is a $5 suggested donation for the public; MNHC members are free.
On Saturday, June 16, MNPS’ Clark Fork chapter will visit the MPG Ranch in Florence to view wildflowers and bunchgrasses, and learn about conservation efforts there. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the southwest corner of the parking lot at Missoula’s Wal-Mart, 4000 U.S. Highway 93 S., or at 9 a.m. behind the IGA grocery store in Florence. Call 273-6140 or 258-5439 for more information.
Also on Saturday, June 16, MNPS’ Flathead chapter will visit Dancing Prairie Preserve, just north of Eureka. The native prairie habitat has been preserved by The Nature Conservancy, and botanist/ecologist Maria Mantas will lead participants on a tour of native grasses and prairie wildflowers. Bring lunch and gloves for weed pulling. Meet in Whitefish at 9:00 a.m.; call (406) 837-0066 or email mmantas@tnc.org for location.
The Montana Native Plant Society will hold its annual meeting Friday, June 29, through Sunday, July 1, at the Lubrecht Experimental Forest near Greenough. Outings, meetings and meals are planned.
On another MNHC Saturday Discovery Day, June 30 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., naturalist and photographer Hobie Hare will lead an outing to Upper Gold Creek, about half an hour from Missoula. Meet at MNHC, 120 Hickory St. Cost is $25 for adults and $15 for children for the public, $20 and $10 for members. Registration is required; call 327-0405.