Wildflower Walks

Yellow columbine

Aquilegia flavescens

Description: Flowers are made up of five cream to yellow petals that are open in the front and taper to yellow spurs and five yellow sepals. They stand atop stems 8 to 30 inches tall with basal leaves that are divided into three thin leaflets each. Found in moist meadows, along streams and on alpine slopes. Blooms July to August (”Wildflowers of Montana,” by Donald Anthony Schiemann.)

Recently seen: Stateline Trail near Superior, Gunsight Lake trail in Glacier National Park.

The walk: The trail to Glacier’s Gunsight Lake leaves from the Jackson Glacier Overlook about five miles east of Logan Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Follow the path downhill to the southeast through the forest, crossing Reynolds Creek just below Deadwood Falls at about 1 1/2 miles. Continue southwest along the trail as it roughly follows the St. Mary River to another creek at the junction for Florence Falls at about four miles. (The falls are three-quarters of a mile up the very brushy spur trail.) Cross the creek and ascend up the side of Fusillade Mountain to Gunsight Lake at about 6 1/4 miles. Look for yellow columbine along the last two miles of trail as the terrain break out of the shady forest, also revealing views of Mount Jackson, Mount Logan and Jackson and Blackfoot glaciers. From Gunsight Lake, retrace your route back to the Sun Road, continue the 20-mile through hike over Gunsight and Lincoln passes to Lake McDonald Lodge, or stay the night if you’ve obtained a backcountry camping permit.

Justin Grigg