Category Archives: Swan Range

Northwestern Montana runs for wildflowers

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Several upcoming trail runs and a road race offer opportunities to enjoy the late spring and early summer wildflower bloom in northwestern Montana.

Some of these I have run before, while others I plan to do this year.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of all races in western Montana this summer – it is based on date and location with relation to the likelihood of seeing wildflowers, and has events suitable for all abilities.

You don’t have to slow down, but do look around!

  • The Evaro Mountain Challenge is this Saturday, May 19. Longtime rancher and runner Bob Hayes organizes this event in Evaro, with 5K and 10K runs, 5K and 10K race walks, and a 5K fun run. Registration is by mail or from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. on the day of the race. The 10K race walk begins at 9:30 a.m., while all other distances start at 10.
  • The 11 Miles to Paradise race is this Sunday, May 20. The course for this race is on single-track trail through the Lolo National Forest and along the Clark Fork River near Paradise. Registration is online through May 18, then from 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. the day of the race. Race start is 9 a.m. Runners are shuttled to and from the course from Quinn’s Hot Springs, where lunch and a soak are available afterward. See you there!
  • The Ninemile Family Fun Run on Saturday, June 2, is actually two events – a 1K and a 2K – on the Discovery Nature Trail at the Grand Menard Picnic Area near the Ninemile Ranger Station. Registration is the day of the runs and both are free! Start time is 9 a.m.
  • The Pengelly Double Dip and Single Dip are Saturday, June 9, in Missoula. The Double Dip, a half marathon with 2,700 feet of vertical gain on Mount Sentinel and University Mountain, starts at 9 a.m. The Single Dip, a 10K across the Sentinel fire road, begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration is available online and packet pickup begins at 7 a.m. at the River Bowl East. I ran this race two years ago – and might again this year – and the arrowleaf balsamroot in bloom near the top of the mountain was gorgeous.
  • The Herron Half Marathon and 10K are also June 9, at Herron Park in Kalispell. Register online through June 6 or mail a paper registration by June 1; last-minute registration will also be available on race day. Packet pickup begins at 7:30 a.m. with the races getting under way at 10 a.m. The course covers nearly all of the trails in the park.
  • The Ten Spoon 10K is Wednesday, June 20, on roads and trails in Missoula’s Rattlesnake Valley. The evening 10K race and kids fun run coincide with the summer solstice. Register online. The fun run begins at 6 p.m. and 10K at 6:30 p.m. at Ten Spoon Vineyard and Winery. It includes a glass of wine, snacks, ice cream for the kids and music afterward. Sounds like an enjoyable time, and if I can get away from work I plan to be there.
  • The Celebrate the Swan Race is scheduled for Saturday, June 23, in Condon. There’s a half marathon, 10K, 5K and one-mile fun run on roads in the Flathead National Forest. Registration is available by mail through June 15 or on race day by 8 a.m. The half marathon begins at 9 a.m., with other races at 10 a.m. Judging by the race artwork, you might need to outrun a bear.
  • Also June 23, the Waterton Glacier Relay is a 100-mile team race on roads from Cardston, Alberta, to East Glacier. Late registration is online through June 3. Team check-in is 6 to 10 p.m. June 22 or 3:30 to 5:15 a.m. on race day, with runners getting an early start at 4 a.m. The course never actually enters Waterton Lakes or Glacier national parks, but should be scenic nonetheless. Valid passport required.
  • Technically in Idaho, the Mountain to Meadow Half Marathon and 5K Fun Run are Saturday, June 30, at Lolo Pass. The courses are on forest roads through the Bitterroot Mountains, and the race is usually around the time of the vibrant blue camas bloom in Packer Meadows. I ran it a few years back when beargrass was also blooming well, and plan to be there this year, too. Registration is online through June 27. The race starts at 7:30 a.m. Pacific – that’s 8:30 a.m. Mountain.

Wildflower events bloom late for May

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I’m late with my roundup of wildflower-related events this month, but there’s still plenty going on:

On Saturday, May 12, Lone Pine State Park in Kalispell will hold events in honor of National Wildflower Week, May 7-13. A hike for the whole family will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by a wildflower craft, and an adult hike will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Call (406) 755-2706.

The Montana Native Plant Society has several events this month:

The Clark Fork Chapter will hold a Dyer’s Woad Pull at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, on Mount Sentinel. The two-hour pull will help control the noxious weeds and restore native grasses. Meet at the Mount Sentinel trailhead at bring rain gear, just in case. Call 544-7189. A second weed pull is planned for Tuesday, May 29, at the same time and location.

Also, a wildflower walk is planned for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, in the Rattlesnake Recreation Area’s Spring Gulch. Annie Garde and Madeline Mazurski will lead the easy hike, which leaves from the main Rattlesnake trailhead. Call 258-5439.

The annual Montana Native Plant Society Plant Sale will take place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 26, at the Missoula Farmers Market, at the north end of Higgins Avenue. More than 50 species of native plants will be available.

On Tuesdays in May, The Native Plant Society’s Flathead Chapter will hold wildflower walks along Bigfork’s “Wild Mile” corridor. Anne Morley and Neal Brown will lead the two-mile outings along the Old Swan River Road from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet in front of Showthyme. Contact Morley, (406) 886-2242, or Brown, (406) 837-5018.

The Flathead Chapter will give a presentation titled “Beautify Your Yard With Native Plants: Tips, Tricks and Inexpensive Ways to Add Native Plants to Your Landscape” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 16. Laura Law will discuss how she transformed her Columbia Falls yard from lawn to a series of small gardens incorporating native plants. There will be a slideshow and tour of Law’s garden.

On Thursday, May 31, Morley will also lead a two-mile guided naturalist hike on the Sprunger-Whitney Nature Trail starting at 10 a.m. Meet at the trailhead. Drive about seven miles south of the Swan Lake Trading Post in Swan Lake on Montana Highway 83, turning west at the Point Pleasant and Sprunger-Whitney signs one-half mile south of mile marker 64. Follow the signs to the trailhead. Call (406) 886-2242.

The Montana Chapter of the Sierra Club will lead a couple of hikes in May:

A women-only outing is planned for Saturday, May 19, on the trails that loop around Lake Como, south of Hamilton. The hike is 7 1/2 miles with minimal elevation gain and a stop for lunch at the falls. Email Janet Fiero at janetfiero77@gmail.com to sign up.

A loop hike on the Stuart Peak Trail and Wallman Trail in the Rattlesnake Recreation Area will take place Wednesday, May 23. It’s eight miles with 500 feet of elevation gain. Email Mary Owens at mowens320@gmail.com to sign up.

The Montana Natural History Center is offering a “Native Wildflower ID Crash Course” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24, at the Fort Missoula Native Plant Gardens. There is a $5 suggested donation; MNHC members are free.

And the Swan Ecosystem Center will lead a walk to Holland Falls, above Holland Lake, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. It’s part of the Loon and Fish Festival in the Seeley Lake area.

Wildflower events for Mom and more in May

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I’m a little late for a couple of early May wildflower events, but here’s what’s going on the rest of the month:

The Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society has a Mother’s Day outing to see trilliums on Sunday, May 8. Tarn Ream will discuss her 10-year study of Trillium ovatum on an easy trip into the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area that will be co-led by botanist Peter Stickney. Meet at 2 p.m. at the main Rattlesnake trailhead. Call 258-5439 for information.

On Saturday, May 21, the Montana Native Plant Society will hold its annual sale at the Missoula Farmers Market. More than 70 species of Montana native plants will be for sale from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the market at the north end of Higgins Avenue.

Also May 21, the Montana Natural History Center will discuss “Flower Power” for its Saturday Kids’ Activity. The program will look at flowers’ ability to attract pollinators from miles away. It’s at 2 p.m. at 120 Hickory St. Admission is $1 per child for MNHC members and $3 for nonmembers. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and the program is suited for ages 5 and older.

On Sunday, May 29, Alpine Artisans and the Swan Ecosystem Center will lead a hike to Holland Falls to view early blooming flowers. Check with the Swan Ecosystem Center for additional information.

Flower sale and field trips

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A few wildflower-themed events are coming up later this month.

On Saturday, the Clark Fork Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society will hold its first plant sale of the season at the Missoula Farmers Market. More than 50 species of plants native to the state will be on sale. The sale is from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the market off the north end of Higgins Avenue.

On Monday evening, the Native Plant Society will head up to Pattee Canyon to view blue camas and arrowleaf balsamroot. Meet in the northwest corner of the Adams Center parking lot at the University of Montana at 6:10 p.m. to carpool, or in the Pattee Canyon parking lot at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 258-5439. (Here is some information on last year’s camas bloom in Pattee.)

As part of the Alpine Artisans’ annual Loon and Fish Festival, the Swan Ecosystem Center will take a wildflower hike to Holland Falls on Sunday, May 30. Meet at the Holland Lake trailhead at 11 a.m. The hike, led by Swan Ecosystem Center education coordinator Diann Ericson, will last about two hours. Participants are encouraged to bring a day pack with water, sunscreen, insect repellent, jacket, hat and snack. For more information, call (406) 754-3137.

Justin Grigg

Walk for July 23

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Mountain pasqueflower

Pulsatilla occidentalis

Description: Five to eight white or cream-colored sepals and many yellow stamens form flower is 1 1/4 to 2 inches wide. Stands on hairy stem 8 to 24 inches tall with finely divided leaves 1 1/2 to 3 inches wide at base and below flower. Blooms May to September. Grows on mountain slopes and in meadows. (“National Audubon Society Field Guide to Wildflowers – Western Region,” by Richard Spellenberg.)

Recently seen: Black Lake trail in the Jewel Basin, east of Bigfork, and Logan Pass at Glacier National Park.

The walk: The main trailhead for the Jewel Basin, Camp Misery, is accessed via Echo Lake Road, 73 miles north of Seeley Lake on Montana Highway 83. Turn north on Echo Lake Road and follow it for just more than two miles. Turn northeast on Foothill Road, where there is a sign for the Jewel Basin. After about one mile, veer east on Jewel Basin Road and continue uphill about 6 1/2 miles to the parking area. The route to Black Lake begins by crossing a small creek on the north side of the U.S. Forest Service cabin. Follow Trail 8 up through brushy terrain up to a junction at about half a mile. Take Trail 68 to the southeast for another half-mile up through the forest to another junction at a small meadow. Follow the trail northeast about three-quarters of a mile as it switchbacks up through the forest and rocks to a notch and another split. Take Trail 392 down almost half a mile through the trees and meadows to Picnic Lakes. Look for mountain pasqueflower in the alpine meadows beyond the notch, where snow has recently melted. Continue on the trail between the Picnic Lakes, curving north past another junction. Almost three-quarters of a mile past Picnic Lakes, the trail reaches another junction; follow Trail 1 downhill about a half a mile to just above the north end of the lake. A path leads a short distance down to the shore. Eat lunch here – but beware bees – then retrace your path to the trailhead. (Jewel Basin trail map.)

Justin Grigg

Meadow gold

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If you missed out on the glacier lily bloom around Missoula in mid-May, now is the perfect time to catch it up higher.

These small, yellow canopies can be found carpeting mountain meadows in the Swan Range’s Jewel Basin and in Glacier National Park.

The picture above was taken near Picnic Lakes in the Jewel Basin, which is along this week’s featured hike.

The Jewel is located off Highway 83 west of Bigfork. Turn north on Echo Lake Road and follow it for a little more than two miles. Turn northeast on Foothill Road, where there is a sign for the Jewel Basin. After about one mile, veer east on Jewel Basin Road and continue uphill about 6 1/2 miles to the parking area (this last part of the drive can be like a roller coaster ride).

From the trailhead at Camp Misery, hike any of the trails up and over the Swan crest. Look for glacier lilies around lingering snowfields. Here is a map of the Jewel Basin trails.

(On the way up the Swans, you’re also likely to see beargrass still in abundance.)

In Glacier, one of the easiest place to find these flowers is at Logan Pass, 34 miles northeast of West Glacier on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Again, look for the lingering snow and you’ll likely find glacier lilies.

Justin Grigg

Walk for June 9

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Beargrass

Xerophyllum tenax

Description: A cluster of small cream- to white-colored flowers on a stem 2 to 3 feet tall. Grows from a large tuft of sharp-edged grasslike leaves at the base. Grows in open woods and slopes, and alpine meadows. Blooms June to September. (“Peterson Field Guides’ Rocky Mountain Wildflowers,” by John J. Craighead, Frank C. Craighead Jr. and Ray J. Davis.)

Recently seen: Morrell Falls trail, with reports from Ch-paa-qn, the Blodgett Canyon Overlook, along upper Jocko Road, Lindbergh Lake, near Essex and near Rogers Pass.

The walk: To reach the trailhead for Morrell Falls, drive one-half mile north of Seeley Lake on Highway 83 and turn east on Morrell Creek Road. Follow it about one mile, then turn north on West Morrell Road. After about 5 1/2 miles, turn east again at a junction and follow the road three-quarters of a mile to the parking area, curving to the north. Follow the trail west and then northwest through the forest, looking for beargrass mixed in among the trees. The path is fairly level for the first mile, then climbs slightly and drops back down at two miles to a pond and Morrell Lake. At the trail junction at the lake, take the left fork and follow it across a bridge over Morrell Creek and to the falls at about 2 1/2 miles. There are several logs to sit on, or hike up a steep trail just before the falls to viewpoints and a second waterfall above, then return to the trailhead.

Justin Grigg

Loons, fish and flowers

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The 17th annual Loon and Fish Festival, based out of Seeley Lake, includes a wildflower walk to Holland Falls on Sunday.

Small groups of hikers will walk about 1 1/2 miles to an overlook at the falls. The walk is expected to take 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Meet at the Holland Lake Trailhead at 11 a.m. Drive about 20 miles north of Seeley Lake on Montana Highway 83, then turn east on Holland Lake Road and follow it about 4 miles to the parking area.

For more information, call the Swan Ecosystem Center at (406) 754-3137.

Justin Grigg

Swan Walkabout

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The Swan Ecosystem Center is planning a Wildflower Walkabout this Sunday, May 25, as part of the Alpine Artisans’ Loon and Fish Festival.

Native plant enthusiasts are invited to join local experts for a hike to Holland Falls beginning at the Holland Lake Trailhead. Two hikes have been scheduled – one at 11 a.m. another at 1 p.m. Each will be accompanied by local naturalists and take about two hours.

Bring a daypack with water, sunscreen, insect repellent, light jacket, cap and a snack. Plant identification books will be available if you don’t have one.

For more information, call the Swan Ecosystem Center at (406) 754-3137.

Missoulian