Although I haven’t made a “weekly outdoor exploration” blogging series yet, I ought to! Of the 12 weeks I have lived in Montana, I have spent at least one day a week exploring the great outdoors.
This week, a friend and I explored the Bitterroot Valley through a hiking/trail guide. First, we visited Lake Como. The air was warm, unseasonably so, but the water was still a little bit chilly.
After listening to the ducks take off on the lake, we headed back towards Missoula. We then decided to go to a canyon overlook trail in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. As we started up the mountain, the road turned to dirt. The next three miles were an off-road switch back in my Jetta, while we passed real off-roading vehicles. After finally reaching the trailhead, after avoiding rocks, mud and large potholes, we started off on the Blodgett Canyon Overlook trail, 1.5 miles each way. The way up the mountain, we could see the sun setting on the Bitterroot Valley, as it was nearing 3pm.
After walking switchbacks up the mountain, as seemed to be the theme of the day, we turned the corner to a beautiful canyon, referred to by the locals as “the Bitterroot Valley’s Yosemite.” Trail guides point to this trail as a birding location, and often people see mountain goats, moose or deer, but the only animal we came across was a black lab, clearly enjoying the snowy path. Check out the view below!:
So, there you have it. The first installment (but really the 12th) of my weekly outdoor exploration. This weekend, I will take my first trip driving through the Idaho panhandle to Spokane/Cheney Washington, where I will likely visit the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Coeur d’Alene.
Abbey Dufoe 