| It’s true. We just couldn’t resist the temptation, the first few
days of March, 2006, to jump in the car and get out there, even if
we did feel a little silly walking a trail that had fresh spring
snow on it. What an outstanding trail the new one will be along the
Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge. Starting at the Refuge Visitors’
Center on the west side of the Bitterroot River, the trail leads off
to the north. It follows along the bench right above more
ponds and marshlands than we’ve ever been able to get close to in
our many, many walks around and through that marvelous centerpiece
wildlife area of the Bitterroot Valley of Montana. Along this
new trail, they have even put in a photography blind right down in
the marsh, in the middle of prime viewing for ducks, geese,
blackbirds, cranes, osprey and the multitude of other feathered
friends that fill that area with song and noise. Being too
early in the season, of course, the vast majority of birds that we
usually see in the area did not witness our escape to the Montana
wilds. We regularly hit the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge year-round and especially during the winter. The setting is almost unbelievable, walking the river bottom area which is often drier, while savoring the views of the backdrop that is the stunning snow-capped Bitterroot Range. Check out the surreal image of this spectacular area on the Montana Recreation Connectionfront page – looking across the Bitterroot River at Little St. Joseph Peak at the address: www.montanaadventure.com. Now that I think of it, more summer photos of the same range can be found in the Montana Recreation Connection Gallery at www.montanaadventure.com/gallery/gallery1.htm. This latest walk along the new trail was just a taste to whet our appetites for the upcoming travels and trails to be explored throughout Montana and the western US on an ongoing basis for the next several months. In fact, as I looked anew at those pictures in the Gallery I had to keep from going totally stir crazy with the urge to hit those wonderful trails (which at the moment are buried under snow and ice). |
| Of course, many of our friends and family are not satisfied with
walking in the snow along a Bitterroot Valley trail, and have hit
the road for a Spring Break getaway to the southern end of the Rocky
Mountains, heading down to the warmer climes of Colorado, Utah,
Arizona and New Mexico. Our winter’s mission is coming to
fruition as they’ve applied the tools we’ve developed in the latest
round of Montana Wilderness Tour construction. The additional sites
include lodging information and reservation tools and answer the
musical question – Where Do You Want to Go? Along with Pacific
Northwest and Rocky Mountain states’ trail information, they
highlight recreation features such as the Grand Canyon and Mesa
Verde and provide wilderness area and Forest Service information
It’s all set up for a spring break getaway to the southwest and
Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. No question
about it, our friends and family do have widely varying tastes in
their recreational pursuits So, as wanderlust wells within us, spring bursts upon us full bloom and gives way to the richness of a Rocky Mountain summer, as the miles of road time throughout the Rocky Mountain states and Pacific Northwest pile on for all of us as well. Wherever you happen to be headed, you really should take a quiet break from it all and savor the awesome Bitterroot Valley and the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge of Montana. Keep in mind that “Wherever you want to go” in the western United States and Pacific Northwest we’ve got a place for you to stay. |
