It has been quite a while since we hiked together, so it’s time to head out for a three-mile hike in Garden of the Gods. Arriving at 6:15am, we have golden light, trails you have never seen, and huge rocks, particularly red rocks, everywhere. Now I know what so many country songs mean when they talk of “red-dirt”! We’ll be brushing it off our shoes and if our shoes “breath”, we’ll be washing it out of our socks. Ready to head out? The Bretag Trail awaits!
Hi all, have missed you! Hope you are well, taking precautions, and figuring out life again. While staying closer to home longer than I’m used to, been hiking locally and seeing many new birds in the parks and open spaces. Some staying for the summer, some just passing through, some year-round residents. Come along to see the beauty of these Gems of the Sky!
We only have one day to explore Ninepipes National Wildlife Refuge. The weather is not too promising, but such is spring in Montana. Over the course of the day we may see sun, then rain, then sun, then clouds. An ever-changing landscape, but the birds are consistent. Waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors alike are nesting and beginning to raise their next generation.
We are 18 miles south of Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 states, with over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. The refuge sits in the Mission Valley with the Mission Mountains east and the Salish Mountains west, but the center of our attention is the 1,672 acre lake in the middle of the refuge surrounded by many smaller ponds.
Entrance to Ninepipes is right across the road from the Lodge. You can see a bit of light above the grass line which is the lobby/restaurant entrance. Let’s explore a while before breakfast. It is a bit before 6am and the birds are calling as the sky brightens. Let’s see what surprises we find at sunrise!
