Apple Pie Picks
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is one of the oldest National Parks in the United States. In 2010 the park will celebrate its 100th birthday. The park is named for its glacier-carved landscape and leftover glaciers from the ice ages. Glacier National Park is more than a million acres of forests, alpine meadows, lakes, mountains and valleys. Although Glacier is home to many animals, it contains the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the United States. Visitors can ride one of Glacier’s antique Red Buses for a two hour narrated tour along the Going-to-the-Sun-Road to Logan Pass. Logan Pass is the highest point of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Here you will find a visitor center and an excellent place to see wildlife. Along the way to Logan Pass you will pass many landmarks, trails, waterfalls, lakes, geological wonders and hiking trails. On the trip back down from Logan Pass, you will drive right up against the wet Weeping Wall. The wall is a natural waterfall that seeps out from the side of the Garden Wall. If you drive too close with the windows down, you are sure to get wet! Don’t forget to become a Junior Ranger before leaving the park!
Flathead Lake State Park
Flathead Lake is the largest freshwater lake West of Mississippi. The lake is 28-miles long and up to 15-miles wide. The lake is more than 300 feet deep. It is one of the cleanest lakes of its size and type in the world. Temperature ranges from 36 to 68 degrees. Flathead Lake is a great spot for a picnic or camping on the shore. If you like the water you can go sailing, boating or fishing on the lake. More than 25 species of fish live in the lake! Bring or rent a fishing pole and try and catch one of the trophy-size trout fish.
Wild Horse Island
The southern half of Flathead Lake is part of the Flathead Indian Reservation. In this part of the lake you will find the 2163-acre wildlife sanctuary Wild Horse Island State Park. Wild Horse Island is one of the largest islands in North America. Many years ago local Native American tribes hid their horses on the island to keep them safe. Wild horses still roam free around the island. Wild Horse Island is also home to deer, bears, bighorn sheep and more than 75 types of birds. Visitors can hike around this island and enjoy a great view of the lake.
The National Bison Range
National Bison Range is an area in Moiese, Montana protected by National Wildlife Refuge System. The 18,500-acre range began as a way to protect the American bison. The range is over 100 years old and home to more than 350 bison. Elk, white-tail and mule deer, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, black bear and coyote are other large animals found on the Range. Over 200 species of birds also call this home including eagles, hawks, meadowlarks, bluebirds, ducks, and geese. All tours of the range are done in your own car. Enjoy the beautiful grasslands and wildlife…but stay in you car!
They taste a little bit like a blueberry. The berries ripen in the summertime in western Montana at high altitudes. It is the favorite food of Grizzly Bears. Bears will travel from far away to eat the berries. Bears eat up to 30,000 berries a day. Huckleberry pickers should always be on the lookout for grizzly bears. Humans love huckleberries too! Huckleberries aren’t only great eaten fresh but also in jams, pancake syrup, muffin mixes, fudge, shakes and taffy. Wherever you go in western Montana be sure and get a taste of this special berry. In August, the town of Whitefish celebrates the berry with an arts festival called Huckleberry Days.
