With spring underway, wildlife and warm-weather outdoor recreation opportunities are returning. Soon, Montana’s snowy hillsides will transform into vibrant colors as wildflowers and prairie grasses begin to bloom.
For bird lovers, every March, thousands of snow geese stage at Freezeout Lake in Central Montana before continuing their journey north to Canada. Avid birders can experience the impressive migration by visiting the lake between late March and early April. Golden eagles also return to Montana in the spring and form an “eagle highway” across Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front, providing another dazzling bird viewing experience across Central Montana.
Wildflower blooms are a popular late spring activity for all types of outdoor lovers. The blooms are tied to elevation, with lower elevation blooms starting in late April and higher elevation areas starting in August.
Popular locations to view wildflowers include:
- Swan Lake Ranger District (Northwest Montana)
- Jewel Basin Hiking Area (Northwest Montana)
- Gravelly Mountain Range (Southwest Montana)
- Lewis and Clark Pass (Southwest Montana)
- Hyalite Canyon (Southwest Montana)
- Mill Creek (Southwest Montana)
- Beartooth Highway (Southwest Montana)
- West Rosebud Area (Southwest Montana)
- Clearwater Canoe Trail (Northwest Montana)
- Upper Missouri River Breaks (Central Montana)
- Indian Flats (Central Montana)
- Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge (Northeast Montana)
- Brush Lake State Park (Northeast Montana)
- Makoshika State Park (Southeast Montana)
- Medicine Rocks State Park (Southeast Montana)
Early season fly-fishing is a great option for anglers looking to fish the year’s first major bug hatches, including the Skwala hatch on the Bitterroot River, salmonfly hatch on Rock Creek and the Big Hole River, along with the blue-winged olive hatch and March brown hatch across many other rivers in Montana.
Anglers using traditional fishing tackle can make plans to visit Fort Peck Lake, which is home to the state-record smallmouth bass and more than 1,520 miles of shoreline. The fishery comes alive in the spring and provides opportunities for anglers to try their luck targeting trophy walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and other species.
For rafting enthusiasts, many of Montana’s rivers rush during spring runoff, which creates world-class whitewater rafting in places like the Clark Fork River near Alberton Gorge, the Yellowstone River near Gardiner, the Gallatin River near Bozeman and the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Flathead River near Columbia Falls. (PRNewswire)
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