Highline Trail - Glacier National Park - Montana

This picture of Adam hiking the Highline Trail shows what this trail has to offer.  This was easily the most spectacularly scenic trail I've ever hiked.

The vistas are spectacular but there were also many wildlife viewing opportunities.  This mountain goat blocked our way for about 15 minutes until he moved far enough off the trail to let us pass.  We were also able to spot a big horned sheep a little further off the trail.

Another vista.

At different points along the Highline, the Golden Mantled Squirrels were nearly tame.  Adam is posing with one sitting just to the right of his left elbow.  Several times we walked within inches of them, stopping to watch them closely as they went about their business as if we weren't even there.

There is a spur trail along the Highline that takes you to the Grinnell Glacier overlook (elevation -  7,510').  The spur to the overlook is only nine tenths of a mile but you gain 900' in elevation on the spur.  It is VERY strenuous. We were glad we didn't pass it by.  Pictured above is Adam at the top of the overlook with Grinnell glacier to the left and Grinnell lake below.  It was super windy at the top.  We hid from the wind behind a rock outcropping and ate the snacks we packed while soaking up the sun.

Just before we reached the Granite Park Chalet (the end of the Highline) we watched this deer cross the meadow at 7000'.  The Highline really does have it all.  All sorts of animals, wildflowers everywhere, and absolutely incredible vistas.

After reaching the Granite Park Chalet (above), we took the loop trail for four miles back down to Going to the Sun Road and caught the shuttle back to Logan's Pass to meet Kim and Syd.

Miles Hiked........:  13.6

Elevation Gained...:  2,850' (including Grinnel Overlook)

Lamar Valley Trail - Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming

Foot Bridge at the start of the Lamar Valley Trail.

The kids with American bison in the background.

The most amazing thing about the Lamar Valley Trail is that there are often bison along the trail with no fence separating you from the animals.  The park service recommends staying at least 25 yards away from bison (which is really close).  Just after we took this picture, the herd behind the kids started walking toward us and we had to backtrack awhile until they veered off.  After the hike we talked to a ranger with a scope that told us there were wolves at the base of the mountain which cause the bison to move abruptly toward us. 

At certain times of the year the wildflowers in the Lamar Valley can be spectacular.  Purple seemed to be the color while we were there.

The kids standing in front of a patch of bare ground where a Bison had just wallowed.

A Pronghorn Antelope we saw on the way back out.

Buffalo Gap National Grasslands, SD - Tent Camping

Buffalo Gap National Grassland was an idyllic spot for car camping.  We were able to set up our tents right next to the van after driving out into the grasslands on a dirt road.  Most of what you see beyond the tents is actually The Badlands National Park which borders Buffalo Gap.

A picture showing the dirt "road" that led out into the grasslands to where we camped.

That's our van and tents to the left looking out from Buffalo Gap over the Badlands.

We pulled a couple seats out of the mini-van to use as lawn chairs for the evening.

Incredibly, a bighorn sheep appeared at dawn on the ridge to our left.  

He followed along the ridge until he was about 20 yards from our tent.  At 20 yards he went just below the crest of the ridge and walked right in front of our tents just below where our mini-van chairs were set up.  You can see the top of the sheep's horns in the second picture as he peeks up at us sitting in our van chairs taking pictures.

Pine River, MI - Briar Patch to Low Bridge

One of the four brown trout we caught this trip.  Fishing was tricky.  The Pine is a swift flowing river and it was very difficult to fish from the boat.  We couldn't stop too much because we had to make it to Low Bridge on the third day to pick up our car.

This was our first canoe camping trip away from home.  One of the canoe liveries on the Pine River was willing to transport us and our gear up river to Briar Patch and drop us off.  They also stationed our car at Low Bridge three days later when we were scheduled to arrive there.  The Pine is a beautiful, clear, swift flowing river.  Much of it flows through the Huron Manistee national forest and is lined at times by eastern hemlock and white cedar.  The river has very few fish other than trout.  We caught four browns on this trip but the river also holds smaller populations of Brookies and Rainbows.  The hi-light of this trip was a bald eagle that flew up river right over our canoe as we rounded a bend in the middle of Huron-Manistee National Forest.  A permit from recreation.gov is required to canoe or kayak the Pine through the national forest.  The entire river corridor through the National Forest is protected and dispersed camping is only allowed if you are at least a quarter mile off the river.

Our starting point at 9:00am at Briar Patch.   Canoes and Kayaks aren't allowed on the river before 9:00am.  Prior to 9:00am and after 6:00pm is fly fishing from shore only.

Our campsite the first night.

The campsite the second night was on a bluff overlooking the river in Huron Manistee National Forest.  Dispersed camping is allowed in the national forest so long as you camp a minimum of a quarter mile off the river.  The river corridor is protected and patrolled.

There are small sandy beaches all along the pine.  These served as pull off spots where we could fish without having to steer the canoe.  This spot was just downriver from Peterson Bridge.

Refilling our water supply.  We boiled water on the first night but were able to find enough potable water along the way for the rest of the time.

Put-in.........: Briar Patch

Take-out.......: Low Bridge

Miles..........: 40.4
Miles to Date..: 199.3
Map Used.......: 
Fish...........: Brown Trout.