Spring has finally arrived in western Montana, bringing a bouquet of wildflowers and a bevy of wildlife to the Red Sleep Mountain Drive at the National Bison Range near Moiese.
What all did we see along the 19-mile scenic loop through the refuge?
These flowers:
- Arrowleaf balsamroot
- Wild hyacinth
- Prairie smoke
- Prairie stars
- Larkspur
- Jacob's Ladder
- Yellow paintbrush
- Lupine
These animals:
- Bison, of course
- Baby bison, of course
- A black bear
- Pronghorn antelope
- Deer
- Bluebirds
- Meadowlarks
- A pheasant
- Red-winged blackbirds
- Painted turtles
And more. Now is a great time to make the drive!
More photos from the National Bison Range are here.
Distance: 19-mile loop drive. Near the top of the mountain, there are two short trails: the half-mile round-trip Bitterroot Trail and the 1-mile round-trip High Point Trail. There is also a mile-long nature trail near the range's picnic area.
Directions: From Missoula, drive 35 miles north on U.S. Highway 93 to Ravalli, then turn west on Highway 200. After about 6 miles, turn north on Highway 212 and drive about 4.5 miles to the entrance at Moiese.
