Peter's Question:

John: I am from Canada and will be travelling to Montana for the summer. Can you please advise me of some intresting locations to visit?

— Peter

John's Answer:

Peter,

No one should leave Montana without having visited one (or both) of the state's national parks, Glacier and Yellowstone. Though both places can be busy or downright crowded in summer, it is still possible to find a stretch of river, a rolling mountain meadow of wildflowers--a place without people or disturbance--where the beauty and power of these remarkable landscapes holds sway.

	Sam Fried Sam FriedSam Fried has seen and photographed almost all North American birds. Meet Sam Previous Answers

The Many Glacier area of Glacier NP is a wonderful area for wildlife, hiking, and a sampling of the park's spectacular alpine scenery. Seasonal boat tours on Swifcurrent Lake offer chances to see bald eagles and waterfowl; the boat ride is also a great way to shorten several hikes into the untrammelled backcountry, where grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, marmots, and other alpine mammals are regularly encountered. Be sure to brush up on the basics of safe hiking in bear country before you strike out on the Iceberg Lake or Cracker Lake trails, two of many trails in the Many Glacier area.

For a visit to Yellowstone, you'll face hordes of visitors during midsummer in and around the popular Old Faithful and Geyser Basin areas, but other spots offer some relief, especially if you're willing to hike. The Lamar Valley and Antelope Creek are two of my favorite areas. Be sure to take binoculars, and check with park staff at the Lamar Valley Ranger Station for recent sightings of wolves in the immediate area, as this is one of the best areas to catch a glimpse of these magnificent animals. Herds of elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and occasionally bison frequent the Lamar Valley early and late in the day.