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In high summer of a normal year I might recommend the Frank Church/River of No Return Wilderness complex in Idaho. At 2.2 million acres, this is the largest wilderness in the lower 48 states, and you would stand a reasonable chance of finding a spot secluded enough to avoid other people. It's rugged, far-flung country, with bare, toothy ridges and peaks of granite, extensive forests, subalpine meadows and small, scattered lakes. The problem this summer is wildfires. As I write this (August, 2000), the Bitterroot National Forest to the east is burning, as are national forest lands around the Salmon-Challis area of Idaho. These are big, dangerous fires, and you don't want to be in the neighborhood —the smoke is terrible, at the least, and traveling alone in a tinder-dry wilderness isn't a good idea.

No wildfires have appeared yet in Montana's beautiful Lee Metcalf Wilderness, located just southwest of Bozeman and in close proximity to Yellowstone National Park. The Metcalf is a haven for grizzly bears —you said you wanted animals —as well as elk, mule deer, mountain goats, eagles, marmots, essentially the full complement of Nothern Rocky Mountain fauna. The problem here could be finding solitude: this is among the most-visited wilderness areas in the state, and I'd be lying if I gauranteed you wouldn't see other hikers or campers. Still, it's worth considering.

The Lee Metcalf is an utterly appealing blend of high crags, expansive mountain meadows, lots of streams and tremendous vistas. In another few weeks the bull elk will commence their yearly courtship rituals, which involve getting half-crazy on testosterone and issuing a high, whistling call, known as “bugling,” to attract a harem of cows. The sound will raise the hairs on your neck. It's magnificent.

For a totally different experience in a sparsely-visited region, you might consider southeastern Oregon — I'm thinking in particular of the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge. This is a high desert landscape of sagebrush grasslands and deep, rugged canyons; Hart Mountain itself is a splendid thing, a massive block rising almost 4,000 feet above Warner Valley. You can find some 260 species of birds here, soak in hot springs near a developed campground, and watch bighorn sheep.

	Know any places to play hermit? Click here join the discussion on where to really get away from your fellow species.

If I could choose one place to visit for wilderness values and wildlife at this time of year, it would probably be Alaska, and the place would be Kodiak Island. August and early September are prime months to visit this rain-soaked, emerald green paradise, which, with the exception of its small native towns, has changed very little in the past 200 years. The wildlife experience mixes oceanic (whales, seals, seabirds, otters) with terrestrial (Kodiak bears, sitka deer). The largest nesting population of bald eagles in the US is here. The frigid streams and rivers are alive with all the major species of Pacific salmon. The forests are deep, dark, and lush, with a good many tracts of old-growth spruce and fir. Your chances for solitude are outstanding, especially in areas of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, with more than 600,000 acres of the wildest wild country left in the world.

Have fun, Robert, and I won't be looking for a postcard.

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