If Mother Nature then chooses to fully cooperate, visitors to Glacier National Park may conclude that Montana’s annual autumnal gold rush surpasses even New England’s fabled fall color, given the grandeur of Glacier’s mountains and the stark contrast between color values that characterize fall foliage in the northern Rockies.

I spent time recently on a couple of sections of the CDT, finding out what makes this trail unique and why thru-hikers say this trail is by far one of the hardest to hike out of any of the long-distance trails in the U.S.

Montana's rivers hit all-time highs with heavy rainfall and consistent runoff this spring, pushing rafting season back for casual rafters.

After teetering on obliteration for years due to human pursuit of the almighty dollar, Crow Creek Falls has been returned to its natural splendor, much to the appreciation of future generations.

Check out these jaw-droppingly beautiful day hikes in Glacier National Park!

Imagine the adrenaline rush of dashing across the solid surface in one of these ice boats, the freezing wind cutting through that third layer of down, watching the trees whizz by at lightning speeds

When I first arrived at Malmstrom Air Force Base, there was only one thing on my mind—fly-fishing because Montana is known for having some of the best fly-fishing in the world.

Take crisp, cool mornings and sunny, warm days – mix in a little early snow high in the mountains and add some beautiful fall foliage, elk bugling during their rut in the High Country, and you have a recipe for what many believe are the very finest days of the year to get out and enjoy what Montana has to offer.

Sailors across the Big Sky state hoist their sails on Fort Peck Reservoir in the dusty eastern part of the state to the pristine waters of Flathead Lake in the northwest.  And, although there truly are many lakes in Montana on which to set sail, we focused on two of the largest—Flathead Lake and Canyon Ferry Reservoir. Both are deservedly popular among the sailing community.

The simplest approach to packing consists of 
a pack saddle and a pair of panniers (bags, boxes, or baskets that contain cargo). This French word, often corrupted to “panyard” in the West, has been around since Shakespeare, who used it in one of his plays.

With each mile gained in elevation, the oxygen deprivation distracts your driving as does the granite splendor you behold at every turn. Even in July the snow stays on the ground at this elevation and skiers, sunny skies, swaying wildflowers, and tourists alike indulge in this rugged high beauty and marvel at the ingenuity of the highway.

A spring blizzard and a prime subject - elk foraging on the grass – were at my disposal. My 500mm lens, resting on the beanbag on the car window, gradually filled with snow inside the lens hood. My view through the camera became obliterated.

I feed the river otters lunch and sanitize the otter building. I do a quick free-contact (no barrier between the animal and me) training session with our badger, Uki, asking her to go in her crate, put her paw on a few spread out wooden marks, and touch her nose to a tennis ball on a stick.

A pack goat is more than a beast of burden. For an aging hiker, it’s assistance for complaining knees that just won’t give up the backcountry.