July 7, 2008 National Bison Range

Off to the National Bison Range.
At the refuge the government keeps a herd of about 350-500 bison as a reminder of the great herds that once roamed this country. The road took us through several VERY small towns, and Polson, a bit larger. The refuge is in a very out of the way location. This results in very little visitation. That works great for me. The greatest charm of this place is the absolute quiet and peace. There are 2 small trails that lead to wonderful vistas, and one that tells of the fact that the valley below the refuge was once a vast lake thousands of years ago. The highest lake level was only 550 feet below the place where Ray is standing in the photo. With no traffic noise, no planes overhead, and no other people around, the solitude was astounding. All you could hear was the wind, the grass rustling, and the insects buzzing. And we were surrounded by hillsides of flowers and grass with the mountains in the distance. This place is a treasure.

All that and the bison... The bison take no heed of cars as they drive through the refuge, and sometimes they park themselves in the middle of the road. They really are impressive animals.

We are staying at another cabin in a KOA in Missoula tonight. We did a bit of housekeeping (laundry), and caught a little bit of TV. I can't say I've missed it at all, and won't miss it for another 2 weeks.

Off to Helena, then Bozeman tomorrow.
See today's photos here.