Recreation along the Montana Hi-Line.gif)
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| Cameron
Reservoir in the Sweetgrass Hills |
When
one thinks of the Montana Hi-Line, outdoor recreation usually
doesn’t spring to mind. After all, this is Montana.
And in Montana, when one thinks of outdoor activities the
usual suspects of Glacier
National Park and Yellowstone
National Park generally come to mind. For the more adventurous,
other areas like the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex or
the Absaroka-Beartooth
Wilderness Area may also be remembered.
But the Hi-Line? Few people ever think of the Montana Hi-Line
as a place to visit for outdoor recreation. This is especially
so for tourists from out of state. For most out of state
visitors, the Montana Hi-Line region is simply a place
to pass through on their way to Glacier or some other exotic
place out in western Montana.
Indeed,
the relative proximity of Glacier National Park and other
famous areas of the state are probably one of the
curses of the Hi-Line area. Hundreds of thousands of people
pass through the Hi-Line region each year – virtually
all of whom are destined for the mountains of Glacier. These
people, often on a tight schedule or who have set out fixed
plans, generally see or do little along the Hi-Line region,
preferring instead to just “get the hell out of here” as
fast as possible. As such, while the Hi-Line sees tons of
people venturing down the highway during the summer, few
of these people do more than buy gas, some snacks, perhaps
munch on some junk food in Havre and, for the stranded, take
out a cheap motel room somewhere along the way.
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| Bearpaw
Reservoir |
Now
it is indeed true that the Hi-Line lacks the soaring
mountains, endless forests and the beautiful rivers found
in Glacier National Park and other areas of western Montana.
Yet, the person who takes the time to explore the Hi-Line
will be rewarded with the regions own type of beauty and
will discover many interesting outdoor activities along
the
way. While I can’t honestly say that the Hi-Line can
really compete with Glacier in the outdoor recreation department,
the Hi-Line DOES have many activities available. The problem,
of course, is that these activities are scattered are all
over the place – and are frequently never promoted,
either.
So,
let’s go over some of the outdoor recreation activities
you’ll find along the Montana Hi-Line. Many of the
places listed below have separate pages on this site you
can visit for additional information (just follow the links).
Fishing : The Hi-Line isn’t exactly known as the hot
bed of blue water trout fishing in Montana. The Hi-Line will
not soon be giving the Madison
River a run for its money.
Yet, scattered here and there, the adventurous angler will
find quality trout fishing in various places, like Beavercreek
Reservoir, which is south of Havre. Cameron Reservoir is
a “hole in the wall” body of water that has excellent
trout fishing in a very unique environment. Beaver Creek,
which feeds the Beavercreek Reservoir, also has decent trout
fishing. Baileys Reservoir, which is also located near Havre,
also has decent fishing for average sized rainbow trout.
The Marias
River, below Tiber Dam, also has very good brown
trout fishing.
OK.
So it’s not a huge list of trout waters. However,
what the Hi-Line loses in trout fishing it makes up for in
warm water fishing opportunities. Fort
Peck Lake has monstrous
Walleye inhabiting the lake – assuming the Corps of
Engineers doesn’t drain it completely away. Nelson
Reservoir near Malta has fine fishing for Northern Pike.
Fresno Reservoir is a huge reservoir near Havre that also
has solid Northern Pike fishing. Tiber
Reservoir, which is
near Fort Benton, also has excellent Walleye fishing – just
be prepared for some windy conditions.
Additionally,
the Milk
River, while kind of an ugly river at times, has
excellent fishing for large northern pike,
catfish, walleye and the occasional lost bass. The Missouri
River, below Fort Peck Lake, also has excellent walleye
fishing – although
access can be difficult.
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| Bailey's
Reservoir near Havre |
Hunting : Of all the activities that people visit the Hi-Line for,
hunting probably has to top the list. During the fall,
various places along the Hi-Line can become surprisingly
crowded at times. Hunters from all over Montana visit the
Hi-Line area to take advantage of the excellent mule deer,
whitetail deer and Upland Bird hunting that is available.
Moreover, you can find some fine elk hunting grounds around
the Missouri Breaks National Monument, in the Sweetgrass
Hills and in the Bearpaw
Mountains – although access
can be difficult to all of these places. If you plan on hunting
here, just remember to bring warm clothes – this area
can get real cold real fast beginning in November.
Rafting : One of the least known recreational opportunities in
the Hi-Line area is river rafting. Indeed, one of the
finest floats in Montana is located in the Hi-Line region.
Considered one of the premiere wilderness float trips in
Montana, the Missouri
River between Fort Benton and Fort
Peck Lake cuts through a wild wilderness that has scarcely
changed since Lewis and Clark first saw it back in 1805.
Indeed, much of the river is classified as a “Wild
and Scenic River.” While floaters will not see towering
mountains or experience waves of whitewater, a floater will
see towering canyon walls, unique wildlife and be able to
float in near perfect solitude on all but the occasional
day here and there. A float between Fort Benton and Fort
Peck Lake takes a minimum of 7 days – often times more.
Shorter trips in the 3-4 day range can also be arranged,
too.
Horse
Riding : Like to ride horses? There is nothing quite like
riding horses over a vast prairie. While riding up in
the mountains is fun, I still like riding in the open areas.
The open terrain allows you to make your own trail without
problems or risk of injury to the horse. And the Montana
Hi-Line, with its vast expanse of public lands, is the perfect
place for the rider to explore. And it is almost a guaranteed
bet that you’ll have whatever place you explore all
to yourself. In particular, the BLM has huge public land
tracts around Fort Peck Lake which are ideal for riding.
Skiing : Oddly enough, the Hi-Line has its own ski area, called
Bearpaw Ski Area – located about 30 miles south
of Havre. The ski hill is open on the weekends during the
winter (assuming there is enough snow) and has a vertical
rise of around 900 feet. So, it’s not a huge ski area
and won’t be stealing customers away from Big Mountain
anytime soon. Still, it’s nice to know that it is there.
Overall,
the Hi-Line area has an extensive amount of outdoor recreation
activities available. The main difference between
the Hi-Line region and other popular places in Montana is
that the places really are scattered around – often
times requiring long drives between places. To take full
advantage of the outdoor activities on the Hi-Line, in short,
requires a bit more of an adventurous spirit than in other
places in Montana.
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Montana
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