A Couple of Beautiful Hikes Near Hamilton, MT

Lake Como Loop Trail

About 12 miles South of our base camp in Hamilton, MT lies lovely Lake Como. This natural lake was dammed in 1905, making it larger to provide seasonal irrigation for the Bitterroot Valley. Today all water sports are allowed on the lake and it continues to provide for seasonal irrigation needs in the area.

We hiked the 8 mile trail around the lake and wished we had brought our swim suits because the water and looked real inviting by the end of our hike when the outside temperature was around 80 degrees and there were several happy people in the water.

This was an easy and beautiful trail with several streams entering the lake, a couple of lovely white sand beaches on the South side and good opportunity for sighting birds of prey. We saw two osprey nests with chicks and the adults nearby as well as an eagle...it may have been an immature bald eagle or a golden eagle.

Lake Como viewed from the dam.

The fine white sand and crystal clear water rivaled beaches we have enjoyed in Hawaii.

A snake in the lake!

Rock Creek entering the lake.

Adult osprey keeping an eye on the chick in the nest nearby.

Young osprey looking ready to try its wings.

Magnificent Blodgett Creek and Canyon Trail

After seeing Blodgett Canyon from the Overlook Trail the other day and talking to a couple of locals who mentioned a stone arch a few miles into the canyon, we decided that would be our last hike in the area. What an excellent decision that turned out to be! This was a gorgeous hike...one I'd do several times a year if I lived in the area just to see the canyon in all its different stages.

The Blodgett Creek and Canyon Trail extends about 12 miles to Blodgett Pass and Lake. The canyon suffered a devastating fire in 2000, which served to open up the views and encouraged plentiful growth of all types of plants. It's about 3 miles or so until you see the arch and cross a bridge and another mile or so  to a waterfall which became our lunch and turn around point.

One of the most striking features of Blodgett Canyon are the
massive, towering rock formations on the North side.

These walls must rise 1,000 feet above the trail!
This is a popular climbing site, though we did not see any climbers on this day.

The trail occasionally passes through lush stands of new trees,
ferns, berry bushes with small streams flowing out of the hillside.

The water in Blodgett Creek is crystal clear.

Cloud imitating spires!

Looking up canyon.

The arch comes in to view on the South side of the canyon.

A little different than those sandstone arches we admire in the South West!

Christmas ornament berries!

This waterfall is about 4.5 miles in.

Rose Hips!

Tomorrow we move on to Missoula for a few days. We'll overlap with some fellow full timers at Jim and Mary's RV Park, should be fun!