Wildflowers and Water Combine for Great GiG Trip on Warm Day
 The six Gig hikers headed out of Great Falls at 7 AM toward Augusta and then another 24 miles to the Devil's Glen trailhead. We stopped at the Falls Creek trailhead and wondered if we were on the right track to Devils Glen trailhead. We drove down the road and found our destination in just over a mile. The parking lot had two large horse trailers and proceeded to unload five or six horses, and maybe a mule. Starting our hike we headed down the path that runs along private property for a stretch before we were in the Lewis and Clark Forest. The pack train caught up with us in short order, loaded with gear, rifles and some full size camp chairs. We asked where they were going and the person that was walking and leading his horse said they were headed back to a place where they found an elk head and horns. It looked like a well planned expedition of women and men for a summer trip into the Scapegoat Wilderness Area. After about two and a half miles with beautiful views of Steamboat Mountain and many other peaks, we came to our lunch spot. The Dearborn River is crystal clear with pale blue to a deep shade of turquoise water, with the rocks rounded by time and the movement of the rushing water. After our short break we headed another 3/4th of a mile where we could walk down to the river. Jo Ann was our expert guide to all of the wild flowers which were many. Jo Ann spotted Chocolate Lily seed pods, another location to check for blooms next year. Wild Bergamot, Blanketflower, Red Clover and Harebell were the most prevalent wildflowers. The sun was bright and the temperature increased as we ventured down the path. The area is known for Rainbow trout and we saw quite a few people with fly rods that would be trying their luck. With the temperature over 80 degrees it was good to get back to the air conditioned car and change into sandals and head to Augusta. Some of our party stopped at the Buckhorn for a burger which never disappoints. Everyone agreed it was a beautiful day and we were grateful that we lived in Montana. Who went: Jo Ann, Gail, Karen, Rose, Noreen,and Brenda | WILDFLOWERS Bedstraw, Northern Bergamot, Wild Biscuit Root, Nine-Leaved Blanketflower Buffaloberry Butterfly Weed Clover, Owl's Thin-Leaved (pink) Clover, Red Coneflower, Prairie Daisy, Cut-Leaved Dogbane Flax, Blue Fleabane, Showy Geranium, Sticky Goldenrod Goldenweed, Cushion Harebell Hemlock, Water Indian Paintbrush, Red Kinnikinnick Meadowrue, Female Mullein, Wooly Onion, Nodding Parrot’s Beak Penstemon Pineapple Weed Rose Silveryberry (not in bloom) Spirea, White Stonecrop, Lanced-Leaved Thistle Yarrow WILDFLOWER SEED PODS Anemone, Cut-Leaved Chocolate Lily Orchid, Striped Coralroot Prairie Smoke (Old Man Whiskers) Pussytoes Solomon's Seal, False Solomon's Seal, Starry (aka) Wild Lily of the Valley |
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