Nature and Wildlife

The wide span of sky, rolling prairies, and rivers and streams of northeastern Montana create a perfect habitat for an incredible array of wildlife.  The Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, just north of Froid, is home to one of the largest white pelican colonies in the United States (National Geographic June 2006) as well as many other species of birds and mammals.    

Missouri River Habitat

To the south the red cliffs and lush lowlands of the Missouri River shelter native and migratory birds and waterfowl  along with white-tailed mule deer, coyote, and fox.  Whether hunting, fishing, birding or simply observing nature, you will encounter an abundance of wildlife including pheasants, antelope, owls, eagles, sandhill cranes, grouse, walleye, and northern pike.

Geological Treasures

The region is dotted with shallow depressions known as prairie potholes carved by glaciers millions of years ago. Today the prairie potholes form wetlands that are rich in plant and aquatic life and support significant populations of breeding waterfowl.  Once a vast sea stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Circle, beneath the gently rolling prairie are deposits of oil and coal as well as dinosaur bones.

Spectacular Skies

Year round our Montana skies are alive with spectacular sunrises and sunsets, star-studded night skies, and most breathtaking of all, the dancing neon curtains of the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.  With its open landscape and uncluttered horizon lines, even an approaching storm or swirling cloud canopy takes a dramatic turn and offers a beauty seldom seen.

And the Quiet…

Finally, there is the remarkable absence of manmade sounds, a rarity even in the rural areas of America.  No planes buzz overhead, no persistent hum of vehicles arises from the highway, no radios blare, and no sirens scream.  Only the sound of the wind or cry of an animal interrupts the silence—the plaintive moo of a cow, howl of a coyote, or when completely still, the swoosh of nighthawk’s wings .