West 2008: Saturday, July 19, 2008

An area so remote you can hear birds singing a mile away. You can hear the air moving, not the wind, the air. You can look in all directions and not see another human being.

This describes the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Montana, the place where we spent the better part of this day.

Russell was a painter who is well known for his paintings of rural life in early Montana. The refuge that bears his name stretches for more than 100 miles along the Missouri River from Fort Peck on the east to US 191 on the west.

From US 191, we entered the refuge via the gravel park road which winds for about 19 miles through the grandeur and remoteness of the western end of the refuge. Mile after mile of deeply eroded canyons displaying colorful bands rolled out beneath our feet. Sagebrush grows low and gray all around.

When the pioneers came to this type of land formation after crossing the seemingly endless prairie, they were frustrated because driving their wagon trains through this terrain without roads was nearly impossible. This gravel road we enjoyed certainly would have been appreciated by those western-bound Americans seeking a better life beyond these badlands.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip occurred when Linda walked down a recently bulldozed trail and disturbed a red-winged blackbird when she approached too close to the nest. The bird went into attack mode, but retreated when Linda got past the nest.

The trail ended at the Missouri River. The trail was wide enough to accommodate our car, so I risked the wrath of the bird once again to get our Rav 4 and drive it down to the river where we enjoyed our lunch under the shade of a large tree.

After lunch we continued on our way along the Auto Tour Drive. Linda enjoyed walking along the gravel road looking for birds and enjoying the quiet afternoon.

That evening we were in Great Falls, Montana. We traveled 319 miles that day, but the best of those miles were the 19 miles we drove through the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge.


Photo: Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, Montana.