Calypso Chapter

For more information, contact:

Catherine Cain

Montana Native Plant Society

PO Box 320046, Glen, MT 59732

 406-498-6198

Native Wildflowers/Landscapes Photo Contest: 4/1—9/1 Twelve winners will have their photos featured in a 2010 calendar fundraiser for the Calypso Chapter. Save photos fullsize and as jpegs. To upload your photo(s) or see those others have entered, go to www.public.fotki.com/nativelandscape/ wildflower~/. Select “login” in the upper right corner. Username is “nativelandscape”; password is “southwest.” Then click on “photo album” in the left column, and select “add photo” on the options page. Follow the directions using the “one photo at a time” option. Be sure to include your name, photo location, subject, type of camera used and your email address. Photographers give permission for the Calypso Chapter to publish the photos. Info: Catherine Cain, (406) 498-6198.

Dillon Garden Tour: Saturday, 6/20, 9:00 am. Tour gardens, both completed and in-progress. Focus is on native landscaping using existing gardens as a planning tool and giving participants a chance to share ideas. Meet at the parking lot across from the fishing pond and carpool to homes. Info: Linda Lyon, 683-2878(home) or 683-7075 (work).

Recount of Lemhi Penstemon and Sapphire Rockcress: Saturday, 6/27, 9:00 am. Lee Harry and Bob Wooley will lead a wildflower recount of these two species; blooms should be superb at this time! Pack a lunch and we will carpool. Meet at the Salmon Fly Parking area in Melrose (across the bridge). Info: Bob Wooley, (406) 683-6365.

Butte Garden Tour: Sunday, 7/12, 1:00 pm. Tour gardens, both completed and in-progress. Focus is on native landscaping using existing gardens as a planning tool and giving participants a chance to share ideas. Meet at the Lexington Gardens in Butte, at Granite and Wyoming. Info: Kriss Douglass, (406)782-9060.

Hike with Wayne Phillips: Monday 7/13—Tuesday, 7/14, time TBA.View the blue Colorado columbine and other summer wildflowers in the Snowcrest Range. Meet on Monday at the Sunset Peak Campground off the Blacktail Rd. (check map beforehand to know where you are going!). Enjoy campfire sing-a-longs that evening. Leave for all-day hike early Tuesday; bring a lunch. Info:Wayne, (406) 453-0648, or email mtwayne@gmail.com.

Information on scenic/botanically interesting drives in Southwest Montana...

Vipond Park Driving Loop

Click here for the Vipond Park plant list.

There are several special interest and plant areas on this loop. One can approach Vipond Park from the north turning at the Wise River exit and turning south on the Quartz Hill road just past Dewey. From the south, one can go to Melrose, across the tracks and river and head up Trapper Creek road. Going from this approach, one will first pass the old town of Glendale. Not much is left. The next stop is the charcoal kilns, which are being restored. Next, head up the switchbacks to Vipond Park. Look for Penstemon lemhiensis on the road cuts on the switchbacks. There is a good viewpoint to the top of the switchback to observe the glacial terrain of Canyon Creek.

 Coming down from Vipond Park, look for pygmy bitterroots and fields of pasque flowers. There are abundant Calypso orchids blooming about 3.4 miles from the end of Quartz Hill road. Coming from the top, start looking in the Douglas fir zone, just after the subalpine fir zone. Look off the road by the rotten logs. They are in clumps of 30 to +40 plants. Mid to late June is ideal.

Flora changes from week to week. For the best road information, obtain a Forest Service travel plan and contact the Dillon Ranger Office at 683-3900 or the Wise River Ranger Office at 832-3178.

Gravelly Mountain Tour

Click here for the Gravelly Mountain Tour plant list.
This area is south of Ennis. Several loops can be made to access the subalpine meadows. High elevations and open meadows dominate the area. July through August are the best flora viewing months. Fields of Polygonum bistortoides, Hymenoxys grandiflora and Wyethia are abundant. A plant list is available. Rare pink Agoseris lackschewitzii and Thalictrum alpinum can be found. In early to mid July, the Forest Service leads a public tour of the area. To obtain a Forest map and more information contact the Madison Ranger District Office at 406-682-4253.