My Journey

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....it's the best I've seen.....

Sierra Valley.....we're seeing some really cool stuff.....I'm so lucky to have this right in my backyard (so to speak).....



Late in the afternoon on a beautiful 70 degree day, we departed Lewistown, Montana and headed west on Highway 87. At the 4 way intersection in Grass Range, Montana, we took a slight detour from our planned route, and pulled into town.....I was just curious of what'd we see.....



Well, we didn't see much.....and we didn't stay long.....



We returned back to the 4 way intersection.....and then we drove north along Highway 19.....



It didn't take long before I started seeing signs like this posted along the highway.....



Cause the fact is.....everyone is not a fan of the American Prairie Reserve.....and of their goal to lock up 3.2 million acres of prairie land.....to restore the prairie to what it once was.....for eons and eons.....since forever really.....the return of the Buffalo seems to be the major concern.....



I'm certainly not here to judge the ranchers, or offer an opinion on them in any way.....I don't walk in their shoes.....it's not my place. I understand their plight.....and I understand their reluctance.....and I sympathize with them. They're good people. On the other hand, I see the value in the mission of the American Prairie Reserve.....



For anyone that might have an interest, I'd encourage you to read up on this ongoing controversy.....it's here to stay.....





We crossed the Missouri River, continued driving north.....maybe 10 miles or so beyond the bridge over the Missouri River.....we spent our second night out camped along Highway 19.....on the lands of the American Prairie Reserve.....with a bunch of pesky Prairie Dogs.....

 

[Foy]

Looking forward to your reports from the APR. We had to change plans to visit twice since 2020, due to some mechanical issues with our old truck and some profound operator error (don't ask). But we'll get there some day!

Did you step into the Montana Tavern (pictured above) while in Lewistown? One need not enjoy alcoholic beverages to gaze down into the waters of Spring Creek flowing under Main Street from inside of the tavern. They have a trap door in the bar for exactly that purpose.

Fun fact: The Mississippian age Madison Limestone which we've discussed several times here forms the plumbing system bringing groundwater from the Big and Little Snowies down into the Lewistown area where the waters emerge as Spring Creek. Along the way, another outlet is the Crystal Cascade on the north side of the Big Snowies.

Foy

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Foy.....I did not step into any restaurants while we there but maybe I should have. I was really into getting out of town once I finished at the Visitors Center. I love it when you add the fun facts. Thank you.
(Also, I'll have a rock question for you in a week or so, so please don't check out).....



We woke up the following morning parked at the locked gate to the American Prairie Antelope Creek Campground. It was still too early in the season for it to be open which was just fine by me.....



Camping was free at the locked gate (that's always important to me) but more importantly.....no one was here.....



Once I'd had my mandatory mugs of hot brewed coffee, we headed out for a 1.85 mile hike on a well maintained gravel trail around the perimeter of the campground.....



There were a ton of these kiosks along the trail.....maybe too many actually.....



The four I'm posting here were the most relevant (and worth reading).....





We continued north up Highway 191 for maybe another ten miles......then we took a well maintained 2 lane gravel road to the east (Dry Fork Road).....there was excitement in the air.....





This would be the start of a long day of driving on gravel roads.....and at times on pot holed, single lane dirt roads (maybe you'd call this overlanding.....of course I don't).....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We'd stop along the way.....at random departing seldom used roads and just walk out into the landscape to see what we could see.....



Generally speaking, we saw nothing.....and sometimes I think that seeing nothing is all that we need to see.....





It was calm.....it was peaceful.....it was wonderful.....





I had one.....and only one.....concern here. I did not want to trespass onto ranchers' land. It was almost impossible to distinguish between rancher land, BLM land, and the American Prairie Reserve lands. That may be one of the biggest challenges here.....when this place is discovered & the Yahoos show up.....their disrespect for the ranchers land could blow up (notice the little green sign stapled on the larger sign.....maybe it's already started).....



Cattle are common here.....lots of cattle. We came across this calf lying in a ditch.....all alone.....



Unusual for sure and while I don't much care for cattle, it is a living thing so there's that. I was unsure what to do.....when I stopped it immediately came to me.....in the picture it's hanging out underneath the camper.....



Ultimately, I decided to let nature take it's course.....hopefully the mother or maybe a rancher will rectify the situation.....



We continued down the road with a heavy heart.....dang, that decision still bothers me.....

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Its hard with open range. Its mum could have lost it, or could be just on the other side of a hill. We grew up on Open range and made every effort possible to collect all critters when it was time, and keep an eye on things. It’s a lot of land though. And its hard to know who is leasing what land.

 

[Arjan]

As usual, stunning pictures.

Many thanks.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

PNWY.....the closet hill was maybe a mile away and the closet ranch house was probably ten.....

Arjan.....thanks.....



As we continued to drive east.....we took a few turns here and there.....the road deteriorated significantly.....





A herd of horses grazing in the prairie immediately stopped me in my tracks.....





I stood outside photographing the herd.....and I hadn't even noticed the rancher that had pulled alongside.....I was really living in the moment.....



We chatted for a bit.....maybe 5 minutes at most.....the first person I'd spoke with since leaving Lewistown, Montana. And he would be the only person I spoke with while hanging out in the prairie.....



I asked him about the road ahead.....it was beginning to look challenging for a rig like mine. I remember his exact words, which were "you might make it". Well, we did make it but we barely did. I nearly turned back at the "crux" of the drive.....I darn near rolled my rig on one rather challenging detour.....on a 45 degree slope.....



The world here.....the wide open Montana prairie.....well, it's a spiritual place if that's what you want it to be.....one can lose themselves while visiting here.....



Eventually the road led us back to a two track gravel road.....where we continued east.....looking for adventure.....to see what we could see.....silence and solitude.....where no one was here.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

After nearly 60 miles of dirt & gravel roads, we ended our day camped about a mile north of Buffalo Camp.....which is the other campground provided by the American Prairie Reserve (and also not open yet).....



It wasn't difficult to differentiate rancher land from American Prairie Reserve land in this area.....if you saw Buffalo.....you knew for certain it wasn't rancher land.....







The guy at the Visitors Center told me that if I was lucky, I'd have a good shot at spotting Buffalo here.....







So I guess that you could say that we were very lucky.....as there was always a Buffalo herd nearby.....roaming the prairie during our entire stay here.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

After a wonderful night's sleep in the prairie.....





We headed out to wander.....







.....to follow in the footsteps of the great Buffalo herd that now roams these praires once again.....as they've done for hundreds of years.....



I was careful not to get too close.....I felt that 200 yards +/- was a perfect number.....double the distance recommended by the National Park Service.....







I felt as though we were now one with nature.....me, the dogs.....and the buffalo.....

 

[Sierra Valley]

Awesome pictures the prairie looks stunning! I was out adventuring in the Owyhee this past weekend and I got out and walked the road to see what I could see along Succor Creek.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Sierra Valley.....sounds like something that I'd do.....I do hope that it was enjoyable.....



It was probably 3 or 4 years ago.....when I was camped at the Valley of the Gods.....that I found myself staring into a campfire, alongside two men from the Navajo Nation, and another white man who was also a traveler. One of the Navajo men was wearing a wide brimmed hat with a beautiful feather stuck into its headband. I asked about that feather, and he went on to tell me a bit about his people's beliefs.....

The Navajo people believe that when an eagle dies, it's body must be lifted into a tree so that it's soul can be released.....and once that happens, the eagle's soul is then free to fly back into the sky. Regarding the beautiful feather, he said that eagle feathers are sacred to the Navajo people.....and that it came from an eagle, and that's really all he said about that beautiful feather.....

That conversation.....it stuck with me.....



We went on many walks into the prairie during our stay here.....no two were alike. This is one story about one of our walks into the praire.....

We wandered along a dirt road.....



Just passing through time.....



And somewhere along that road, I noticed something dark in the distance.....out in the prairie grass.....it looked like a large stone from where I stood but I wasn't sure.....so we had to investigate.....



It turned out that we had stumbled onto a Golden Eagle.....just lying out in the prairie.....



I could hardly believe my believing eyes. I almost immediately recalled my conversation from those years ago.....and after the initial shock of our find.....



.....I wondered, what do I do ? It just didn't seem appropriate for such a majestic bird to just lie out in the prairie and rot.....to be devoured by the insects .....and then of course, all the while, there was the Navajo story.....that was dancing in my mind.....



Using my boots as a measuring device.....I found it to have a 7 foot wingspan, and it was 2.5 feet from head to the end of the longest tail feather.....it was, I thought, a fully grown Golden Eagle......



It's talons, as long as a man's fingers, were sharp like needles.....they were massive. It's legs were incredibly muscular.....it truly was a bird of nobility.....



Eventually, after considerable thought, I decided to take the dogs back to the camper.....and I then returned to the Golden Eagle.....and I then took it to the forest.....



It was a forest that I knew.....from a previous walk.....from a previous day. I carried that Golden Eagle a good mile.....to give it a proper burial.....as the Navajo believe.....to release it's soul.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

We passed by a hawks' nest as we entered the forest.....





And I looked up to the sky and I saw a pair of hawks gliding overhead.....





I placed the Golden Eagle in a tree as high as I possibly could.....I spread it's wings out so that it spanned the entire 7 seven feet.....



I made sure to situate the Golden Eagle so that it was looking over a small brook.....and beyond that, was a herd of Buffalo grazing in the prairie, and beyond that the Montana sky.....



"And while I stood there I saw more than I can tell, and I understood more than I saw; for I was seeing in a sacred manner the shapes of things in the spirit, and the shape of all shapes as they must live together like one being."

Black Elk, Black Elk Speaks



And now I felt as though I'd done my duty.....I had released the Golden Eagle's soul.....



I returned to the truck and to my dogs.....I was a bit emotional honestly, sitting there, taking it all in.....and then a small butterfly.....the only one I saw on this entire trip.....landed on the truck's hood.....and just sat there.....for several minutes. One can't help but think.....was it a sign ? Nature is just so amazing when you're lucky enough to have a few moments to become one with it.....



And then the dogs & I went off to see what we can see.....more silence and solitude.....and no one was here.....

 

[Ace Brown]

Your last two paragraphs are classical.

The whole story about the eagle was very moving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sierra Valley]

I appreciate your posts and they truly made me get out to see what I could see! The creek and walls at succor creek gave much to ponder over. Was a nice reprise from the new overlander folks you see in their sprinters and Subaru's that don't give much care to common curtsies and over run popular destinations such as Leslie gulch. Times are changing and so are the back roads unfortunately. Pretty awesome with the eagle id probably take a feather or two with me I've got a few birds feathers I've had for 20 plus years.

 

[Sierra Valley]

Id recommend central Oregon if you'd like to see some beautiful country with out many folks. Even on the highways I saw few people and the ones I did waved to you. I passed so much different scenery from Reno to La Grande Oregon to Madres to Shasta City on the paved roads and that didn't include the side trip i did out in the Owyhee. John Day area is a good place to be for someone like you to go explore! I will def go back.