Day Hikes with Dogs

Becky Warren, Wendy Pierce

Description

Longtime Montana residents, hikers, and dog lovers Pierce and Warren feature 55 hikes in this comprehensive guide. The trails are rated easy to strenuous, with maps and photos included for each route. The authors include information not easily gleaned from a map, including how easy it is for a dog to get to water from the trail, where to keep your dog under control, and where it 's okay to let him or her roam free.

Sujets

• Sport
• Autres sports
• Sports fitness
• Sports de plein air
• Montana
• Travel
• Western Montana
• Special Interest
• Hikes
• Walks

Informations

• Publié par: Turner Publishing Company
• Date de parution: 04 juillet 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9780871089816
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

Day Hikes with Dogs

Western Montana
Wendy Pierce and Becky Warren
T HE P RUETT S ERIES
2011 by Wendy Pierce and Becky Warren
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews and articles.
First edition 2011
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pierce, Wendy.
Day hikes with dogs - Western Montana / by Wendy Pierce and Becky Warren.
p. cm. - (Day hikes with dogs)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-87108-961-8 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-87108-981-6 (e-book)
1. Hiking with dogs-Montana, Western-Guidebooks. 2. Day hiking-Montana, Western-Guidebooks. 3. Montana, Western-Guidebooks. I. Warren, Becky. II. Title.
SF427.455.P54 2011
796.5109786--dc23
2011019431
Cover photograph by James Anderson
Book and cover design by Kay Turnbaugh
West Winds Press
An imprint of

P.O. Box 56118
Portland, OR 97238-6118
[phone]
www.graphicartsbooks.com
For our husbands, Dave and James, who with good nature and love put up with our passion for dogs and hiking.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank and acknowledge those people who provided insight and support for this book. Thanks to Pruett Publishing and Jim Pruett for believing in the concept and making this a reality. Thanks to Kay Turnbaugh, our skilled editor, for her scrutiny, experienced feedback and creative design. Thanks to our friends who are also authors and writers for feedback on the idea, proposal, and navigation through the publishing process. In particular we would like acknowledge Garth Sundem, Christy Stillwell, Jean Arthur, Paul Stein, and Josh Bergan for their assistance and contributions. We would like to thank teachers at a Forest For Every Classroom for their terrific hike suggestions and Wendy s students at Chief Joseph Middle School for their enthusiastic reviews of the hikes. We would also like to thank the many friends who joined us on hikes and graciously provided accommodations during our travels, including Patti Kent, Bob and Liz Keane, and Jim and Christina Grey. Thanks to James Anderson for professional photo shoots with some unprofessional models.
Efforts like this cannot be accomplished without the support of loving families. Sincere thanks to Wendy s family, including Sarah Pierce, Risa Pierce, and her dog-loving mom and dad, Norman and Winnie Elson, who, still in their late 80s, walk their dog every day. Becky would like to thank her entire family, including the Warrens, her mom and dad (Janet and Paul Stein), Douglas Stein, Simon Stein, and Tracy Stein, for their enthusiasm and encouragement.
Finally, it would not be a dog book if we did not call special recognition to our family canines and official trail testers, Milo, Doc, and Uma.
Contents
Introduction
Map of Regions
Hike Matrix
Dogs on Trails in Montana
Map: Hikes in South Region
Trail 1: Blue Lake (4 Paws up!)
Trail 2: Natural Bridge and Green Mountain Trail 94
Trail 3: Pine Creek Falls
Trail 4: West Boulder Meadows
Trail 5: Rendezvous Trails
Trail 6: Sage Creek
Trail 7: Lost Lake (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 8: Beauty Lake/Beartooth Plateau
Trail 9: Hauser Lake/Beartooth Plateau
Map: Hikes in South Central Region
Trail 10: Porcupine Creek
Trail 11: Beehive Basin (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 12: Windy Pass
Trail 13: Golden Trout Lake
Trail 14: Lava Lake
Trail 15: Storm Castle
Trail 16: Pioneer Falls
Trail 17: Emerald Lake
Trail 18: Hyalite Lake (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 19: History Rock
Trail 20: Bozeman Creek
Trail 21: Middle Cottonwood
Trail 22: Truman Gulch
Trail 23: South Cottonwood
Trail 24: Drinking Horse
Trail 25: Hedvig s Trail at Snowfill Dog Park
Trail 26: Peet s Hill/Burke Park
Trail 27:Bozeman Regional Park (also called the 100 Acre Park)
Map: Hikes in Butte and Helena Region
Trail 28: Bear Trap Canyon
Trail 29: Bell Lake
Trail 30: Homestake Lodge/Busy Beaver Trail
Trail 31: Humbug Spires (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 32: Fourmile Basin Lakes
Trail 33: Tahepia Lake/Mono Creek
Trail 34: Little Blackfoot Meadows
Trail 35: Crow Creek Falls (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 36: Refrigerator Canyon
Trail 37: MacDonald Pass Continental Divide Trail
Map: Hikes in Missoula Region
Trail 38: Garnet Ghost Town
Trail 39: Kim Williams Nature Trail
Trail 40: Jacob s Island Bark Park
Trail 41: Pattee Canyon/Sam Braxton Trail (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 42: Point Six Road
Trail 43: Ravine Trail
Trail 44: Rattlesnake National Recreation Area
Trail 45: Blue Mountain Recreation Area Maclay Flats Trail
Trail 46: Blodgett Canyon (4 Paws Up!)
Map: Hikes in Flathead and Glacier Region
Trail 47: Lower Cold Lake
Trail 48: Glacier Slough
Trail 49: Crystal Lake
Trail 50: Morrell Falls (4 Paws Up!)
Trail 51: Strawberry Lake
Trail 52: Stanton Lake
Trail 53: Hugh Rogers WAG (Whitefish Animal Group) Park
Trail 54: Haskill Creek
Trail 55: Finger Lake
Trails Not So Great for Dogs
Appendix: Pet References
Big Sky/Gallatin Canyon
Big Timber/Livingston
Bozeman
Butte Region
Helena Region
Missoula Region
Red Lodge
Whitefish/Glacier/Kalispell
Yellowstone Park Region
Index
Introduction
Let s face it-western Montana is dog crazy. On a 10-minute drive across most towns there is a good chance that every car you pass has a furry companion riding shotgun. Rich in beauty and outdoor activity, western Montana is perfect for bringing your four-legged pal along. There are many trails and dog parks in the region, and if you are up for a short drive from most major towns, you can access additional scenic trails ideal for both you and your pet.
We wrote this book from the perspective of avid hikers and dog lovers. There are days we just cannot fit in an all-day hike and love to access some of the trails closer to home. This book is to help you find the right trail for you and your dog, based on your desired locale, distance to walk, and hike difficulty. It provides information and traits about the hike that would be important to a dog hiker, such as plenty of watering holes and horse use (meaning horse droppings, for those dogs that find these great snacks, yet you would prefer them to avoid). Every hike listed is great, that s why we wrote about it, but a few stand out as fabulous and have turned into our favorites. These are marked with 4 Paws Up! These trails have all been tested by our dogs, Milo (Pierce), Doc (Warren), and Uma (Warren) with regular guest appearances from other friends and pets. Milo was not even a year old at the time of this writing, and Doc was 10 years old. To provide variety in dog capability, we have included their notes for each hike.
For easy access, there is a matrix that identifies these criteria for hiking. We also have highlighted trails and areas that are specifically leash-required areas. These hikes tend to be in populated or high density wildlife areas and require leashes for at least some of or the entire trail.
We also have included some trails that are wonderful but maybe not the best when taking your dog along, based on the same ranking criteria. Our time outside is precious, so hopefully this will help you narrow down the decision-making process and get you to the trailhead to enjoy your time with your furry friend.
Happy hiking.

Key
Dog and Author Favorite
4 Paws Up!
Water Availability
Plenty, Some, Little, None
Doggie Difficulty
Easy, Moderate, Strenuous
Horse Poo
Plenty, Some, Little, None
x*
Leash required on part of the trail
Dogs on Trails in Montana
General Courtesies
Indeed our trails have many uses. Be aware of bike, horse, and motorized use for trails before you set out. You know the personality of your pets best, and you understand their behavior when around other dogs, horses, and bikers. If they bark at horses or chase bikers, be sure to be courteous and give the riders the right-of-way as you hold your pet.
As much as we love our pets, not everyone is a dog lover. Our dogs happen to be very social and will greet everyone they see, but every now and then we encounter a hiker who cringes when the dogs approach. The message might seem obvious, but if you cannot control your dog by voice command, then best to keep him or her on a leash.
Health and Safety
Most of western Montana is bear country, therefore, most of the hikes in this book are in bear country. Be familiar with bear safety and be bear aware before setting out on your hike. If your dogs tend to be roamers and run out of sight, a bear bell is recommended. Not just to warn wildlife of your dog s presence, but to keep you in tune as to where your dog might be exploring.
Typical dog ailments while hiking are dehydration, cuts (usually sticks or barbed wire), or exhaustion. If water sources are limited on the hike, plan ahead and bring an extra water bottle. Cuts can be messy, and if they are not too deep, manageable by the time you are off the trail. Some hikers (or bird hunters) who know that their pets tend to find trouble carry a doggy first aid kit in their vehicle, including staples, topical anesthetic, and bandages. A great reference book is Field Guide: Dog First Aid Emergency Care for the Hunting, Working, and Outdoor Dog by Randy Acker and Jim Fergus.
In the spirit of health and safety, a wise Bozeman Emergency Room physician recently said, Anyone can get hurt taking a walk in the woods. As active hikers, we, too, have had some first aid needs in the woods, including rocks to the head. Having a well-stocked first aid kit in your pack or your vehicle can come in very handy, since accidents do happen.
Maps
You should always carry a map of the area you re hiking. The maps in this book are intended only to get you oriented-you shouldn t rely on them to get you to your destination.
Map Key
Trailhead
Parking
Campground
Trail destination
Trail
Road
Unimproved road
South Central and South Regions


Doc takes i