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Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide.

The Flathead Lake Trail Guide.

See you on the Trail.

If you have ben looing to hike around Flathead Lake you need to get to know Mike. The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide post just about every trail.  Maybe you might stumble upon one not in the guide, but it is unlikely.

The guide is all about camping & hiking around Flathead Lake.

The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide includes from trail heads from Talley to Polebridge, from Hungry Horse to the Swan & into the Mission Mtns.

Mike has been hiking, wandering, hunting and spending time in these woods for more then 20 years.  The guide includes trails as far north as Polebridge, and the  Hungry Horse recreation area, and east to the Swan Front and Swan Valley.  To the north the guide contains trail head and campground information in and around Tally Lake.

Hiking Around Flathead Lake

The trail guide is focused on trails, camping and being in the woods.  Mike’s Flathead Lake Trail Guide breaks the area in five easy to use sections.  North of Flathead lake, including The Talley Lake area and due north to Polebridge. East of Flathead Lake, including the Swan Front, Swan Valley, and on into the Hungry Horse recreation area.   The guide contains most every trail Mike has hiked in the last 20 years or plans to hike in the next 20 years.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR COPY.

Don’t need the hiking guide, just some basic trail information, do not fret.  Mike has included some beginner to medium hikes on this website.  Depending on were you as staying there is most likely a trail head near you. Thanks for visiting, hope to see you on the trail.

Follow Mike on Instagram or subscribe to his YouTube Channel

#gohikewithmike

Filed Under: Hiking, Lifestyle, Montana, Trails Tagged With: guides, Hiking, trailguides, trails

Pablo Wildlife Refuge.

Mirror on Pablo ReservoirPablo Wildlife Refuge is located on tribal trust lands of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It is superimposed on the irrigation reservoir managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Flathead Irrigation Project.

Pablo Wildlife Refuge is 2,500 acres of water, marsh, and upland grassland. The refuge provides nesting and resting areas for migratory birds and other wildlife.

Shaped by glacial activity approximately 12,000 years ago, the terrain surrounding Pablo NWR is rolling and interspersed with many pothole wetlands.

Visitor Opportunities 

Fishing is permitted on Pablo NWR in accordance with applicable State, Federal, and Tribal regulations. Yellow perch and largemouth bass are caught at Pablo NWR. Ice fishing is permitted after the waterfowl hunting season has ended and the refuge reopens.

Pablo Wildlife RefugePhotography and wildlife observation are encouraged. Waterfowl numbers vary throughout the year. There may be as many as 80,000 in October and November, and half that number in late March and through early May. A few ducks and geese may spend the winter. Nesting begins in late March and lasts through July. The most numerous nesting species are Canada geese, mallards, and redheads. Pintail, American widgeon, shoveler, blue and green-winged teal, ruddy duck, gadwall, common merganser, and coot are also present. Other species of water, marsh, and upland birds are abundant from May to October. Common loons are occasionally seen and this is a good area to see Bald Eagles.

Common mammals on these refuges are the field mouse or meadow vole, muskrat, and striped skunk. Mink, badgers, and porcupines have also been observed.

Management Programs 

Although water levels are controlled primarily for irrigation and flood control, the Fish and Wildlife Service works closely with the Flathead Irrigation Project to insure that water levels are properly maintained to accommodate nesting waterfowl. A portion of the refuge is closed each spring to minimize disturbance in nesting areas, and the refuge is closed entirely during the hunting season. There is an active Bald Eagle nest on the Refuge which regularly fledge one to two young per year. In 1996, a release of 19 trumpeter swans was conducted by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks and the USFWS with the hope of re-establishing a breeding flock in the valley.

Efforts to improve wildlife habitat over the years have included planting food and cover crops for upland game birds, the construction of nesting islands for waterfowl, and prescribed burning to enhance brooding areas and provide browse for Canada geese. Biological, chemical and mechanical methods are used to control some species of non-native plants which have begun encroaching on the refuge. Aerial surveys are conducted periodically to monitor waterfowl numbers and nesting success.

The refuge is closed to hunting. Adjoining State-owned lands are managed by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks for wildlife cover, food production, and public hunting. These lands are open to hunting on a first-come-first served basis for waterfowl and pheasant shooting. The closure of Pablo NWR enhances the quality of hunting in the Flathead Valley.

Directions 

Pablo National Wildlife Refuge is located approximately 75 miles north of Missoula and 3 miles south of Polson. Turn west on Reservoir Road 3 miles south of Polson. Traveling west for 1-1/2 miles will bring you to the kiosk for Pablo NWR. The dike road is open for travel during daylight hours through the summer. There are several county roads bordering the Refuge.

Filed Under: Hiking, Lifestyle Tagged With: pablo, refuge, wildlife

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Now in Paperback from Amazon


Flathead Lake Vacation Guide in Paperback
Flathead Lake Vacation Guide in Paperback
The Ultimate Flathead Lake Vacation Guide: Montana's Flathead Lake Paperback


The Go Hike With Mike Trailguide
The Go Hike With Mike Trailguide
The Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide in Paperback

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Purchase the: Go Hike With Mike Trail Guide, The Flathead Lake Vacation Guide, or the Vacation and Trail Guide Combo Pack