By editor
Powell and Missoula Counties
The Blackfoot Valley, stretching from the Continental Divide down to the Clark Fork River, is a landscape of immense, rolling prairies, glacial pothole lakes, and dense, flanking forests. Made famous by literature and fly fishing, it is also one of the most ecologically intact valleys in western Montana.
The glacial potholes scattered across the valley floor, such as those near Ovando, are critical breeding sites for Trumpeter Swans, Sandhill Cranes, and a variety of diving ducks. The native grasslands support Long-billed Curlews and Northern Harriers. In the surrounding forests, particularly in the areas burned by recent wildfires, Black-backed Woodpeckers and Lewis's Woodpeckers can be found foraging on the dead, standing timber.
Visitor Access
The valley is a complex checkerboard of private ranches, state lands, and federal property. Birding is often done from the paved Highway 200 and the network of gravel county roads that crisscross the valley. Several Montana FWP fishing access sites along the Blackfoot River provide public access to the riparian corridor. Visitors must respect private property boundaries and use pullouts safely.