We took most of the day to relax and spend time with Fritz and Jake! We knew there were a few more things we wanted to see here in the Columbia Falls/Glacier area before we leave town on Tuesday, so we made our way to Hungry Horse Dam and Reservoir.
The Hungry Horse Reservoir is fed by the South Fork of the Flathead River. The Hungry Horse Dam, where the reservoir begins, is located 3 miles south of Hungry Horse. The reservoir is 34 miles long and has about 170 miles of shoreline. The dam is an arch dam and at 564 feet was the third largest and second highest concrete dam in the world at the time of its completion in 1953. The dam's spillway is the highest morning glory (a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows) in the world.
Hungry Horse, population 934, was named after two draft horses used for logging the area, when they wandered off during the severe winter of 1900. The horses, Tex and Jerry, were found a month later, all scraggly and hungry but very much alive.
We had no idea how beautiful the reservoir would be but we should have known better; this is Montana, one of the most beautiful states! Each turn would bring different hues to the turquoise water and we could see the mountain ranges within Glacier, and the sun was shining!
Hungry Horse Dam
Wounded Buck Creek
Across the reservoir and in the distance you can see the majestic mountains of Glacier National Park!
Lid Creek Campground
There are numerous campgrounds on a road that is 10 miles paved and 123 miles unpaved once you pass across the dam, which you can still do. We investigated a few of them, this being one of the most accessible to the reservoir's banks.
The water in the reservoir was much warmer than the water in the Kootenai River!
The 10-mile paved drive along the reservoir is really pretty but the trees can damped the view a bit, but when the sun is hitting the water, the turquoise is in its glory! It is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful when it first appears! As hard as we tried, we could never truly capture the full beauty via the camera but we tried!
Gun Sight Mountain in the distance in Glacier National Park. We have seen and taken many photos of this mountain while in Glacier and to see it today with the beautiful clear skies was a gift.
Lost Johnny Campground
This campground is quite primitive but the Meridian could probably fit in their space if we were crazy enough to risk it! We are not that crazy! We may be the Crazy Cruzers, but we do have our limitations! :)
Another attempt of capturing the glorious changes of the water where the sun beats down!
And another! My advice - come here to see it! We are so glad we did!
The breaks in the forest on this side of the dam gave us the opportunity to capture the beauty this reservoir has to offer. What a wonderful treat today was to see a part of this country we passed by for days on our way to Glacier.
Gotcha! We saw a doe on the side of the road and it took off when I realized she was looking at me to my right and I said, "OMG there's a deer there". Well, when we backed up, I could hear the rustling of the brush where it took off up the mountainside! This doe was more calm and Thom actually spotted her first! We probably could have gotten some really good photos of her, but as usual in Montana, my biggest peeve, is a local in a RAM truck pulling a boat trailer came speeding up and by us and off she went! I don't get it. When the speed limit is 35 and just because the area is off the beaten path doesn't mean you have to do 60!
If you look close, to the left of the adult osprey, you can see one of the babies! I took maybe 20 photos, in different locations on the road, zooming in, and realized the babies were there!
A view of the reservoir as we are getting ready to exit the area.
Hungry Horse Dam. I have to say, I truly enjoyed this short but beautiful drive. Again, if you are ever in this area, please make sure to take the drive!
One final look at the reservoir and the majestic Glacier National Park mountains!
The forest still has a few colorful trees, which also is so pretty to see.
Until next blog ...
As usual great pictures and comments. Wish I was there with you.
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