Need a break from fishing?  Go check out MT wildflowers!

The wildflower show up on the Gravelly Range is spectacular this year. Do yourself a favor and take a break from fishing the Upper Madison and in the afternoon and take a drive on the Gravelly Range road. You need a high clearance vehicle to clear some of the road ruts although the road is in good shape and is not a four wheel ordeal. Make sure you bring a camera and some bug spray. Along with the wildflower show you could spot some elk and maybe a grizzly. This drive for me is better then going thru Yellowstone Park in the summer with all the traffic. There is a couple of way to get to the top . We travel thru Bar 7 ranch via Varney Road and following the signs to the Gravelly Range road (do no turn off at the Fish Hatchery road ) You will travel a decent gravel road thru the ranch until you reach the open gate to public access. The best wildflowers start about 3 miles in . You can drive all the way to Black Butte going to over Monument Ridge at + 9500 ft elevation. We usually head back at Black Butte and following the same route back although you can continue and drop back down via Johnny Gulch to the Madison River. You can also head over the Ruby River once your on top although that is usually an all day trip. You can make it back from Black Butte and easily be back for the evening caddis hatch. Stop in the fly shop and we can point you in the right direction.

(written by Ron Young)