Girard Grove is one of the finest remaining stands of Western Larch in the United States and is a significant natural attraction in Seeley Lake. The range of western larch is relatively small, and it tends to coincide closely with the Crown of the Continent region.

Forest ecologists document that old-growth western larch have survived a dozen or more low-intensity fires, some started by lightening and others by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. The tree's thick bark creates a shield intended to survive fires, and its tiny seeds germinate and thrive under the ideal conditions of a post-fire forest.