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| Big Arm - Kerr - Wild Horse Island, MT | |
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| | Big Arm - Kerr - Wild Horse Island, MT | | | |
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Big Arm - Kerr - Wild Horse Island, MT
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| Hiking | 7.93 Miles |
1,231 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.93 Miles | | | |
| 1,231 ft AEG | 46 Mns Break | | | |
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| partners | | In the route are the three hikes we did. This is written 9-1-2025.
July 22, 2025: In lieu of not going to the Chalet due to weather, we were lucky Deborah was along as we were able to come over to her house on Flathead Lake  . After a breakfast of huckleberry pie and ice cream, a friend of Deborah's came over and we headed on our hike on Meadowlark Lane to Big Arm/Flathead Lake State Park. It was a slightly cloudy day as we enjoyed eating off the cherry trees for the first 1/4 mile or so. The fresh cherries were so good!!
We got into the park and took the lowest loop that was closer to the Lake. It was a beautiful view toward the mountains on the other side of the lake and we got a good view of Wild Horse Island where we got to hike the next day. On our way back, we took the higher trail that takes you back into the woods. They do a nice job of keeping the grass down on this part. The weather was starting to change, but we hoped it would hold off. Well, not quite. Just as we saw the mama and her two fawns, the rain started to come down. So, do we stay and huddle under a tree and wait for it to pass, or do we keep going? Kept going as it was only about 1/2 mile. The rain did let up a bit by the time we got back to Deborah's.
After lunch, we headed for Kerr Dam. I see on the map they have a different name: SKQ (Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’) Overlook. "The experience was upgraded last August when Phase One of the Overlook Rehab Project was completed with fresh updates. The aging wooden steps were removed and replaced with beautiful stone steps (288 Argillite stones weighing between 450 and 900 pounds)." The weather was a bit precarious but stayed mostly nice for our trek down to the Overlook. There was water being released, but at a lesser rate, thus allowing us to see parts of the lower construction. There were some signs installed that said they were temporary. The photos on them, however, were quite nice. I assume they are only temporary because there wasn't any info on them. There is a Phase 2 scheduled.
We stopped at Glacier Brewing so that Deborah could fill up one of her Growlers. She likes the Huckleberry Wheat. They also have the Cow in a Coal Mine and Flathead Cherry. We did do a flight that we shared. For dinner, we stopped at Jalisco's on Polson Bay. The food wasn't nearly as good as the one in Idaho Falls.
July 23, 2025 Wild Horse Island: I suggested we do this hike if Deborah wanted to, as she had to get ready for the family reunion at her home in a couple days. Luckily, the boat eventually started and we piled in for the 15 minute ride over to the east side of the island. We tied up the boat and read a little of the big signage there. I forgot the park was dedicated to the Chief Supreme Court Justice and former MT State Senate Majority Leader back in the 70s and 80s. I had interned and worked in the Senate during his tenure.
We headed up the forested trail, not really having an agenda; that's what Deborah and I did the last time we were here. In a short bit, we saw two horned mule deer eating. And just before the top of the hill, we saw a loner young Big Horn sheep. We got up to the old homestead and then headed south. We got to a closed barbed wire fence as the trail now goes around and up switchbacks rather than the straight up route. And just as we started up the steeper part, they began to appear. And before long, there were much more than they. And by the time we got to the top, it was the whole herd  . Needless to say, it was a slow hike. It looked like every female was a mom as there were so many little ones. They were busy eating and didn't really seem to mind us being there to admire our luck.
Once at the top of the island, there is a nice big log to sit on and admire the view and soak it all in without it being rainy. I was so glad for this as I kept like feeling I needed to make up for the Chalet. We headed back down and the Big Horns were still all around us. We didn't follow the same trail back to the boat and instead took a trail to the south of it. Deborah decided she wanted to do some cross country hiking so we went off the trail. I'm not sure what her objective was but pretty soon we were on the lakeshore. It was full of dead wood and not the most stable so we eventually crossed back over and found the trail to get back to the boat. There were a few more people in the bay now.
We took a detour by the marina. Apparently there is some sort of upgrade going on to the point where it's going to cost a bit of money to moor there. It's not that big of a marina so I'm not sure how that's going to work out. We headed back to Deborah's house, finished packing up, and helped her do some set up for her family reunion before heading to Glacier Park where we would enjoy the GTTSR, do the Trail of the Cedars and end up driving to Shelby.
Part 1 Big Arm hike and Kerr Dam plus Part 1 of Wild Horse Island [ youtube video ]
Part 2 Wild Horse Island [ youtube video ] |
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For me, sometimes it's just as much about the journey as the destination.
Oh, and once in awhile, don't forget to look back at the trail you've traveled. |
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