Seasons of Beauty
Crisp temperatures usher in the autumn leaves of red and gold. Fall brings frosty mornings and snow-capped mountains. The sky is dotted with the v-shaped formations of Canada Geese honking their way south. Tamaracks, aspens and cottonwoods splash golden patches amid the dark green pines and firs. Tree-lined streets of Hamilton and Stevensville explode the vivid reds and oranges. Harvest season brings apple trees heavy with ripe fruit and deer, elk and moose in full antler.
Springtime in the Bitterroot - Learn More.
As temperatures warm, the valley awakens with new life. Fragrant apple blossoms abound in the foothills beneath snowcapped mountain peaks. Willows and cottonwoods sprout fresh leaves. The Bitterroot River swells with melted snow and gentle rain. Red-breasted robins punctuate warm breezes with song. In green-carpeted meadows, calves frolic, lambs bound, and foals try out their spindly legs. In wild woods and river bottom, deer, elk, moose and bighorn sheep raise their young.
Hot Fun in the Summer Sun - Learn More.
With up to 16.5 hours of sunlight, summer days are long and warm. The comfortably cool nights make for good sleeping weather. Down country roads, the air is perfumed with the refreshing scent of new-mown hay. Eagles soar the heights, meadowlarks sing from the treetops, and hummingbirds hover over flowers. Lake Como and the Bitterroot River warm to swimming temperatures. Bears amble through huckleberry patches and deer browse the bushes.
Sheltered between the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains, the valley is spared much of the harsh blizzard winds and record-breaking wind chill temperatures. Although the mercury occasionally dips below zero, Bitterroot winters are usually mild, earning the valley nickname, “Banana Belt of Montana.” While snow seldom accumulates more than 6 inches on the valley floor, the annual average at Lost Trail Ski Resort is 300 inches of pristine powder. Billions of stars, meteor showers and rare displays of Northern Lights adorn the deep black night skies.