Springtime in the Bitterroot

Weather Data:
Average Temperature:
April – High 57.9            Low 32.2

Average Rain Fall:
April – 1.05 inches

Setting the Scene

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.

Be Prepared

• Bring a sweater and keep warmer wear nearby. Nights are nippy and morning frost is frequent. In early spring, winter occasionally makes a brief comeback with a sudden snow shower.

• Pack an umbrella or raincoat for all day outdoor excursions. Rain falls in intermittent drizzles and drenching thunderstorms are rare.

Explore… Enjoy… Experience…

• At the Lee Metcalf and Teller Wildlife Refuges, watch ducklings, wild swans, and new fawns. Bring binoculars for a close-up look and a field guide for identification. Capture the beauty of spring with a camera.

• Along the Bitterroot River, wade in at the many fishing access points. Hike along the bank or float the current northward in a raft or canoe.

• Up the mountain sides, enjoy a last snow sports fling in early spring. Hunt for bear and wild turkey. Ride horseback or hike the trails to catch wildflowers and waterfalls at their peak.

• In the valley, spend an afternoon at a golf course, walk, bike or skate the paved paths along the roadways to the river.

• On the small town streets, buy crafts and produce at the Farmer’s Markets in Stevensville, Hamilton and Darby. Stroll or drive through the neighborhoods to see a variety of architecture from log to Victorian, framed with flowering plants in a riot of color.

Change Seasons: Spring | Summer | Autumn | Winter