RE: Is There Anyplace "Quiet, Peaceful and Shady" in Montana?

Eric Johnson (etj@nwlink.com)
Sun, 6 Jun 1999 09:35:07 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> Not everyone's a sailor, unfortunately. Still, everybody has to start
> somewhere. In my capacity as columnist for Paddling.net (that's paddling
> as in canoeing and kayaking, mind!), I get questions from folks who
> think I'm personally acquainted with every waterway in North America.
> I'm not. Big surprise.
>
> OK. A guy who's new to paddling and who's going to be travelling out
> west in July is hoping to find a place to camp in western Montana or
> Wyoming that's "quiet, peaceful and shady," with a livery (outfitter)
> offering canoe rentals and instruction nearby.
>
> Any recommendations? Remember that this guy's a novice -- no whitewater
> runs, please! In fact, if it's a good place to Potter, it's probably
> just what this guy's looking for.

There's an adundance of places in western montana. If I were him I'd make a
beeline for Glacier National Park. Lots of peaceful, shady, undeveloped
lakes there. St Mary Lake (especially beautiful!), Lake MacDonald, and the
lake at Many Glacier (forget the name) are all real pretty. One could even
potentially paddle among icebergs at (you guessed it) iceberg lake if you're
willing to drag the boat a long ways up a trail.

I've got lots of experience on Flathead Lake, but thats more of a sailing
lake than a paddling one (might get a little interesting in a summer squall
when paddling.) If he heads to flathead, paddling around wildhorse island
would be enjoyable.