Where to find the best autumn colors
<p>Fall colors line the Flathead River as seen from Steel Bridge Road east of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Steel Bridge Road winds its way through stunning fall colors east of Kalispell. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Red leaves on a sidewalk in Whitefish. (Brenda Ahearn/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Along the mountain ridges surrounding the Flathead Valley, a frosting of high-elevation snow already heralds the approaching winter in Northwest Montana. But autumn’s colorful displays haven’t faded yet, and the forests around the Flathead Valley will continue their transformation in the weeks to come.
The alpine regions of Glacier National Park have already peaked, but park spokesman Tim Rains said the bright yellows and oranges characterizing the thick groves of aspen and birch populating the valley bottoms are just hitting their stride.
“The larch are just starting to turn in the park, but the leaf areas that have reached their peak are near the Avalanche area,” Rains said, adding, “The campground, ironically, looks the best.”
Rains also recommended popping over the pass to the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road — while it’s still open — to view the re-emerging foliage where the 2015 Reynolds Creek Fire torched long stretches along the scenic byway.
“It’s mostly aspen and birch. The fireweed is mostly gone, but the seeds are blowing and the cottonwoods are blazing,” he said.
In Flathead National Forest, the region’s deciduous pine trees, Western and alpine larch, are also beginning their annual top-to-bottom transformation as their needles turn to a deep golden hue.
Forest botanist Chantelle DeLay said common viewing areas include Hungry Horse Dam and the forest roads criss-crossing the Tally Lake area west of Whitefish. For those seeking a more remote experience, the Tuchuk Mountain region includes a special research area, designated by the Forest Service in part for its plentiful alpine larch.
“You can go anywhere and find them, take a nice drive on the Tally Lake District or on the Hungry Horse Reservoir,” DeLay said. “If you can, find a road to get a view of the valley below.”
As the birch trees reach their peak, Montana 83 through the Swan Valley also offers some of the region’s best drive-by views — but motorists should also keep an eye out for deer that frequently bound in front of traffic.
Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.