The Montana Camp-out Weekend
18-20 July 2025
“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana, it is love.” – John Steinbeck.
Join us as we explore the vast landscapes of Montana’s wilderness, from the prairie to the mountains, and see why it’s called the Big Sky state.
Cost: Anticipated shared costs include park entrance fees and possible shared meals. Otherwise it’s a DIY camping trip!
Dates: 18-20 July 2025
Length: 3 days, with possibility of extension
Group size: 6-14
Intensity: Moderate
What is the Montana Camp-out Weekend?
Our Montana Camp-out Weekend is a low-key weekend of birding, bonfires, friends, and fabulous landscapes! We will pitch tents and hang hammocks in the spacious backyard of the Covill’s Montana home, where our home base for the weekend will be. Think of it as a birding summer camp, but for adults!
We’ll go on day trips in and around Glacier National Park, where we will go hiking in some of the most incredible landscapes of the continent!
The exact itinerary will be flexible, but some possibilities include driving into Glacier and birding a variety of spots in the park by car, as well as one big day hike (~9mi round trip) for White-tailed Ptarmigan.
For those who are interested in staying longer, there is the possibility of doing an extension after the weekend to drive east into the prairies to look for breeding grassland birds.
What makes this Experience unique?
Offering this low-key, informal, summer camp-style weekend allows for a fun and relaxed experience in the spectacular northern Rockies.
This style of experience offers everyone full flexibility with when you wish to arrive and depart, choosing your own sleeping arrangements and comfort level (if you prefer not to camp in the yard, there are a number of accommodations and AirBnb options nearby), and allows for you to drive yourself, carpool with others, or create your own itinerary!
And yes, there will be birds!
In Glacier National Park, our targets will be the various species that call the Rocky Mountains home, along with some high-elevation specialists like Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches, Boreal Chickadee, Black Swift, and White-tailed Ptarmigan. Of course, the birds common to the forests in GNP are often sought-after, like Black-backed and American Three-toed Woodpeckers, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Dusky Grouse, Spruce Grouse, American Dipper, Varied Thrush, Townsend’s Warbler, Western Tanager, MacGilivray’s Warbler, Pacific Wren, and Harlequin Duck.
We might even attempt the coveted “4-chickadee day” with getting Boreal, Black-capped, Mountain, and Chestnut-backed Chickadee in a single day!
The option to stay longer and explore Montana’s prairies will give us the chance to see Thick-billed and Chestnut-collared Longspurs, Sprague’s Pipits, Long-billed Curlews, Upland Sandpipers, and Ferruginous Hawks! We will visit a huge wetland complex to really rack up the species with White-faced Ibis, Black and Forster’s Terns, Cinnamon Teal, Clark’s Grebe, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, and Wilson’s Phalarope!
Birds are the main focus, but there will be plenty of other animals we will look for throughout the weekend.
In Glacier NP, some of the mammals we will look for American Pika, Hoary Marmot, Bighorn Sheep, and Mountain Goat. There is always the chance we can see Black or Grizzly Bear as well!
Out on the prairies, we have the chance at American Badger, Pronghorn, American Bison, and Black-tailed Prairie-Dog.
Want to join us?
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