Lazy Days in Livingston

After the grand vistas of Glacier National Park, we took a day trip to explore Flathead Lake, located southwest of Whitefish where we camped. Flathead Lake is remarkable because it is the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River. The lake is 191 square miles of water surface and has 160 miles of shoreline, and 370 feet at its deepest point. It is so large that it does not freeze over in winter. It is known for spectacularly clear water.

The lower half of the lake is situated within the boundaries of the Flathead Indian Reservation, which was created in 1855 for the Salish, Pend D'Oreille and Kootenai tribes.

Flathead Lake flows from the Flathead River in the Rockies in British Columbia. Initially known as Salish Lake, the lake was renamed. as Flathead Lake for the "Flathead" Indians. The "Flathead" name was assigned in error to the Salish speaking tribes by European explorers. Some accounts of the naming attributed it to misinterpretation of sign language used by the tribe. A sign that was used to identify their tribe was misinterpreted as "flathead" and was thought to refer to the practice of head binding to create a broad flattened forehead. The process employed by some Salish tribes was to bind an infant's head to a cradleboard with strips of cloth to gradually reshape their skull. This was considered a sign of wealth and was an identifying feature for certain Salish tribes. However, in this case, the name was inaccurate, as the Salish tribes living around the lake never practiced head binding.

The Flathead Reservation was formed in 1855 by the Treaty of Hellgate. The Salish tribes of the area were invited to a treaty council by the Governor of the Washington territory, Isaac Stevens, The Salish tribes were hoping to establish peaceful interactions between multiple tribes in the region to resolve conflicts over hunting grounds in the Bitteroot .Valley and gain protection from other warring tribes. The goal of the federal government was much different. Stevens wanted the tribes to cede their lands to the government and move to a reservation to enable development of the transcontinental railroad and give access to the Pacific coast and Asia for trade. The Indians were to receive $120,000 in a series of payments, continued use of the hunting grounds and protection from the Blackfeet nation.

While the treaty was signed in 1855, it was not ratified by Congress until 1859. This resulted in a delay of payments, which appeared as a broken promise to the Indians. When payments did begin, they initially took the form of goods, such as blankets and supplies, rather than cash. In addition, mismanagement and theft greatly reduced the total amount paid. Disputes over Indian rights to the area continued over the next several years, with some Salish remaining in the Bitteroot Valley and some moving to the reservation. With the government's attention diverted to the Civil War, resolution of the dispute was delayed until 1871, when President Grant issued an executive order to remove the Salish from the Bitteroot tValley o the Flathead reservation. Diplomatic negotiations allowed the tribe to stay in the valley until 1891. Finally in 1904, Congress passed the 1904 Flathead allotment, which reduced the size of the reservation by 60%, a loss of over a million acres of Indian land (source: Wikipedia).

Today the status of Indian and Montana state government affairs is focused on building and maintaining a respectful relationship. Montana's constitution recognizes the unique cultural heritage of American Indians and is committed to preserving it. There are seven federally recognized Indian reservations and one state recognized landless tribe, the Little Shell Chippewa.

The lake is surrounded by wooded areas, enjoyed by campers and hikers and the sparkling waters draw boaters and swimmers and the resident wildlife. On this summer morning a lone sailboat drifted along in the middle of the lake, the water glistening like stars in the bright sunshine

A hanglider lofted above the lake - what a view that must be!

On the far side of the lake, we found a small marina, and beach. with great access to the water. I met this lovely lady with her two furry friends, lounging in their hammock. Alan strolled on the beach with Murphy, who was happy to wade in the shallows.

This fella was clearly relaxed, and refining the art of the Float!

The ducks float on the calm waters too, but are ready for lift off at any moment.

And in the surrounding woods - a deer grazed in the shade.

.We enjoyed lunch in Polson, which is a small town on the edge of the lake. Polson is a very fertile agricultural area with orchards of cherries, grapes, apples. plums and pears, and other crops of vegetables and hay. You can also rent boats here and bikes to explore the area. We also saw a unique use of old bikes - a whole fence created out of old bikes!

The following day we traveled southeast towards South Dakota towards our planned destination of Mount Rushmore. The landscape south of Glacier is heavily forested with pine trees and decorated with lakes and streams We passed by communities of Swan Lake and the beautiful Salmon Lake. Thecozy cabins hugging the shore looked so inviting.

We stopped in Helena to visit the state capitol building. The flags in front of it represent Indian Nations that reside in Montana. From left to right they include: Little Shell Chippewa, Fort Belknap Tribal Nation, Crow Nation, Blackfeet Nation, the United States, the state of Montana, the Chippewa Cree, the Flathead Nation, the Northern Cheyenne and the Fort Peck Sioux and Assiniboine tribes..

Beautiful building! The inside was just as impressive as the exterior.

Leaving Helena, we traveled further east, where the landscape flattened out, changing into a mix of broad rural fields and small towns. A giant field of sunflowers made a dazzling array of bright yellow.

Stacked hay bales made an orderly stand in the fields.

And gas stations were an oasis for RVers and a rainbow of brightly colored semi-trucks.

We made our way to Livingston, Montana - a small town of about 9,000 residents. We stayed at a campground on the Yellowstone River.

Rafters enjoyed a float on the Yellowstone River.

Country road near the campground giving access to the farms and ranches in the area and boaters coming to the river.

Murphy and Alan strolled near a field of cattle. Murphy and this cow had a stand-off, unsure what to make of each other!

Sleepy Holsteins lazing in the field.

This lovely lady was quite curious and kept a cautious eye on the photographer :)

An older swayback horse meandered the field. She may be moving slow, but there was still plenty of swish in her tail!

We visited the town of Livingston, enjoying a park in the center of town, and a soft summer rain shower.

A lovely sculpture of Sacagawea by the Yellowstone River. graced the park.

We were surprised to see Sandhill cranes grazing in the field near the campsite.

Horses standing atop a hill and grazing in a nearby field.

After a relaxing few days, we bid Montana goodbye and headed on down the road, anxious to see Mount Rushmore and the Badlands!