Flathead National Forest conducts National Visitor Use Monitoring survey

The National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) surveys began this week and will be conducted across the Flathead National Forest through September 30, 2025. The primary function of the survey is to gauge National Forest visitor satisfaction. It provides National Forest managers with an estimate of how many people recreate on the Flathead National Forest, what activities they engage in while there, and how satisfied people were with their visit. Surveys are voluntary and all responses are confidential; names are not included. Interviews include basic visitor information and last about 10 minutes.

Visitors to Flathead National Forest will encounter Forest Service employees conducting interviews in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along Forest Service roads. They will be out in all types of weather conditions, wearing bright orange vests, and will be near a sign that says, “Traffic Survey Ahead”.

“Although the survey is entirely voluntary, participation is extremely important so we can assess visitor experiences on the Forest and strive to make it a better place to visit,” said Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello. “We would appreciate it if visitors would pull over and answer a few questions. We would like to hear from local people using the forest, as well as out-of-area visitors, so all types of visitors are represented in the study.”

Additional information about the National Visitor Use Monitoring program can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/nvum



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Fire Danger Increased to Very High in Grand Teton

Teton Interagency Fire managers have elevated the fire danger rating to “Very High” for Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest and the National Elk Refuge. When the fire danger is "Very High," fires can start easily from most causes and may spread rapidly with quick increase in intensity right after ignition. Small fires can quickly become large fires and exhibit extreme fire intensity, such as long-distance spotting. These fires can be difficult to control and can often become much larger and longer lasting.

Last week, six human-caused fires were reported on the Bridger-Teton National Forest. These fires, all from abandoned warming fires, have ranged in size from ½ acre to 4.5 acres. Luckily, all these fires have been extinguished thanks to the vigilance of public reporting and firefighters patrolling the Forest. Fire managers are urging recreationists to use extreme caution with fire.

During the fall, frost kills summer grasses and vegetation, creating more light, cured fuels to carry fire. Larger fuels remain dry throughout the season, and winds become a major driver for fires. Additionally, with fall, comes the arrival of hunting season. People hunting and recreating on public lands will want to have warming fires and campfires with the cooler overnight temperatures. Public land users can help prevent wildfires by choosing to not have a fire at all and instead dress for success with multiple layers and warm clothing.

Unseasonably warm daytime temperatures and very dry conditions are predicted to continue over the weekend and into next week with periods of increased wind and no forecasted rain.

Fire managers advise recreationists to use extreme caution if choosing to build and maintain a campfire. In areas where campfires are allowed, fires should never be left unattended and must be completely extinguished before leaving. If choosing to have a campfire, keep it small and have a plan for putting it out before lighting it. All recreationists should have a shovel on hand and a water bucket ready for use. Soak, stir, feel, repeat. Make sure your campfire is “dead out” and cold to the touch before leaving. If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave!

To date, 68 campfires have been abandoned or left unattended in the Teton Interagency Dispatch area. Unattended or abandoned campfires and warming fires can quickly escape and become wildfires, and recreationists can be held liable for suppression costs.

Visit the Teton Interagency Fire website at TetonFires.com to learn more about fire safety. To report a fire or smoke in the area, call Teton Interagency Fire Dispatch Center at 307-739-3630.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Public Invited to Mount Brown Hawk Watch Event

Glacier National Park will host its annual Mount Brown Hawk Watch Program on October 5th from 11 am - 3 pm near Lake McDonald Lodge.

The event will be held at the Golden Eagle interpretative sign near Jammer Joe’s parking lot, beginning at 11 am. Park biologists will teach volunteers how to identify and count migrating raptors. Educators from Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center will also be on site with live raptors from 12 pm - 2 pm to provide a close-up on raptor species that migrate past Mount Brown.

For the last hour of the event, counting migrating raptors will resume from 2 to 3 pm. Participants should bring their own binoculars, (there will be a small number provided) and be prepared to count Golden Eagles on their annual migration south past Mount Brown. Biologists, park staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions about the integral role of raptors in our ecosystems, the risks they face, and why Glacier has started the Mount Brown Hawk Watch Program. Attendees do not need to stay for the whole time; snacks and hot beverages will be provided.

Beginning September 23 through October, volunteers can also choose to count migrating raptors from the Jammer Joe’s parking lot at Lake McDonald Lodge from noon to 4 pm each day, or hike on their own to count migrating raptors just below Mount Brown fire lookout. The hike to the Mount Brown observation point is about 4.5 miles/7.2 km one-way (about 9 miles/14.5 km roundtrip) with an elevation gain of over 4,000 ft/1,220 m. Volunteers interested in hiking to the observation point and participating in the count should email the Glacier Citizen Science Office, e-mail us, for additional details.

Each year in the fall, Golden Eagles migrate from northern breeding grounds to warmer climates. One of the most important North American Golden Eagle migration routes passes directly through Glacier National Park along the Continental Divide. Many other raptors also use this migration corridor during the fall and spring months.

In the mid-1990s biologists documented nearly 2,000 Golden Eagles migrating past Mount Brown annually. Recent data from outside Glacier National Park indicates a significant decline in Golden Eagle numbers. Due to this concern, the park initiated a Citizen Science Raptor Migration Project in 2011 to investigate possible locations for a Hawk Watch site. Hawk Watch sites are part of an international effort to track long-term raptor population trends using systematic migrating raptor counts. Observers also record data on sex, age, color morph and behavior of raptors, as well as weather and environmental conditions. To see a map of Hawk Watch sites around the world on the HawkCount website.

Glacier National Park Conservancy donors provide support for this program. Contact e-mail us or call (406) 888-7986 for more information.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

Southern Appalachia Desperately Needs Your Help

Yesterday, Kathy and I returned from our trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. As some of you may know, we moved to to a small community just north of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in East Tennessee a little over three years ago. If I remember correctly, news that Hurricane Helene was approaching the Florida coast reached us on Thursday, and that the track of the storm was expected to pass near our home. Naturally, we were more than a little concerned. Though we expected some damage to the area, we never dreamed that it would become one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history. Fortunately for us, the storm spared our small community. However, several towns in our immediate area were completely devastated. I'm writing this blog in hopes that some of you will help the people in this region whose lives have been turned upside down. Many of these people have lost everything - their homes, businesses and jobs. Some have even lost their lives. There are still homes, communities and towns that are completely cut-off from the rest of this world. Numerous roads have been washed out, including both I-40 and I-26 near the TN-NC border (on either side of Asheville, NC). Numerous bridges have also been destroyed. Power is still out for millions of people in TN, NC, SC, GA and FL. I just read an AP story that volunteers are using mules "to deliver food, water and diapers to hard-to-reach mountainous areas".

Most importantly, at this very moment, there are immediate needs, such as water. Our community has organized at least two truckloads of bottled water that have been sent to Greeneville and Newport, TN. I'm sure we'll be doing much more over the next days, weeks and months. For those who can't physically provide relief, donations are also extremely appreciated / needed.

As the region waits for FEMA and other Federal agencies to respond en masse, there are many ways you can help right now. The Tennessee Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster is taking monetary donations. Second Harvest of East Tennessee is accepting monetary donations to provide food relief. The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina also seeks donations for relief in western NC. Samaritan's Purse is already on the ground in five locations. And of course, the Red Cross is the most well-known organization. These are just some of the ways you can help. There are many more here, here and here.

To possibly personalize the story a little more for this audience, I wanted to provide some additional information from the hiker perspective. Several Appalachian Trail communities ("trail towns") have been virtually destroyed. This includes Hot Springs, NC, Erwin, TN, Roan Mountain, TN and Damascus, VA. As you may have guessed, the Appalachian Trail has also been devastated. Right now, the southern third of the trail, from Springer Mountain, GA to Rockfish Gap, VA is effectively closed. That's 865 miles of trail that were impacted. You can visit this ATC page for ways you can help.

Several roads, and likely much of the trail system in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently closed. On their website, the park states, "outdoor recreation is currently discouraged due to park staffing being stretched and visitor safety concerns." On another page, they posted this statement:

"Hiking and backcountry travel are not recommended in the park following Hurricane Helene impacts. Park staff are assessing trail conditions and addressing damage, but unpredictable creek crossings, potential downed trees, and other hazardous trail conditions remain. Emergency response times may be delayed with staff stretched thin and resources limited."

High On Leconte is reporting that Mount Leconte received 10.35 inches of rain during the storm, with maximum winds clocked at 65 MPH. They are also reporting that the TN side of the park seems to have escaped much of the damage. However, that side was on the lee side of the storm, and was protected by the crest of the mountains. My guess is that the NC side, and the eastern portion of the park is in very bad shape right now.

Though their website hasn't been updated since September 26th, I would imagine much of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed. Mount Mitchell State Park, Gorges State Park and Grandfather Mountain are all closed. Much of Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests are also closed as well.

Here are a few stats from the storm, provided by NOAA:

* MOUNT MITCHELL reported maximum winds of 106 MPH.

* BUSICK NC received 30.78 inches of rain.

* MOUNT MITCHELL STATE PARK received 24.20 inches of rain.

As you can see from this map, western NC received the brunt of this storm once it reached inland:

There are likely thousands of pictures of destruction from the storm. All of them tell a story, but none tell the full story. I'll post one from Hot Springs, a town that we visited just a few weeks ago as we were training for our hikes in Colorado: