Things to do / Travel Guide
While Greater Yellowstone certainly has plenty of natural beauty in its national and state parks, botanical gardens, preserves, and wildlife areas offer a peaceful alternative to the hustle and bustle of those primary attractions.
Montana Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
This small arboretum, located on the Montana State University campus in Bozeman, features native plants from the north Rocky Mountain region, the plains, and other drier areas of Montana. It even includes a Xeriscape garden, a type of landscaping that does not require supplemental irrigation, that is popular in areas where water is less accessible.
Tizer Botanic Gardens, Montana
Stroll down beautiful garden paths and explore thousands of unique high altitude plants at Jefferson City's Tizer Botanic Gardens, south of Helena. Roses, wild flowers, herbs, vegetables, perennials and bulbs are just some of the garden's highlights. Fairy and gnome gardens are a treat for the kids, and adults will enjoy the Buddha garden for relaxation and meditation. Tizer's many theme gardens are a great place to picnic or relax, and the family can even check out the restored gold miners cabin or hotel also located on the premises. The gardens actually straddle the Prickly Pear Creek, and the hotel and cabin are located on a small island in the middle of the creek.
Tensleep Preserve in the Bighorn Mountains
Slicing through the southwestern flanks of the Bighorn Mountains, the Tansleep Preserve consists of 9,000 acres of rugged canyons, uplands, and forests maintained by the Nature Conservancy in Wyoming. The site is home to eight plant communities and more than 120 bird species, in addition to mountain lion, black bear, elk, beaver and the spotted bat. Several rare plants - some found only in the Bighorns – can also be found on the preserve. Visitors can check out the visitors center, spot western flowers, watch for wildlife, and visit ancient pictograph sites. The landscape is striking, with lush ponderosa pine woodlands, cottonwood forests, and open meadows. The Preserve is open to the public from March through mid-October.
Medicine Lodge Wildlife Habitat Management Area
Located five miles northwest of Hyattville, the Medicine Lodge Wildlife Habitat Management Area was established more than 30 years ago as a winter forage zone for elk. Today, the more than 12,000 acres of canyons, meadows, and grasslands are home to 500 elk and 300 mule deer in the winter. Elevations vary from 4,000 to 9,000 feet, with steep canyons along West and Dry Medicine Lodge creeks. Visitors can check out more than 40 species of birds, small mammals, lizards and snakes, and then make a stop at the visitors' center or picnic areas and campgrounds. The Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site, including several Native American petroglyphs and pictographs, is also managed in the area.
Heart Mountain Ranch
Capped with unusual Limestone, Heart Mountain is a mystery to geologists; its origins remain unknown. The 15,000 acre ranch, purchased and protected by the Nature Conservancy in Wyoming, supports one of the largest concentrations of rare plants discovered on private property in Wyoming. Elk, mule deer, antelope, and a large number of bird species can also be found here. It is a hub of biodiversity, and several cushion plant communities can be found on cliffs near its summit – including the Shoshonea, Howards Forget me not, Snake River Cat's eye, Aromatic Pussytoes, and Absaroka Goldenweed. North of Cody are the north and east slopes of Heart Mountain and a portion of the surrounding plains.
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