Day 3: South Fork Milk River to Kiowa Junction, 12 miles

Another early morning for us walkers but its amazing how easily I have been able to rise for not being a morning person. Camping in such beautiful spots and looking forward to the day makes waking up enjoyable. We camped next to the South Fork of the Milk River off of Hwy 89. The river is just visible winding around the lush vegetation. Beavers have heavily manipulated the area and there was a large damn close to our campsite. Beavers are a key to maintaining healthy riparian areas. For many years they have been, trapped, killed, and removed. Their damns can be a road owner’s worst nightmare washing them out. Recently new projects have been created to restore beaver populations in areas where they have been removed. The Beaver Restoration Project is one of them. To learn more follow this link http://www.seventh-generation.org/Climate_riparian_beaver.html.  

Before we started walking we smudged and prayed for strength and endurance to make it to our next campsite. The morning felt warm indicating another hot day ahead of us. Our plan is to walk from our campsite at the South Fork of the Milk River to the Kiowa Junction where Hwy 89 meets Hwy 49 (Looking Glass Road). This will total 12 miles of S curves down into the South Fork of the Cut Bank Creek valley and up and over to our camping spot at Kiowa Junction. Walking early in the day also has its advantages of beating much of the traffic that zooms by on a tight schedule. We however walk at a comfortable pace with no rush to get to our destination.

Our camp is located next to Lake Creek a small stream that flows from the base of Spot Mountain. While I walk I think of old times when the Blackfeet people traveled on foot over the area we are now traveling on foot. How has the water changed? Its makes me smile to think that we may be camping in spots where my ancestors camps hundreds of years ago. Honoring and appreciating the water just as they did.