Farmland Vista, Ulm, Montana

This is the northwest view from the top of the First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm, Montana.

Plateau Wildflowers, Ulm, Montana

These purple wildflowers nestle sporadically amidst the sagebrush, native grasses, and prairie dog mounds covering the upper segment of First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park near Ulm, Montana.
Smoke floating in from regional wildfires still greys the famously blue Montana sky.

Smokey Mountain Ranges, Ulm, Montana

A prairie dog sentinel peruses the hazy mountain ranges visible from his post at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park's upper visitor area. Smoke or wafting clouds reveal whole new angles and layers from what you typically see on a clear day, bringing a whole new perspective to provoke amazement.

Lonesome Prairie, Ulm, Montana

Driving half a day across the state highlights the diversity of Montana's beauty - from the mountains to the prairies, just like the song says of America. The rolling grasslands that begin about 20 miles east of Lincoln, Montana, always strike a pensive chord in my soul, accentuated on this particular day by the filter of smoke casting an old-world feel on the scene. You almost expect a covered wagon or Red River cart to rattle over the hill...

Home on the Range, First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm, Montana

Smoke from regional forest fires hazes the mountains near Great Falls and Ulm, Montana, add to the lonely aspect of this tipi set up in First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park.
While affecting a picturesque filter from a distance, wild fire safety is definitely something to be aware of before you head out into any wilderness. RidersTrail offers some safe planning food-for-thought in their useful infographic.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park, Ulm, Montana

Traveling home from Alberta, Canada, last week, I bought a couple pieces of chicken from Quigley's Quickstop in Ulm, Montana, then headed west a few miles to enjoy my picnic at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park. (Side note: ants do not stop for crispy fried chicken crumbs.)

Cross Purposes, Ulm, Montana

In Montana, the ground often varies intimately between soil and solid rock, so fencelines may shift from a vertical post to two x-crossed posts supporting the wire. Seeing these fences stretch for miles across Montana's rolling rangeland reminds me of the adaptable spirit so characteristic of people who love this landscape.