I’ve decided to finish out 2021 with two of my favorite weekend workshops here in Montana! Both of these workshops I’ve had the privilege of teaching over the years and they have some of my favorite locations to photograph in the fall. These workshops will be held in October and will be limited to a small group size. I will be offering the Bitterroot Valley Workshop Oct. 15-17 and the Seeley-Swan Valley Workshop Oct. 22-24, please see the workshops page for more details or to reserve your spot. Here are a few images from our previous trips over the years.
Fall Photography Montana
I’ve finally wrapped up a few of my fall trips here in Big Sky Country for September and October. Talk about a weird fall! Our September had some beautiful weather and fall colors were slowly coming in until we had a crazy arctic blast from the north putting things in a deep freeze throughout October. Unfortunately this took a lot of the fall color with it. We had a record breaking snowstorm the week after my September Glacier National Park trip that dropped up to four feet of snow in some areas of the state. Crazy!
So it’s been an interesting fall here in Montana to say the least. Despite the lack of color, we still managed to get some great stuff. One tree that was immune to the early freeze was the Larch and these were going full force during my Seeley-Swan Valley trip. Really breathtaking up there this year and even more so with some fresh snow.
All in all it’s been a great fall, now shifting gears and looking forward to some upcoming winter trips! Here’s a few from the last couple months in Montana.
2019 Montana Weekend Workshops
2019 Montana Fall Weekend Workshops are now listed!
We had probably one of the best fall seasons I’ve seen in all the years I’ve been photographing Montana. Colors were really popping in the western part of the state and we had some great opportunities on our trips.
Both of my Fall Weekend Workshops are located in western Montana, so if you want to visit Montana and don’t have the extra time to commit to a longer workshop, these trips are a great way to get a taste of the Montana landscape in fall.
Here are a few images from this year’s trips.
Montana Photography Destinations
Planning a photography trip to Montana and wondering where to spend your time? Here are few of my favorite locations throughout the state that I revisit year after year for amazing landscapes, wildlife, and to experience the diversity of Big Sky Country.
Montana is our fourth largest state in the US but it feels much bigger partly due to its large open spaces and much like Alaksa it’s one of the least populated states, topping just over a million people for the entire state. Definitely more cows than people here, in fact more than double.
What really makes Montana stand out even more than its big wide open spaces is its diversity. Spend your time in the northwest and you’ll find expansive wilderness areas, millions of acres of national forest and mountains, big mountains. The Continental Divide cuts right through here creating an impressive backdrop from Glacier National Park down to the southern border of the Rocky Mountain Front.
Venture east and you begin to head into the plains where rivers like the Missouri and Yellowstone snake their routes through the state joining in the northeast to continue their journey to the Mississippi. When you get out this way you get an understanding for what “Big Sky Country” means and you also get a sense of how small you are in the great wide open of eastern Montana.
Below are just a few of my favorites places to explore that represent a good cross section of the state if you’re looking for some key locations during your travels. I have left out Yellowstone, because technically almost all of it’s in Wyoming (although many of us still secretly consider it a part of the state).
Glacier National Park
If you can only visit one destination in Montana, Glacier National Park is the place to go. I find my time spent here is usually some of the most productive of anywhere else and for good reason. You simply can’t beat the dramatic landscapes and abundant wildlife. The mountains rise up from the plains in the east and tower over you with sharp jagged ridges, glaciers, and sweeping vistas. The blue waters tinted with glacier silt of the many lakes reveal their multicolored rocks, like candy under the turquoise surface and wildflowers erupt in an epic display of color throughout the park.
There’s also only one road though Glacier and it’s probably the most jaw dropping 50 miles you may ever experience. Literally blasted out of the cliffs, hugging the mountains with thousands of feet of empty space below, it joins the west and east side of the park climbing in the middle to the top of Logan Pass. Completed in 1933 after nearly three decades of construction it’s a real testament to the determination and ingenuity of the men who constructed it and put in place a scenic drive that seemed an impossibility.
Bringing your long lenses? Grizzly & black bear, moose, big horn sheep, mountain goats are just a few of the large mammals that call Glacier home. Head to the northeast for some of the highest concentration of grizzly bears in the lower 48 or head up high and hang out with mountain goats as you point your camera over sub alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers and stunning backdrops of some of the parks 10,000ft peaks.
Best time to visit is July-Oct, the rest of the year main access to the interior of the park is closed due to snow.
Makoshika State Park
Head east, far east in Montana, to the small town of Glendive nestled up against the North Dakota border where you will find Maksoshika State Park, a surreal landscape and one of our coolest State Parks (in my opinion) in Montana. Makoshika is relatively small, only about 11,000 acres, but it sits in an area that is unique geographically and gives a glimpse into our prehistoric past. The park is an ancient exposed seabed that has been shaped by wind and water over millions of years and gives you a sense as you’re hiking through that you’re wandering in some sort of martian-like landscape.
Makoshika in Lakota translates to “Bad Land” or “Bad Earth”, which seems appropriate as it’s situated in the badlands that stretch between Montana and North Dakota connecting up in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which is a short drive east from Makoshika. The badlands in this area can be beautiful in late spring as the rains come and green starts to dot the brown parched landscape. In early summer, awesome thunderstorms make their way through bringing lightning shows and dramatic weather that can make for some fantastic landscape photography.
To get to Makoshika head to the town of Glendive just off of I-94. There is some camping inside the park and also lodging in town. Late spring through fall is the best time to visit, but be prepared in mid summer for hot temps and drier conditions.
Seeley-Swan Valley
Are you searching for the perfect fall location to explore in Montana? Wondering where the best time is spent for great colors and epic landscapes? When fall arrives there is one place I head every year and that’s the Seeley-Swan Valley located in western Montana, a short 45 min drive northeast of Missoula.
The valley is bordered by two distinct mountain ranges, the Missions to the west and the Swan Range to the east. On the other side of the Missions lies Flathead Lake and the Mission Valley and to the east past the Swan Range lies the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness. What makes the Seeley-Swan Valley so special?
One, it’s home to a chain of lakes that stretch from north to south, some large some small, providing great landscape opportunities, especially with fall reflections. Second the valley is thick with larch or “tamaracks” as the locals call them, the only deciduous conifer and one that turns a brilliant orange in the fall, one of the primary reasons for photographing the area. Third are the mountains. Both ranges provide great backdrops, especially when the snow comes to the high country, adding nicely fitting snow capped peaks into the scene.
Not only are the views amazing, but you have some great wildlife opportunities with both grizzly & black bear, moose, elk, and other large mammals. Not to mention some birding opportunity as well with bald eagles, loons, waterfowl and other migrating birds.
The best time to visit if you’re coming for the larch, is mid-late October.
Rocky Mountain Front
What can I say about the Rocky Mountain Front? Well if I had to sum it up in into one word, I think it would be “Wild”! That’s the sense I get every time I make a trip into this incredible wilderness area. The “Front” in Montana stretches from just south of Glacier to the town of Lincoln and the two main towns that border this area are Choteau and Augusta. The mountains here rise up dramatically from the plains towering over the foothills where ranchers graze their cattle and grizzly bears still wander onto the plains just as they did before these lands were settled.
One of the main draws of the Front is the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Just beyond the front range lies one of the largest roadless wilderness areas in the lower 48. Home to the second largest migratory elk herd in the United State and also the largest band of Big Horn Sheep it encompasses some of the most important and protected lands we have here. For day hikes or multi-day trips you can explore endlessly here with jaw dropping views and wildlife just about everywhere you turn.
In the late spring I like to visit the Front as huge blooms of wildflowers appear carpeting the foothills and making for some awesome foregrounds. Late May into early June can be the best time, especially when the rains arrive. As you explore here whether driving the backroads or hiking in, you rarely see many people, giving you a sense that you have this whole place to yourself. I liken it to Glacier without the crowds.
The National Bison Range
The National Bison Range is located just north of Missoula next to the small town of St. Ignatius in the southern end of the Mission Valley. The Mission Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop all along the valley in the east and extend to the Bison Range. The National Bison Range was established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt to provide a natural habitat where bison could roam, protected. The Bison Range is just over 18,000 acres and is home to about 500 head of bison.
What makes the Bison Range such a special location for photography is it also has some of the best elk and white-tailed deer photography around. Visit in the fall and you will have the elk and deer in rut, which is pretty amazing with some huge bull elk bugling everywhere you turn. The range also is home to black bear, bighorn sheep, and a fantastic bird habitat.
The reason I like to visit here so often is the combination of great close-up wildlife photography combined with the scenery of the Mission Mountains. It’s a productive area to work both early morning and late evening, with the latter providing the best lighting for your mountain backdrop. There’s one scenic drive that goes through the range with the upper portion being a one way tour taking you up into the higher elevations.
Best time to visit is Spring-Fall, with special attention to Bison, Elk and White-tailed Ruts.
Montana Photography Workshops
Back from teaching my Seeley Lake Workshop in Montana, no cell or wifi for a few days, kind of nice! Had a fantastic time with a wonderful group. Things are spectacular in northwestern Montana right now, fall colors, snow-capped peaks, and some amazing aspens, such as this one.
Canon 1DX, 70-200mm 2.8L IS mkII, f5.6 1/45 ISO100
Montana Fall Photography & The Government Shutdown
Being hopeful that the Government Shutdown ends any day now, I thought I would provide some helpful alternative photo locations for those who have been shut out and stranded on their Yellowstone & Glacier National Parks vacations. And to all the locals who had plans to visit as well. October in Montana is probably one of the best (IMO) times to visit both Yellowstone & Glacier, but this year so far we are out of luck.
Here are some top fall locations to consider:
Northwest Montana:
The Yaak & Ross Creek Cedars
Located in extreme northwest Montana, this area is not only phenomenal in fall, but has some of the most unique and remote forested country in Montana. Check out Ross Creek Cedars for amazing photography in the old growth cedar groves and nearby lakes & rivers for some scenic landscapes. Up north in the Yaak, awesome colors and views are to be found. Best route here is to take Hwy 2 west from Kalispell. You can take Hwy 56 south off of Hwy 2 to Ross Creek Cedars or continue on past the town of Troy and then head north into the Yaak. Either way, it’s some sweet country.
Head south from Kalispell on Hwy 83 into Montana’s Seeley-Swan Valley. Golden Larch or Tamaracks as the locals call them line the valley and many different lakes give way to some of the best fall photography in the area. Stop in the town of Seeley Lake for a great hike to a local waterfall nearby or checkout the handful of lakes down the road for some amazing fall photo ops.
Southwest Montana:
Big Hole River
You can’t go wrong here, the Big Hole is just plain awesome in the fall. Fantastic colors line the banks and there’s a ton of wildlife out this time of year. Take I-15 to Hwy 43. The Big Hole River follows Hwy 43 through the towns of Wise River and Wisdom. You can finish up at the the Big Hole Battlefield just a few minutes out of Wisdom for a popular historic destination.
Paradise Valley
Just north of Yellowstone, the Paradise Valley offers awesome landscapes and wildlife, with spectacular views of the Absaroka & Gallatin mountain ranges. Hang out south, just north of the the town of Gardiner for some excellent wildlife photography, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and elk. Just off I-90, Hwy 89 runs from Livingston to Gardiner, just on the border of the park.
Whether the shutdown ends tomorrow or continues on bleakly, these are still some of the best spots to visit outside the parks. Of course there are many other fantastic locations around the state, these are just a handful of my favorites nearby. Have fun out there!
Fall Photography Workshop
Rainy Lake.Canon 5dmkII, 100-400mm. F8.0 1/20 ISO100
Here are a few shots from the Seeley-Swan Valley workshop in Montana last week. We had a ton of rain, matter of fact it really didn’t let up much the whole weekend, but we still managed to find some great stuff and the valley was at it’s peak for fall colors. The Larch trees this time of year are spectacular and line the whole valley. We’ve had such a late fall this year that it’s been a great season for photography.
Beaver Creek. Canon 5dmkII, 100-400mm. f13 2sec ISO100
One thing I was reminded of this last week and it’s certainly something I’m reminded of over and over, is that heading out into some of the worst weather can lead to some great, and sometimes amazing images. Usually when it’s dumping rain or when a blizzard is raging the tendency is to hang up the camera and wait for a better day. But those bad weather days I find lend themselves to usually more interesting or unusual images when you can be patient. Patient being the key as inclement weather and changing conditions sometimes take a while to give you those right moments where a bit of light might be peaking through the clouds or a rainbow may develop for a few short moments. Those are some of the little surprises we were grateful to have this weekend and we ended up walking away with some beautiful fall images despite the conditions.
So next time the wind is howling or it’s dumping buckets try heading out and seeing what you can find, you might be surprised.Thanks to everyone for making it such a great workshop this year!
Salmon Lake. Canon 5dmkII, 16-35mm2.8mkII. f11 1/20 ISO100
Horses.Canon 5dmkII, 100-400mm. f6.7 1/500 ISO1600
Fall colors in Montana
Aspens. Canon 5d mkII, 200mm f2.8II. ISO 100 f 11 1.5sec
Sorry for the lack of posts lately, been super busy as is the usual this time of year. Our fall window in Montana is a small one and have been trying to take advantage of capturing as much of it as possible lately. This was a shot taken a few days ago up in the Seeley-Swan valley. It was below freezing that morning with a bit of a bite in the air. I think I’ve gotten a little soft with all the 80 degree weather we had trough September as I was freezing my rear off! Fall is definitely here with winter coming very quickly around the corner. Snow was in the upper elevations of the mountains and the fall colors were going strong. Should have some more stuff to share here soon.
Fall Photos
Tamarack. © Jason Savage
Here’s a few shots from Seeley-Swan Valley from this weekend. Fall is hanging around a little later than usual in some areas and there is still plenty of color. The Tamaracks(Larch) are at their peak and very nice. Rain has moved in and a low pressure system with cooler temps will bring some snow in tonight and tomorrow to the mountains. If you can get out around Montana by the middle of this week there should be some nice snow capped mountains for the remainder of fall photography.
Lilly Pads, © Jason Savage
Seeley Lake. © Jason Savage
Seeley Lake Canoe. © Jason Savage
2010 Photography Workshops
Glacier National Park. © Jason Savage
The Montana 2010 Photography Workshops that I will be teaching are now posted under the Classes & Workshops section on my website at www.jasonsavagephotography.com. This year should be a blast as I will be hosting the workshops in some of my favorite locations around Montana. Last year we had some great folks on the workshops and some excellent photography. Thanks to all of last years students for making my job a real pleasure and look forward to seeing you out there this year! Here’s a few pics from last years workshops.
Fall Road/Seeley Lake Workshop. © Jason Savage
Rocky Mountain Front/Rocky Mountain Front Workshop. © Jason Savage
Montana Capitol/Historic Helena Workshop. © Jason Savage
Black Bear/Glacier National Park Workshop.© Jason Savage
Historic Reenactor/Historic Helena Workshop. © Jason Savage
Wild Goose Island/Glacier National Park Workshop. © Jason Savage