Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

The kids are out of school and the weather's warming up, and the nicer weather means more families camping out in Montana state parks. But if you're headed out the King's Hill, you might want to forget the tents, t-shirts, and tevas and instead break out the snowshoes, sweaters, and scarves.

Dave Cunningham, the public affairs officer for the Lewis & Clark National Forest, said, "Doggone it, it's early June. We're thinking the snow should be gone. It's not - it's here."

The snow pack in the upper elevations is still up to 20 inches in some spots, and even the Forest Service is surprised to see the campsites so buried in by snow this late in the season.

But the bad news for those with sleeping bags and coolers already stocked in the station wagon is good news for the forest. Cunningham noted, "Water's so critical to life. This snow pack in many ways is great. It'll be good for vegetation, good for stream flows, and for all of us who use water."

While it will likely be a couple of weeks for the snow to clear at the top of the peaks, anxious campers can breathe a sigh of relief, as a 1,000- foot drop in elevation just a few miles down the road reveals non-snowy campgrounds and snow-free roads.

But just because they're open doesn't mean they're ideal for travel, Cunningham cautioned; "Folks are going to go out, they might find roads or trails that are so wet that to use them would tear them up and damage them and that leaves damage that's kind of irreparable."

Cunningham isn't about to discourage anyone from having a good time in our great outdoors; he just asks that visitors be patient and use the land in ways that are appropriate for the weather conditions.

Click here to visit the Lewis & Clark National Forest website.