Camping,
Hiking and Traveling in Montana
MontanaHikes.com
MontanaHikes.com
Hike Index
H=Hike
C=Camp
V=VisitLivingston Area
George Lake H
Crow Mountain H
Pine Creek H,C
S. Fk. Deep Creek H
Big Timber Area
Boulder River H,C,V
Natural Bridge Falls H,C,V
Big Timber Creek Falls H,C,V
Twin Lakes H,C
Bozeman Area
Mystic Lake H
Central Montana
Castle Mountains H,C
Central MT Railroading V
Crystal Lake H,C,V
Judith Mountains V
Judith Gap Wind Farm V
Moccasin Mountains V
Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness
Anvil Lake H,C
Warm Springs Ponds
The Warm Springs Ponds Wildlife Management Area is one of the most unique wildlife viewing places in the state. These are ponds are completely artificial and were not built for their wildlife value. In fact, they were constructed to try and mitigate environmental damage resulting from mining. Warm Springs Ponds are located about 20 miles West of Butte MT and a few miles north of Anaconda, MT. The Ponds are located at the confluence of Silver Bow, Mill, Willow and Warm Springs Creeks and just below the Ponds, the Clark Fork River begins.
The entire Butte and Anaconda area was intensively mined and Silver Bow Creek was used as a conduit for mining, smelting, industrial and municipal wastes for more than a hundred years. (note: Butte is one of the most historic mining towns in the US. If you are interested in the history of MT or of mining you will enjoy this book about The Mining History of Butte, MT
).
Beginning in 1911 the Warm Springs Ponds were constructed to serve as "settling ponds" where the heavy metal pollution carried by the creek would settle out before joining the Clark Fork. While this was somewhat effective a lot of pollution still made its way into the Clark Fork River. To address this problem, in the 1990's the filtering capacity of the ponds was improved and today they are quite effective at removing the heavy metals from the water.
The diversity of habitat types found at Warms Springs Ponds creates
homes for many different creatures, especially birds. Many types of
waterfowl are found in the ponds but a lot of other bird species are
also common. Be sure to bring your binoculars to aid in viewing.The habitat improvement projects that have been constructed along with the pond improvements have resulted in excellent habitat for many bird species. Many different waterfowl species are abundant but you are also likely to see many other birds. The USGS has produced a bird checklist for Warm Springs Ponds that lists more than 140 different species. Each season brings a different variety of birds so any time is a good time to visit.
Despite the fact that the primary purpose of the ponds is to purify polluted waters, they offer excellent fishing opportunities. Many anglers know of the large trout that are routinely caught in the ponds and they are a popular destination for fly anglers. The Ponds have been known to produce some true trophy fish so come prepared to fight a big fish!
There are hiking and biking possibilities at Warm Springs Ponds and they are used a lot by local area runners as they provide a great place to take a run. In the fall, waterfowl hunters can be found at the site and fishermen are encountered year round. As already mentioned, the bird watching is always productive and many birders try to make frequent visits.
In late March through mid April is is not unusual to see large
flocks of Snow Geese migrating through the area. There were thousands
of birds flying overhead this day.
Montanahikes.com
- your source for reliable information about hiking camping and
traveling in Montana!