Yellowstone River Trail

Trip Distance: 12 miles
Duration: 6-9 hours
Maps: Yellowstone National Park Hiking Map
Distance from Livingston to Trailhead: 66 miles

This Yellowstone National Park hike makes a great early or late season venture.  Having two vehicles is ideal as the start of this hike is at Blacktail Deer Creek Trailhead and the finish is at the Rocky Mountain Campground in Gardiner, making a shuttle necessary.

From the Trailhead, the hike gradually descends alongside Blacktail Deer Creek for 3.5 miles into the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone.  Wildflowers create a colorful display and will make you wish for a wildflower guide book.  At the bottom of the canyon, a suspension foot-bridge spans the Yellowstone River giving you passage to the Yellowstone River Trail.  From here, the trail parallels the Yellowstone.  Knowles Falls, and the canyon that funnels the River below Knowles, are particularly impressive.  Unlike the River, the trail follows a more pleasant and gentle course through the canyon.  Toward the end of the canyon, watch for Bighorn sheep as they frequent this area.  The flora and landscape of this hike vary so dramatically from start to finish, the excitement of what’s next will keep you going for the entire distance.  Remember to tread lightly and leave no trace.

Please stop in to Timber Trails for great gear or further suggestions on other hiking destinations.  And as always, be sure to tell us all about your hiking adventures!

Summer is winding down and the buzz of busy bees in our lives is fading to a calm hum in the background.  Time to relax and enjoy the finer things in life.  Like pampering yourself with delicious food and a fun evening of learning and meeting new people.  Here are some local classes taught by Montanan Chef Sarah Knecht.  She is full of knowledge and loves to share recipes, menus and ideas for an evening of entertaining.  She will be offering these classes through Livingston community education.  Sarah also teaches private cooking classes.  All of Sarah’s classes are a great activity for anyone, tourist or local, not only for the learning experience and also for the great food you get to eat!

Keep your eyes open for the catalog coming out in early September.  Or go to livingstonace.org to sign up.  Sarah also updates her own blog regularly with amazing recipes so be sure to go check it out along with the rest of her great website.

September 21
Seafood Ocean to Grill to Oven- Learn how amazing seafood can taste and how to cook it up on the grill, stove top, or oven.  Sarah will show you marinades, sauces, and cooking techniques. Come hungry and bring your apron.

September 14
Thai-Spice me up-Get creative with Chef Sarah as she shares some of her Thai-inspired dishes.  In this fun, interactive class, you will make Pad Thai and Spring Rolls.  You will learn how to combine flavors and create dishes of your own with coconut curry, peanut sauce, and soy ginger glaze.  Come hungry and bring a couple containers to take home goodies.

September 30
Soup, Salad and Fresh Baked Bread-Learn how make soups and salad dressings from scratch. Roll out your own bread dough. We’ll make Bagels, Croissant rolls, English Muffin’s and more…Strawberry grapefruit vinaigrette, Italian vinaigrette, Roasted Garlic Dijon Ceasar Dressing. Seafood chowder, and Gumbo. Great class for beginner bakers and cooks.  Come hungry and bring a couple containers to take home goodies.

October 5
Tea Time-Come and enjoy the pleasures of Scones, Tea Sandwiches, Petit Fours, Fabu Tea and a few surprises as well.  Come hungry and bring a couple containers to take home goodies.

October 11
Pizza, Pasta, and Sauces-You’ll make fresh pizza dough and sauces.  Learn how to slide it in the oven or on the grill.  Also learn some fun side pasta dishes including; alfredo, primavera, and roasted red pepper and sun dried tomato. Let’s find out how many pizzas we can make and eat in 2 hours.

October 12
Appetizers and Desserts-You don’t have to be a Chef to throw an amazing cocktail party.  Let Chef Sarah share her menus, ideas and recipes for an evening to impress.  King Crab Shooters, Artichoke Spinach Dip, Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Creme Brulee, Something Chocolate and much much more!  Come hungry and bring a couple containers to take home goodies.

The hike we are highlighting today takes you right into the heart of Paradise Valley to Emigrant Peak:

Round Trip:  6 Miles
Duration: 6-8 Hours
USGS Maps: Dailey Lake & Emigrant
Trailhead Distance From Livingston: 35 Miles

Emigrant is a distinctive peak that stands well out of the main body of the Absaroka Range, with its summit providing exceptional views not only of the crest of the Absarokas, but of Lone Peak to the west, and the Tetons to the south.

The trailhead is accessed from Livingston via East River Road to Sixmile Creek.  Follow the Sixmile Creek Road for 3.7 miles, turning left at the junction with the road to Dailey Lake.  After another 1.5 miles, a signed left turn leads up a short stretch of road to the Gold Prize Creek trailhead.  Walk past the road closure along the closed road, which leads through a portion of the 1,200 acres that burned int the Sixmile drainage in July, ‘99.

The road becomes a trail at a small campsite and begins to steepen.  After approximately 50 yards, turn left at a trail junction and follow the sidehill trail (a short portion of which reverts back to two-track), climbing steeply through sage and scattered stands of pine and fir toward a ridgetop meadow with good views of Paradise Valley below.  Continue to follow the obvious ridgeline along a hit-and-miss trail through a combination of boulders, scree and alpine tundra to the summit.  Remember to tread lightly and leave no trace.

If you have any questions about this hike or other hikes around Livingston be sure to stop in at Timber Trails or give them a call at 406-222-9550.  Be on the lookout for the next Timber Trails hike on our blog and send us photos if you head out to Emigrant Peak yourself.  Happy hiking!

We love our small town and do what we can to help it keep its originality and vitality.  Part of that means supporting other local businesses.  There is a new buy local effort starting up here in Livingston that we at the Murray are proud to be a part of.  It consists of a FREE online directory, a door-to-door campaign to get businesses signed up on the directory, tons and tons of social media marketing on the Livingston Buy Local blog, Facebook page and Twitter, stickers and information packets, and a billboard coming soon!  We hope that you will take a minute to check out this great project and support it, by shopping locally in Livingston and also by becoming a member if you are a local business.  It costs you absolutely nothing and the benefits are immeasurable!  One of the great aspects of this campaign is the ability for anyone to contribute a blog entry to the website.  You can go directly to the Livingston Buy Local site and post photos and stories.   Do any of you have something wonderful to share about a business in Livingston that you would like to tell the rest of the world?  Or maybe just a beautiful photo of our town?  Or even a story from your last vacation here?  Join in the effort and let people know what a wonderful town we have!

Get yourself out on the water!  Not that we are complaining – since we spend all winter waiting for the warmth of summer, but it has been HOT lately.  And if you are on vacation in or around Livingston right now why not combine some fun activities with beating the heat?

One of the best ways to stay cool is by going fly fishing.  If that happens to be in your plans sometime soon, here is our tip for you:  Hoppers!  It is getting to be that time of summer where the conditions are perfect for grasshoppers, with the sun beating down relentlessly on the Yellowstone River and temperatures up into the 90’s.  And rumor has it that hoppers are exactly what the fish are starting to eat.

If you are not out here visiting us for the fishing and are looking for other ways to stay cool, we would highly recommend a rafting trip.  Most local companies offer both half day and full day trips.  If you are comfortable on the river without a guide you can rent your own equipment at some places as well.  A few rafting companies to check out:

Rubber Ducky River Rentals

Flying Pig Adventure Company

River Source Rafting

Any time you want more information about these and other great summer activities in Paradise Valley just stop by the front desk of the Murray Hotel and we will be more than happy to answer your questions!

Photo courtesy of Hopperfishing.com

At this time of year it is no mystery where Paradise Valley got its name!  Every season has its own unique beauty but late June/early July really is an extraordinary time to be here.  And while the photos are pretty, they never quite compare to the real deal.  So, if you have never been to Paradise Valley, Montana, put it on your bucket list and get out here one of these days.

We wanted to take the opportunity to introduce you to a wonderful organization here in Livingston called the Payden Memorial Foundation.  We asked Janette Polsak who is one of the founders to be a guest blogger and explain a little about what they do.  In order to fund the wonderful work they do for families in this community and beyond they host a bike ride every July that raises money and is also a lot of fun.  The ride takes the bike riders through some beautiful country.  Here is what Janette had to say:

The Foundation is named after my son, Payden Polsak.  He was six year old when he died in November 2001 as a result of a cancerous brain tumor (medulloblastoma) and the Payden Memorial Foundation was founded in 2002 after realizing the tremendous need present on so many levels for those Montanans living with children with cancer.  Payden battled for this life with amazing courage.  He taught us that life is precious, that love and kindness make a difference, and humor and laughter lift your soul.  Though he is not with us physically, his spirit remains as a mission to the Foundation.

When cancer touches the lives of many Montana children, the costs associated with coping with and treating the disease go well beyond what medical insurance covers, if a family has insurance at all. Many Montana families have to travel out of state to treatment centers like Seattle and Salt Lake, and hotel, food, phone and other bills quickly mount up. This is where the Payden Memorial Foundation can and does help. With the health and well-being of a child the most important thing on anyone’s mind, helping a family that needs support in meeting expenses can take at least one aspect of the challenge out of the equation.  Our mission is to ensure a reasonable quality of life, to help with access to care and to provide a smile and a flame of hope in the face of adversity.

The main method for raising funds for the Payden Memorial Foundation is the “Bike the Bridgers for Kids with Cancer”  which this year will be held on July 17, 2010.  You have the opportunity to join cyclists from all over to ride through the spectacular Bridger Mountains and scenic Shield’s River Valley for a great cause.  This is the Payden Memorial Foundation’s annual fundraising event and it is our primary source of the funds we provide to families.

Riders of all ages and abilities raise money through pledges as they challenge their endurance. This is a fun and fully supported bicycle ride with options of 30, 45, 65, 80, and 100 miles.  Top fundraisers win fabulous prizes.  For more information or how you can help please visit our website and ride, donate or volunteer – www.payden.org.

The Payden Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.  We are an all-volunteer organization, there is no paid staff.

If you will be in the area in the middle of July please consider joining the ride and make sure to head over to their website to get more information and see more photos!

Here are some photos from Dona’s retirement party last Saturday which was a huge success.  Over 100 people came out to say farewell and join in the fun.   Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed.

Thank you Dona!  The Murray Hotel will never be the same.

We are gearing up for the busy summer season here in Livingston.  The weather has not decided to cooperate with us yet but we do have the standard summer road construction – this year going right through town on Park Street and the town is starting to come alive.  The weekly Farmer’s Market has begun and will be held every Wednesday from now through September at the bandshell next to the Civic Center.  It goes from 4:30-7:30pm and is a must see, with local vendors selling everything from homemade pies and jams, to veggies, to jewelry.  It is a great way to spend the afternoon/evening.  You can find dinner there, try some local beer or fresh lemonade, wander around and then sit down and enjoy the music until 9pm.  For more information about the Farmer’s Market you can visit their website where you can even download a pdf of the summer schedule.

Photo courtesy of Chieko Horn

If you are a fly fishing enthusiast then you might consider coming out tomorrow night for the annual Cutthroat banquet for the Joe Brooks Trout Unlimited local Livingston chapter of Montana Trout Unlimited.  The main goal of all of the Montana Tout Unlimited chapters is to “conserve, protect and restore Montana’s world-class coldwater fisheries and their watersheds”.  The fundraiser tomorrow starts at 5pm with a no host bar.  Dinner is at 7pm and then there will be a live auction at 8pm with items including: A weekend at the Harrison Homestead with a day of fishing with Dan Vermillion, Camping Gear Package, Upland bird hunting package with a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun (your choice) and Original art and lithographs from Russell Chatham, D Holiway, Parks Reece and David Swanson and much more.  $35/person with $10 “bottomless” glass of Dancing Trout or Budweiser.  For reservations call Kerry @ 579-7734.

David Swanson’s paintings will also be featured in an exhibition at the Livingston Depot Museum called “Sweat and Steel” which is running from now until September 6th with free admission.  Worth checking out and it is right across the street from us!

And finally, don’t forget the retirement party tomorrow at 5pm in the lobby of the hotel for our very own Dona White who has been with the Murray Hotel for 28 years!  Please stop by and join us in wishing Dona well or if you can’t make it and would like to share a Dona memory with everyone leave a comment here on our blog.

Happy weekend everyone!

A lot of what makes Livingston and surrounding areas so wonderful is the amazing beauty everywhere you look. It is there the minute you walk out the door in the form of expansive blue skies, snow capped mountains and quaint streets lined with beautiful old trees and houses built a hundred or more years ago. People around here take pride in their homes and as soon as the sun comes out in May you start to see pots fill up with colorful flowers lining fronts of houses, along walkways and hanging from porches. For local photographer, Lindsay Wells, the landscape is a photographers dream come true.  She says, “I love the mountains. Period. But Livingston has so much more to offer. I love it’s originality/ uniqueness, the people, the abundance of art and the multitude of outdoor activities.”  As Lindsay points out, along with the natural beauty comes a variety of activities for the outdoor enthusiast to enjoy, including skiing, hiking, rafting, fishing, horseback riding, cycling, and the list goes on and on. Local fly fishing guide, Eric Paramore says, “I appreciate the slower pace of life here and how friendly everyone is but mostly for me what I love about Livingston is the fishing. It really is some of the best fly fishing in the world and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

With all of that being said, what is it that really sets Livingston apart from every other beautiful location?  For some it is the people – the “eclectic mix of visitors and residents in our fair community” is exactly what local contractor Mark Murphy loves about this town. Livingston is one of those places most people these days think only exists in movies from the fifties. Walk down any of the residential streets on a nice day and you will see children playing and parents conversing and you are guaranteed a “hello” even if you are a total stranger. Kelley Myer, elementary teacher at Montessori Island School remembers initially being struck by all of the people who would stop their cars in the middle of the street to chat with someone riding their bike or driving in the other direction.  And this is so commonplace that no one honks their horn or shouts angrily at the stopped cars; they just drive around them or sometimes even join the conversation.  This is the kind of place where people really do help each other out and look after one another.

Sure we have our share of problems just like anywhere else, but overall we are a community of warm, friendly people who live here because we like to move at a slightly slower pace than the rest of the world.  The Murray Hotel’s own Dan Kaul summed Livingston up perfectly with this quote: “For me, the thing about Livingston that stands out above all is that it is still real…….and that is a rare and great thing.”

Photo Credit:  Lynn Weaver