Distinctly Montana Magazine

D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • FA L L 2 0 1 8 34 drop of a dramatic prairie sunset. "is" has involved a lot of sweat, blisters and probably a little swearing over the past year for Kautz as he and other members of American Prairie Reserve work to build new lodging options for visitors in a remote part of northeastern Montana. Weather on the prairie is a constant, fickle compan- ion and can change from delightful to devastating in a matter of hours. anks to a steady stream of spring snowstorms, drenching rain, impassable roads and a few tornado warnings, the organiza- tion opened two new huts to the public over Labor Day weekend instead of earlier in the summer. e two huts, which opened to the public beginning August 31, each have nine beds and will be open year-round. ey're similar to U.S. Forest Service cabins in that they are self-service and visitors are responsible for bringing all items they may need including bed- ding, food and water. Also coming soon to the Reserve's lodging options is a new campground. Antelope Creek Campground is located just off Highway 191 and it will have four small cabins, eight tent sites, 12 RV sites with full hookups, and a bathhouse with showers. Once the facilities are completed, plans call for the campground to be open from April 1 to October 15, depending on weather. "It's obvious there is growing demand across the West for more and more access to trails and recre- ational opportuni- ties," said Kautz. "We want to be an option for visi- tors by building a more robust outdoor recreation infrastructure." American Prairie Reserve's future plans include beginning construction on two more huts in 2019, one on the PN ranch near Winifred and another on Burnt Lodge south of Malta. Eventually the organization hopes to build around 10 huts that will be linked by a 200-mile trail that stretches the length of the Reserve. As we made our way back to Buffalo Camp and watched nighthawks zoom overhead in graceful loops I was reminded that the prairie is something that needs to be experienced firsthand. It's easy to get swept away by Montana's dazzling snow-covered mountain peaks and lush valleys, but the vast grasslands of this magnificent state hold an equally enchanting power. A prairie sunset is a breathtaking explosion of color that's hard to look away from and nearly impossible to forget. "When you spend an evening on the open plains and see the beauty that exists out here, it renews your motivations to build and preserve this place," said Kautz. Two new huts on the western end of the Reserve are now open to the public. They each have nine beds and are open year-round. Reservations can be made online at www.americanprairie.org. Lands owned by American Prairie Reserve are home to six prairie dog towns. Prairie dogs are "ecosystem engi- neers" and a keystone species needed to help diversify the region's wildlife. REID MORTH DENNIS LINGOHR

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