Two miles south of the city of Havre, Saddle Butte rises approximately 2,710 feet above sea level. This was the site of the Havre Trails Hike on Saturday, May 13.

Hikers congregated at 10:00 a.m. at the trailhead to hike the 1.25 miles of moderately difficult terrain. Because there are no formal trails, certain areas on the hiking route offered a somewhat steep incline and the occasional tricky foothold.

According to Hike Contact Lindsey Bennett, the hike took place over the course of two hours on the south end of Saddle Butte on the Lieberg's land. The group spent the morning hiking on the high south end of this unique Havre landmark. Hikers report that they not only encountered various birds but were the benefactors of some spectacular views.

Besides these perks, the area has some precious metals history. In July 1906, The Havre Plaindealer, the area newspaper at the time, carried a story about William Haywood's discovery of gold and silver after he sank a prospect shaft into Saddle Butte. The miner had claims on the west side of the butte where his leads also contained copper.

Bennett shared information about future hikes and encourages area residents to "save the dates" for these future forays into the outdoors:

•Mt. Centennial (Rocky Boy's Reservation) – Thursday, June 15 (evening)

•Ranger Creek to Wolf Creek (Rocky Boy's Reservation) – Saturday, July 8

•Rotary Canyon Trail (Beaver Creek) – Saturday, July 29

•Brough's Coulee Trail (Beaver Creek) – Sunday, September 12

Anyone with questions or seeking additional information about these hikes is encouraged to contact Bennett by calling (406) 344-2991.