Day 24: Burnt Mountain Jeep Trail to Interstate 15 (Butte, MT)

Although we started our day on established Jeep trail, we soon found ourselves scrambling over and around deadfall. Again. Piles of downed trees blocked the trail, with a few short sections barricaded by as many as eight dead trees across the trail. 

Bright yellow monkey flowers bloomed next to the fledgling creek, and we stopped for water before hiking on into the growing heat.

We scuttled under the cool shade of the rocky overhang for lunch, a beautiful respite from the heat of the trail. 

A large owl soared across the trail just a few feet overhead. Our trail transitioned to Jeep road, then gravel forest service road as we descended to the rolling ranch land just south of Butte, Montana. 

We planned to arrive in Butte in time to see the fireworks, then take a zero. But upon arrival, we learned that Butte's fireworks are on July 3, not on Independence Day. We had already missed them. Disappointed, we nevertheless will enjoy some much-needed time for rest and relaxation here.