Wildlife refuges generally aren’t big attractions, except for duck hunters.  Hunting in a wildlife refuge may sound like an oxymoron, but it is actually allowed in many, at least for some birds at some times of year.  I haven’t been to very many of the national wildlife refuges, because in most cases there are no specific major attractions in them, but Benton Lake is my fourth so far this year in Montana.  Situated about 10 miles north of Great Falls, Benton Lake is one of the westernmost spots in what’s called the Prairie Pothole region that stretches from Iowa and Minnesota across the Dakotas and southern Canada to the eastern slopes on the Rockies in Montana. The potholes are depressions created during the ice ages and are some of the world’s most fertile waterfowl habitats.  Unfortunately, most of the potholes through the region have been drained and plowed for agriculture, but on refuges and elsewhere they exist still host huge populations of migratory birds during the summer months. And there are also some other critters like muskrats, turtles, frogs, and snakes.

The prairie pothole lakes tend to be shallow and marshy, a great breeding habitat for mosquitos, dragonflies, and other bugs the birds mostly feed on. Although the West tends not to be too buggy because of the dry climate, the wildlife refuges are an exception.  Benton Lake has a nice unpaved drive around the perimeter of its marshy lake and also incorporates some classic plains landscapes. The highlight is several boardwalks deep into the marshes, great for spotting multiple species of birds if you douse yourself in insect repellent.