Ross Creek Cedars

Ross Creek Cedars is a stand of old growth Western Red Cedars that is located not far from where we are staying in Libby Montana. The trees and setting are really hard to describe. It is way beyond words and creates a wonder in your spirit when you walk among the giants. It is a beautiful place you need to experience.

This map gives you a perspective of the location in regards to Libby and Troy Montana. The highway south passing by Bull Lake is great but the winding narrow road for the last 4 miles will want you to pay attention. It is narrow and twisty but certainly passable for any vehicle.

This is a placard at the start of the trail into the Cedars. There is a path that goes out and back and a designated Nature Trail that provides a partial loop return should you take it.

The path is in great condition and seems to get a lot of use. We were there on July 4th and the parking lot was rather full. Lots of people are enjoying this environment.

This gives you a perspective of the enormity of some of the trees. Various write-ups indicate some of the trees are 400-500 years old and are 8 feet across. They are big trees.

As you wander through the trees you need to look at other interesting aspects of the environment as well. Look down, look small, don’t just be awed by the trees there is so many other fascinating things to see. The place is a complete ecosystem, not just trees.

However you cannot miss the trees in all their grandeur.

Many trees have fallen over during the past centuries and are in various stages of decay. Here root structure from one of the fallen giants rests in the air. It is quite intricate and complex.

The pathway in many places passes between the trees. This image provides a perspective as to how small we are compared to the large Cedars

In the image above there are two trees on the right hand side. The right most tree in this pair has an intricate burl type of growth at the base. Many of the old cedar exhibit growths of various types and sizes.

At one point on the Nature Trail there is a dry, rock strewn stream bed. It appears that someone started stacking rocks in the stream bed, there is a lot of material for stacking readily available, and many others followed suit. There are many different stacks of rocks of various sizes and dimensions.

This is just one example of the rock stacks quite intricate and well done.

These are stacked on top of a fallen log. It provides a different setting to the rocks. It appears that since the stacks are all in place that there has not been a lot of water coursing this stream. Perhaps it has gone underground at this point.

Here Deanna follows the path through the trees. The moss is everywhere and not a lot of light gets to the forest floor. Ferns and shade loving plants thrive here.

Don’t forget to look for the smaller fascinating pieces of this environment. This is part of an exposed root from one of the fallen cedars.

Along the trail there is this hollowed out snag. It is maybe 45 feet tall or more. The center has been eaten away by time and the woodpeckers have drilled the outside bark looking for grubs. It is very sturdy and strong even without a central core. It is a non-growing snag, really neat to see.

At various points along the trail you will see portions of this babbling brook while at other locations it seems to disappear or dramatically diminish in flow.

Here is Deanna and the boys standing in front of one of the Western Red Cedar.

Various pieces of information and documents indicate that early loggers, upon seeing this grove, decided to try and preserve it instead of logging the area. We are certainly glad they did. It is a beautiful place of magic and wonder, a place you must experience. Be sure and make the effort to visit the Ross Creek Cedars

Let us know if you have any questions or comments. All the best – George & Deanna