North Shore Bell's Trailhead to Cougar Lookout

Out     Bell's Trailhead > service road (S) > Dinosaur > Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area > Dinosaur > Lower Big Hill > service road > Scenic Loop > service road > Badlands > River Bend > service road (ENE) > Cougar Lookout      6.3 miles

Return  Cougar Lookout > Javalina > River Bend (N) >service road (ENE) > Lower Ghost Camp > River Bend Ghost Camp > Lower Ghost Camp > South SLick Rock > service road (NW) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead     3.4 miles

Temps start at 72 end at 88, humid and cloudy then sunny, steady breeze.

Been awhile since I hiked the North Shore trails!  The trails have been groomed and are easy to traverse.  There were quite a few doves, mockingbirds and scissortail flycatchers out as well as butterflies and a whole lot of GRASSHOPPERS! 

There really wasn't much going on today, just a very slow hike with my allergies showing up in full force. 

On a negative note - I was recently at Glacier National Park and hiked a few trails over a three day period.  In three days, I only found one small scrap of paper on the trails.  Today, as I hiked, I picked up a Walmart bag full of trash - broken glass, old cans, plastic water bottles, GU packets and plastic bag remnants.  I know there were a lot more folks from all over the world who visited Glacier and were respectful enough to not trash up the park.  I'm positive the trash I picked up today is from the "locals" who use the park and think nothing of tossing their garbage along the trails their using.  Just doesn't make sense to me.  Off my soapbox.

NOTES

ALWAYS check with park personnel either by calling or checking their fakebook page before planning to hike - hunting season is coming up and the park is closed to hikers/bikers on certain days.

Water is available in the campground/picnic area by Bell's Trailhead.

Water, shade and info kiosk available at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.

Shade and info kiosk available at Cougar Lookout.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at the River Bend Ghost Camp. USE CAUTION IF USING THE TOILETS - snakes and bugs.