Montana State Parks, your next family adventure awaits

As I stood at the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers recently, I was again reminded of how lucky I am to live in Montana with its abundance of outdoor opportunities.

A wonderful part of my job as director of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is traveling around the state to enjoy public lands and check in on the resources we steward. Earlier this summer, it was my pleasure to participate in the dedication at the grand opening of the Confluence at Milltown State Park.

The evolution of the park wouldn't have been possible without the hard work of many Montana citizens and the partnerships among several local, state, federal and tribal agencies.

It started decades ago with the studies and efforts to remove a dam and 3 million tons of contaminants. Two-and-a-half miles of river channel were built along with the floodplain of the Clark Fork River. And a new state park was conceived and planned to tell the story of rivers, trails and human and natural history.

Today, Milltown State Park is more than 600 acres along four miles of riverfront and miles of trail; it's about the confluence of history, people and our resources.

The hard work is over, and now it's time to get outside and enjoy what we created together.

But let Milltown State Park be just a starting point as you plan your summer activities. After all, it is just one jewel among many in Montana State Parks system.

Plan a visit to Bannack State Park. Bannack Days, which is July 21 and 22, is the ultimate summer family activity for experiencing what Montana was like during the 1860s.

And as you make your summer travel plans, don't forget to use the online campsite reservation program. Just click on the big yellow box in the right corner of the Montana State Parks website and take the guessing out of planning your next family adventure. You can reserve a campsite up to nine months in advance at 20 parks across Montana. We even have yurts, cabins and tipis that make for a unique camping experience.

While you're out there, don't forget to take photos and share them on our recently launched Montana State Parks Adventure Challenge website. The Adventure Challenge is an exciting new partnership with the Montana State Parks Foundation that focuses on getting people out and exploring our incredible state parks while competing to win awesome prizes. Learn more at myadventurechallenge.com.

So, get out there this summer and enjoy your state parks, where the outside is in us all!