The sky seems to be the limit of what is possible at the Rock Creek Confluence, near Clinton. Over the last seven years, we’ve seen the site not only recover, but grow and bloom.
In June, we embarked on a new a partnership with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, who brought refugee families with Soft Landing Missoula and kids from Youth Homes out to learn fly fishing.
The Confluence, with it's easy public access to both the Clark Fork River and world-famous Rock Creek, provided the perfect venue to learn the basics of fly fishing and water safety, and spend a beautiful summer day out on the land.
In September, the Confluence hosted a meeting of 45 conservation professionals with the Columbia Basin Water Transactions Program, who came to learn about our Rock Creek instream flow lease with our partner, Montana Trout Unlimited.
In addition, the partnerships and programs we’ve fostered over the years continue to put down roots: restoration work with the University of Montana (UM) Ecosystem Science and Restoration Program, summer camps and educational programs with the Montana Natural History Center and UM Campus Recreation, a thriving bird banding station with the UM Bird Ecology Lab, watershed health STEM programs with Clark Fork Coalition and Clinton School, and continued development of our all abilities trail with Summit Independent Living.
In addition, our own Hands on the Land volunteers, generous area neighbors, and the Missoula County Youth in Restoration crew contributed countless hours pulling weeds and helping to maintain this special place.
We even had a hardy group of Hands on the Land volunteers join us for a cold October workday where they installed frames for interpretive signs that will be installed next year.
In all, over 700 kids and adults have visited the Confluence’s outdoor classroom this year through these great programs. As our list of partners grows to over 25 organizations and agencies, we look forward to what 2020 has in store. In the meantime, the Confluence is beautiful in autumn (and winter!), and we encourage everyone to come out experience all the property has to offer—the Confluence is open to the public, year-round.
Did you know you can stay at the Confluence? Our Rock Creek Confluence Cabin is available to rent via Airbnb.
Header photo of Soft Landing Missoula kids at the Confluence by Five Valleys staff
