The Parks Podcast
The Parks Podcast
Lake Elmo State Park - Montana (Episode 11)
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Lake Elmo State Park

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Episode Guest

Emily Tyler, District Recreation Manager
Lake Elmo – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks

Park Stats

Location: Billings, Montana

Park established: 1983

Park size: 123 acres

Elevation: 3199 ft

Fun fact:

    • Reservoir is 64 acres & 140 ft deep
    • 1.4 miles of hiking trails
    • 200 sq ft dog park with water entrance
    • Swim, hike, paddleboard, picnic bike and more

Speed Round

What is your earliest park memory?

My earliest park memory is a field trip in like the fourth or fifth grade. We went to a wetland. And I think it was a state park, but it might have been. a different type of park, but it was this wonderful field trip. They taught me all about what a wetland does for the environment and water filtering. The one thing that sticks in my head is this beautiful view over the marsh and the interpreter telling us that a lake is defined as, eight feet deep. And so you could dig a hole that is eight feet deep. That’s like one square foot, eight feet deep, filled with water. It’s a lake.

I looked that up it’s partially true because lakes are defined as deep enough that the sunlight doesn’t reach the bottom so you can’t see all of the way down. The expansion of my mind, oh, there are all types of places, and you can learn about them, and you can go and find out what’s special and unique about them, and these people will tell you all kinds of things. It was my first park experience that stuck with me.

What made you love the parks?

Probably working in them. I went to parks all the time as a kid, but you never appreciate what you have as a kid. But working in them, you can dig deep into like what is unique about each special place. I worked at Chief Plenty Coups State Park and seeing the impact that park has on its community made me fall in love with parks and made me think, yes, this is a career that I want to do.

It is the gathering place for anything from family reunions to kids just looking to spend some time in the creek in the summertime. It was inspiring to be part of creating that space. And keeping it nice and picked up and pretty for everybody who came to visit.

What is your favorite thing about Lake Elmo State Park?

So far it’s that it’s never the same. So day-to-day, you never knew who was going to come. You never knew what was going be there. It’s truly an urban park. And it’s the place to come to cool off in the summertime. So each day brings new people, and new activities, and now that the weather’s cooling off,  just the changing of the seasons and the change of use has just been cool to watch and to learn about.

This is my first summer at Lake Elmo, and so I’m learning new things and just watching it change from the bustling of summer to the quietness and peacefulness of the fall. It’s just been really cool.

What is your favorite thing to do at Lake Elmo State Park?

Watch the ospreys. We had three residents this summer at the lake, and I just watched them hover over the lake, watching for fish and then diving into the water. It was cool.

What park have you yet to visit but is on your bucket list and why?

So I think it’s a national park, the Everglades. I loved Steve Irwin as a kid, so I want to go, and see that and just see the diversity and ecology of the Everglades. It’s just such a unique place.

What are three must-haves you pack for a park visit?

Snacks, layers. Sometimes bug spray, sometimes sunscreen. But mostly sunscreen here in Montana. But snacks are most important.

What is your favorite campfire activity?

Singing Girl Scout camp songs and roasting marshmallows.

Tent, camper, or cabin?

Depends on the trip. If it’s winter in Montana, I want a Forest Service cabin. But if it’s summertime, I am content with an air mattress in the back of my Subaru.

Hiking with or without trekking poles?

So I only recently began hiking with Trekking Pulse, and so I hike with them on the way down and without them on the way up.

And what is your favorite trail snack?

Gorp. So it’s a trail mix with fruit and everything else in it. So it’s chocolatey and fruity and salty and it’s just delightful.

What is the best animal sighting that you’ve had?

 I love any soaring bird, but especially owls, because they’re harder to spot.

What is your favorite sound in the parks?

Bird songs, but especially, bald eagle whistles. If you don’t know what a bald eagle sounds like, you are not going to think that it’s a bald eagle. In movies, that screaming noise that is always put into bald eagles, that’s a red-tailed hawk. It’s not a bald eagle. Bald eagles do like this beautiful whistling noise, but it’s not very intimidating.

What is the greatest gift the parks give to us?

 I think that the greatest gifts parks give to us is the space to explore and to learn, while also connecting to the outdoors.

Show Notes & Links