Ask any Montanan about their huckleberry spot and you’ll get a polite smile and a change of subject. People guard their patches like family secrets. We get it. But we also think more families should experience the joy of huckleberry hunting together, so we’re sharing what we’ve learned.
Huckleberry hunting is one of our favorite summer activities. The kids love searching for berries (and eating them while they pick). There’s something about the hunt that keeps everyone engaged, and you get to bring home Montana’s purple gold at the end.
When to Go
Timing is everything with huckleberries. The season runs from mid-July through September, but the key is understanding how elevation affects ripening.
At lower elevations around 4,000 to 5,000 feet, berries start ripening in mid-July. As summer progresses, the prime picking moves upward. Higher elevations around 6,000 to 7,000 feet produce ripe berries well into late August and September.
We found berries around 6,000 feet on Mt. Ellis the last week of July. That’s the sweet spot for the Bozeman area. At Whitefish Mountain Resort in early August, we found some of the biggest huckleberries we’ve ever seen. You could smell the berries in the air as you rode up the ski lift.
The biggest mistake beginners make is getting the timing and elevation wrong. You’ll show up to a patch and find nothing but green berries or bushes that have already been picked clean.
Scout First, Pick Later
Here’s the trick: learn to identify huckleberry bushes before the berries are ripe. Take note of where they are and how many you find. Geo-tag the locations on your phone. Then come back when the berries are in season.
Huckleberry bushes are low-growing shrubs, usually one to four feet tall. The leaves are oval-shaped with slightly serrated edges. The berries grow individually (not in clusters like blueberries) and range from deep purple to almost black when ripe.
Where to Go
Western Montana is prime huckleberry country. The Flathead area near Glacier National Park, the Cabinet Mountains, and the Bitterroot Range are all well-known spots. But those areas can get competitive.
Our favorite surprise spot is Lower Mt. Ellis Trail right here in Bozeman. We had never heard of anyone hunting there, which is exactly why it works. It’s an easy hike close to town with an abundance of huckleberry bushes. Low competition for berries, and the kids can do the hike and find berries close to the trail without any bushwhacking.
Look for berries in open or semi-open areas. Old burns, old clear-cuts, and avalanche chutes tend to be productive. South-facing slopes ripen earlier in the season.
Gear and Tips
Skip the fancy berry-picking rakes and combs. We think hand-picking is the most ethical way to harvest. You leave berries for the animals and you don’t damage the bushes. It’s slower, but it’s the right way to do it.
For containers, we like using empty Nalgene bottles. You can keep a lid on your berries so they don’t spill, and unlike a bag, the rigid walls prevent the berries from getting smashed. Fill a few bottles and you’ve got a solid haul.
Always bring bear spray. Huckleberries are a favorite food for both black bears and grizzly bears. We’ve never had an encounter, but we would never hunt without bear spray. This is also why we like finding spots to pick near the trail. You don’t end up too deep in the woods where bears are more likely to be feeding undisturbed.
What to Do With Your Berries
We freeze most of our huckleberries and use them throughout the year. Huckleberry pancakes are a family favorite. We also make huckleberry syrup to pour over vanilla ice cream.
This year we’re going to try making homemade huckleberry pop-tarts.
The berries freeze well in freezer bags. Spread them on a baking sheet first so they freeze individually, then transfer to bags. That way you can pour out just what you need without a frozen clump.
The Bottom Line
Huckleberry hunting is a Montana tradition worth experiencing. Get your timing right, scout your locations, bring the right gear, and stay bear aware. Most importantly, bring the family. Watching the kids hunt for berries and snack along the way is half the fun.
Happy hunting.