The Beck Homestead
Swan Valley Connections' field program campus is located in Montana's Swan Valley, the heart of the Crown of the Continent, and is situated between the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Mission Mountains Wilderness, about 100 miles south of Glacier National Park.
The Swan is a forested valley with thousands of lakes, ponds, wetlands, abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery. The community of Condon, Montana, is integral to Swan Valley Connections’ education programs, hosting and mentoring students throughout the year.
Historically, the Swan Valley was carved up into a checkerboard pattern of land ownership, a relic of the 1864 federal land grants to railroad companies. Swan Valley Connections helped lead the effort to transfer those corporate lands into public ownership and and has secured a long term program of restoration and sustainable timber harvest in the valley.
Swan Valley Connections is located approximately 90 miles north of Missoula and 70 miles south of Kalispell. Our field program facility is a historic turn-of-the-century homestead.
Our campus is located just off of Highway 83. At Mile Marker 47 turn west onto Cold Creek Road and drive 3/4 mile. Turn right (north) onto Ed Road and drive a 1/2 mile. Proceed through a gate and merge right. This road dead-ends at the Barn and Cookhouse.
"The Barn" was built in the 1930's and serves as SVC's classroom and student bunkhouse.
Landscape & Livelihood students walking back to campus after an interpretive hike.
Homestead classmates
The original Beck Homestead Cabin still exists on our campus.
Wildlife in the West students practicing with bear spray.
Our living room and classroom
Morning wolf ecology session in the barn before heading out into the field.
While the homestead's original Barn has no running water, the adjacent wash house has toilets, showers, and a big ol' porch for drying gear and watching the sunrise.
The library of relevant field guides, textbooks, and skulls.
"The barn" and Squeak, the resident welcoming committee.
Wildlife in the West practicing radio telemetry with a USFS bear biologist on campus
Wildlife in the West students learn about wolf ecology in our first floor classroom before heading into the field.