Thanks so much, John! I’m so glad you enjoyed this post. Good point for folks who may not be familiar with this area – here’s a link to more information about it.

Thanks for mentioning fish habitat in this area as well! I’ve fished the Missouri very little, so my knowledge is patchy in that area. It’s incredible how the river has cut this canyon through the mountains as they uplifted – and it makes sense that the deeper water in the canyon would be attractive to fish.

Well written expose of small birds and vegetative habitat. I been at Devil’s Elbow on Hauser Lake a lot and now I know more. Really good photos and explanations of what we are looking at. Too many writers don’t understand that and leave untrained readers wondering what is being shown or described.

On thought along those lines — Many readers won’t know have a clue where Devils Elbow Campground and viewing area is located, but really worth any locals or visitors to stop and overlook the scenic lake views.

The Missouri River — pre Hauser dam was working against these cliffs and as such the depth of Hauser Lake water along the entire cliff area is deeper and that is a favorite fishing area because bigger fish like to hang out in the cooler deeper waters.