I'll be traveling vicariously along with you, especially to Vipond Park. I hope it lives up to the advanced billing!
As recently as last year, Montana had not banned felt sole wading boots. Either felt sole or steel spikes are a terrific advantage over rubber soled wading boots, which we call "dancing shoes".
Any of the smaller feeder streams are likely to be full of aggressive brook trout. Dabbling there will likely produce a mess of supper in a short time. They're non-native and are considered trash fish in Montana (!), the limit is 10 or more a day, and nobody looks askance at you when you drop them in your creel. The browns, rainbows, cutthroat, and the hybrid cutbows--practically all are released.
Have a ball and safe travels!
Foy
