Montana – Not A Tourist Trap But Rather A Great Destination

The DeSmet – on Lake McDonald, in Glacier National Park

Our Montana summer has been amazing, and this is my final post about our experiences there. Altogether, our month and a half in the state warranted five blog posts, each highlighting a different experience and area of the state.

In case you missed them:

This final post is all the touristy stuff we did with our loved ones that were visiting. It was some of the best fun of our summer.

THIS is Montana – Not A Tourist Trap, But Rather A Great Destination!

Andy and I looked forward to this leg of our trip because this is when we got to share this amazing state with loved ones! We were thrilled to find out that our friend, Steve, was going to visit us in Montana! Right as his visit had to end, we then welcomed Christy and Chris, our daughter and future son-in-law (it is so cool that we can say that now! Go read my last post if you want to read those details!). THIS was going to be quite the summer!!!

The shadow box in our RV that welcomed our guests and celebrated the great stat of Montana!

Steve flew in from South Carolina and caught up with us in Anaconda, MT at Fairmont RV Park. (Side note: We don’t recommend you stay at this campground, because the owners are miserable and mean, but not to worry, the facility was decent and the views pretty. We made do without a picnic table or firepit).

The view at our “back door” at Fairmont RV Park in Anaconda, MT

One of the first orders of business upon Steve’s arrival was the need to share the secret news of the upcoming engagement with Steve. Steve is the consummate planner, so we knew that he could be helpful in scouring Glacier National Park for some great options. But first, some fun with our friend!

We went into Butte a couple of times. Our first stop was at the Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Disaster Memorial. This is where we learned about hard rock mining. We have seen signs of mining all summer, throughout Colorado and all the way north through Montana. Most notably, we have been lulled to sleep by the sound of trains and train whistles at nearly EVERY campground ALL SUMMER (I think there was ONE campground not near a train track, but I honestly cannot recall which one it might have been). We have seen signs of mining wherever we went and learned of how mining has played a role in the history of the west.

In Butte, the 1917 disaster was difficult but important to learn about. An accidental fire in the mine led to the death of 166 miners on that fateful day, and more than a century later, we had the privilege and honor to visit the site and wrap up our hearts in the beautiful memorial. It was well done and educational at the same time. If you ever find yourself in Butte, this should be your first stop.

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Our next stop was equally telling and informative – the Berkley Pit. It is a place where we learned of the tremendous and tragic environmental impact hard rock mining has on our planet. While beautiful in a unique way, this once massive copper mining area is now a giant pit that has filled with a very caustic and dangerous mine runoff. It was amazing to see how something so dangerous can also be so pretty at the same time.

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A gentleman that used to live in the area and had returned for a visit was at the site when we were there. He was a great help at explaining the history and tragedy of the place. This mining stop is worthwhile (and with a very small admission cost) even if you don’t think mining is of any interest to you.

The third and final touristy stop for us was also related to mining. We spent a few hours at the World Museum of Mining. It was an entire historic mining town recreated on the site of the former Orphan Girl Mine, which operated from 1875 to the 1950s and produced silver, lead and zinc. Historic buildings were relocated from other areas and moved here to create a realistic little mining town and an immersive education into hard rock mining. Most of the museum was established in the 1970s and is a little worn looking, but it felt as if that only added to the hardworking feel that must have been in place back when the original mining town popped up around the Orphan Girl mine. It was an easy self-guided look into the industry, but guided tours of the mine itself were also available.

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While in the area, we did manage to eat a decent meal in town and we made a quick stop at The Historic Clark Chateau Museum and Gallery, a historic home that is now open for self-guided tours (you may also like the Copper King Mansion, but we were unable to tour the site due to limited tour times). We also enjoyed a stroll down the street just to take in the beauty of some of the old homes in the area. If you are a fan of old architecture, this is a nice home, but none that we saw came close to the MUST SEE old home we wrote about previously in Sheridan, Wyoming – Why, Oh Wyoming – Casper And Sheridan We May Be Back.

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The unexpected fun of the week was a road trip to “The Yellowstone”! Yes, you read that right! Steve casually mentioned that we were within striking distance of the well known fictional “Dutton Ranch”, so it was time for a drive! We headed out through some amazing scenery on a road that was higher, and narrower and prettier than we had imagined it would be. Included was a photo shoot with our first ram sighting! What a treat!

Then it was on to lunch for what the guys agreed was the BEST. BURGERS. EVER. at Bitter Root Brewery and Restaurant. That is certainly saying something! Lunch was really amazing for me as well (Gyro), and of course we had to try a couple of the locally brewed beers.

Our next drive that day was to TV-land for a roadside peek at the fictional Dutton Ranch, but what is actually named the Chief Joseph Ranch, in Darby, Montana. The photos show the extent of the visit (you cannot go on the property unless you are a guest in one of their rental cabins), but since that time, Andy and I have been re-watching and devouring all three seasons of the show in anticipation of the November debut of season four on Paramount!

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As we wrapped up our visit with Steve, we headed over to our next and perhaps most anticipated destination so far….Glacier National Park. It was here that the guys got serious about honing in on the PERFECT proposal location for Chris and Christy!

A little shopping with Andrew, Tina ad Steve in West Glacier Village.

The West Glacier RV Park is among my most favorite campgrounds all summer for a couple of important reasons: 1. We were surrounded by mountains and a big sky that gave the state its “Big Sky” nickname, and 2. We were only a couple of minutes from the park entrance. We could not have asked for prettier views from our front door, brighter stars at night, or a campsite any closer to Glacier Park!

West Glacier Village RV Park with beautiful views on all sides

We immediately ventured into GNP for an evening spectacular, discovering the gorgeous Lake McDonald and McDonald Lodge, which would be the centerpiece of some future fun during our stay. We stopped along some roadside pullouts on the lower end of the Going To The Sun Road, and we looked all around for proposal opportunities. Andrew had his eyes set on a hike to Avalanche Lake by way of the Trail of the Cedars and Steve set up mental photo-taking opportunities at the Sacred Dancing Cascades, which would also make for a most perfect scene for a proposal. As darkness fell, we planned for a big day when Chris and Christy arrived, because we had only that one day to fully scope out the perfect location (and still help Chris keep it all a secret!).

Namaste
Just “wow”!
Andy snaps endless photos of endless beauty.
Blessed togetherness
Lodge in the distance.
Sunset at GNP
Steve finding potential engagement shots.

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Glacier International Airport is only a 30 minute drive from the park, in nearby Kalispell and it is quaint and adorable. We picked up our 2nd and 3rd guests, Christy and Chris, and headed over for a bite to eat, spontaneously selecting the Waters Edge Winery and Bistro, based on Google reviews and their menu of small plates, tapas and wine! Three of us enjoyed wine flights, and we all enjoyed the food we selected. The mid-afternoon time of day gave us the entire place to ourselves, and we laughed and smiled and enjoyed the joy and excitement that travel has on the soul.

tiny airport shopping…
…and some shadow boxing
Chris is not so sure he likes wine…
…but we had fun tasting!

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Once the kids settled in at the campground, we all agreed that in order to maximize our short time together, a drive into GNP was in order for the evening (this national park currently has ticketed entry, and without a ticket that day, we could only enter after 5 pm). Because we had Steve’s rental vehicle, we made the venture all the way up the Going To The Sun Road (our truck is not permitted to go this far due to its size) to Logan’s Pass along the Continental Divide where we saw more rams, and down the other side, out of the park and all the way back around, late at night to our campsite, sleepy but satisfied with our day. It was a beautiful evening drive on what many describe as the most beautiful road in the world. What a way to end our visit with Steve! He made his way back to South Carolina, and we look forward to our next visit with him and his family – currently scheduled for Thanksgiving in Myrtle Beach!

Road carved thru a mountain.
They were amaaaaazed….
…and we were amaaaaazzed…
….and Steve was amaaaaazed.
Parking lot fun at Logan’s Pass
Bathroom break.

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The next day was all about romance and engagements rather than being tourists, and if you haven’t already done so, check out my post about how love took root in Glacier National Park for my step-daughter and her now-fiance’!

Now that the pressure was off all of us from the engagement, we did our best to relax and prepare for an evening boat ride on Lake McDonald. Arriving a little early, we first peeked inside the historic and beautiful McDonald Lodge. Built in 1913, and constructed of massive trees that were surely harvested from the area, the decor and structure of this lodge is quite impressive. The area also includes cabins nearby, but the gem is the lodge with 82 rooms and a restaurant (closed due to Covid). Because access in the park was much more limited at the beginning of the century, the beauty of the lodge faces the lake, because most guests arrived by boat in those early years. But the entire property is still gorgeous, with overflowing window boxes and hanging baskets of flowers.

Beautiful flower boxes
The front of MacDonald Lodge
The back (lake side) of the lodge.
Carvings in the floor of the lodge

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We explored the lakeshore, shopped in the little gift shop, ordered some drinks at the take-out window, then boarded the historic vessel DeSmet, built in 1930. We settled into some open air seats at the rear of the boat and relaxed as the sun began to set. We learned about the stories that this largest lake in Glacier National Park has to tell and also enjoyed chatting with a family of newly FT RVers having an adventure in the park. It was the perfect way to relax in the moment, and savor the special days the four of us had together.

Not to sit on our laurels, our next adventure began in the morning with a red bus tour to the Going To The Sun Road! Our tour guide was phenomenal, with much knowledge of history and geology in the area. Our bus was one of 33 in the fleet, and is considered the oldest touring fleet of vehicles in the world! We had no idea the buses were old, much less historic and beautifully restored and upgraded over the years – they were exquisite. The Going To The Sun road was just as amazing this time during the middle of the day as it had been a couple days earlier in the evening, but this time there was the added benefit of a guide that could answer all of our questions as well. Our journey took a number of scenic stops along the way and ended at Logan’s Pass before turning around to see all the new views coming back down into the park again. Any worries I had about “seeing the road twice” were quickly resolved.

Will we look back at photos from 2020 and 2021 in 20 years and laugh at all of us with “mask-beards”? Mask-beards aside, these two kiddos and this red bus are all waaaaay cool!

Th wood work and details were impressive.
Chris helped remove the roof for full sky views!
We sat in the last row of seats, featuring the largest leg room and sky views!

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One of the coolest places we saw while in the area was not even in Glacier National Park at all! For many months, Andy had been reading online about the famous and very popular huckleberry bear claw pastries that visitors drive hours to get in Polebridge, Montana. Named so because of the bridge made of poles that used to be in the area, Polebridge features a mercantile, a saloon, cabins for rent and a LOT of wide open space. It is 27 miles from West Glacier, on a largely dirt road and miles of mother nature’s best work only 17 miles from the Canadian border.

Chris, Christy, Andrew and I took the drive to Polebridge with only an expectation of bear claw pastries, and we ended up in a mecca of quirky, historic, and quite a busy shopping, eating, drinking and hiking destination! It was incredible, and beautiful and a warm, sunny day. We bought lunch at the Sasquatch Grill food truck that boasted poutine (a Canadian dish of gravy fries with cheese curds) alongside delicious curry spiced rice bowls that harkened from an entirely different palette and part of the world.

The Mercantile next door has been serving area residents and tourists alike for more than 100 years and sells much more than pastries. The store was bustling and products ranged from cold beverages and baked goods, to clothing, postcards and camping supplies.

For much of the summer, Andrew had also been following news reports of a wildfire that was getting close to Polebridge and our visit there was put at risk. Thankfully for all, the fire was eventually contained and did no harm in Polebridge. There was, however, a walking trail called the Transboundary Flathead River Interpretive Trail next to the property that meandered out into an area that had suffered wildfire damage years earlier. We have been seeing the damage caused by wildfires all throughout our western travels this summer, but to walk among the damaged land and see it coming back to life was interesting.

Polebridge identifies itself as a place “where the west is still wild” and we now understand. The businesses will close down in October and won’t begin opening again until April with snow still on the distant mountains, wildlife coming back to life and Montanoans ready to enjoy yet another brief summer in Polebridge.

A saloon…
A food truck…
A nature trail…
Cabins for rent…

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These days in and around Glacier National Park wound up as the grand finale of our summer tour of the west. It has been among some of the most incredible and special moments of our lives and the states of Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana are now solidly some of our favorites! Shortly after our stay in this northwest corner of the state, we began our trip back east to take care of medical appointments, visits with our mothers and children and a bit of a more “regular life” for a while. We leave reluctantly, but immensely grateful. We have been blessed with safe travels and incredible experiences and will now be able to spend some time with our loved ones back east that we miss very much.

If there are any suggestions we would give others that often tell us that they wish they could do what we are doing or declare how lucky we are, it would be this – expect the same for your life. There are many adventures out there for all of us, in all places and at all price points. Plan well to find out what your adventure might look like. Become debt-free to make it possible. Use the many changes in our world to find employment that will support your dreams. Stick to a budget and save. Start small, but start now, because you never know what time, travels and tribulations lie ahead for you.

Safe travels and enjoy your journey!

Thank you, Mother Nature for our most fabulous summer adventure!

“Everything is so big—the sky, the mountains, the wind-swept flatlands—it sinks into you, it shapes your body and your dreams.”
Christopher Paolini

“Of all the memorable views, the best have been framed by Montana windows.”
William Hjortsberg

“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection. But with Montana, it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.”
John Steinbeck

“It seems to me Montana is a great splash of grandeur. The scale is huge but not overpowering. The land is rich with grass and color, and the mountains are the kind I would create if mountains were ever put on my agenda.”
John Steinbeck

“My favorite state has not yet been invented. It will be called Montana, and it will be perfect.”
Abraham Lincoln

Huckleberry makes Montana a very purple state, and we Ravens fans love it! This is Christy, (along with us), shopping in West Glacier Village.

Montana – The Second Best Of “The Last Best Place”!

To say that Montana never ceases to amaze us would be an understatement. So don’t be disappointed by the title of this post (you will understand later why the best is still ahead!). As we continued with part two of our three segment tour of the Treasure State, we set up camp at a quiet little campground in Island Park, Idaho called RedRock RV Park (which is really close to Montana). We knew this might be a great stay for us when the road took us on a five mile gravel drive past dozens of dispersed campsites, into free range grazing land and around the massive and beautiful Henry Lake. As we approached the campground, the sign said it all – “Shhh, it’s quiet around here”.

The campground has a place for painted rocks…
…so I painted my first rocks and left one behind!
the flowers around us were beautiful
Our “back yard”…and a dispersed camper
The road headed out to Henry Lake
Shhh, it is wonderfully quiet out here
The prettiest sunset this summer was right behind our RV, enjoyed with 2 dozen other neighbor campers
There are many of these cattle “gates” in roads out west

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The campground is adjacent to public land on the back side of the property as well, so our “back yard” for two weeks was filled with wide open spaces, acres of open space for Calvin to enjoy being off lease, hundreds of friendly grazing cows and a smattering of boondocking RVs across the distant panorama. This was our perfect jumping off point and only a 25 minute drive to the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park (which is actually in Montana AND Wyoming).

The magic, as it were, began the next morning when we ventured in the direction of the national park. The campground employees had told us to take our time on the little gravel road out to the highway, as it wasn’t too uncommon to see wildlife. Sure enough, as we neared the end of the drive, out popped four giant male moose, with full racks of antlers covered in velvet. They grazed along the side of the road and allowed us ample time to take photos and video. They jumped the four foot barbed wire fence with ease, casually crossed the road in front of us, posing for more photos along the way. Once on the other side, they continued their breakfast of tree leaves before wandering slowly into the woods again.

We were completely energized, having checked off a big item on our “animal wish list”! We made our way through the little gateway town of West Yellowstone and into the mid-morning line of cars waiting to enter the park. We knew that our late arrival would set us up for a crowded visit, but all along we had planned this day to be just a drive-thru visit to become assimilated and perhaps hatch a plan to maximize the coming days in the park.

Don’t show up at the park between 10 am and 4 pm if you want to avoid crowds…

The first and most lasting impression we had as we drove along the Madison River and deeper into the park was the immense grandeur and diversity before our eyes! Crystal rushing waters, massive boulders, wildflowers in blues, yellows and orange were abounding. It wasn’t ten more minutes before we looked out across a grassy valley along the river that we saw a herd of elk! We quickly pulled over and stood in awe as we watched the huge animals make their way across their perfect habitat. Elk sighting – CHECK!

Watching them move through the grasses and water was a real treat

That day I was able to wade in the Firepole River , where the rounded and colorful rocks under clear waters gave us a little glimpse into the beauty we would be seeing later in Glacier National Park (teaser to an incredible Part III of our Montana journey).

The clear, cold Firepole River on day #1 in YNP!

We stopped along the way at the less-busy “attractions” in the park that day, noting the location of the very popular sights so that we could visit another day at an earlier hour. We quickly realized that this park is different in its topography with each turn we took. Open grasslands, turned to mountain cliffs and misting geysers and smoke-pots.

We left in mid-afternoon, just as much of the park started to empty out, leaving the wildlife to their privacy for the evening. Hungry, we sought some “Linner” (a mid-afternoon meal that combines lunch and dinner into one meal) at the aptly named Firehole BBQ, whose claim to fame was their appearance on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (BIG fans!). SOLD! We were all in! I enjoyed what was perhaps the best brisket I have EVER HAD. Andrew had a sampling of ribs and a pork BBQ sandwich, which were equally rewarding (he had been hunting a good rack of ribs for weeks and after a couple of disappointments, was rewarded well in West Yellowstone).

The restaurant was noticeably empty, and the young man that worked there said that this was nearing the “end of the busy season”, a surprise to us, feeling like mid-August was still the height of summer back east. He went on to explain that the restaurant as well as most of West Yellowstone and even the National Park itself all shut down in the winter months, with cold weather not seen anywhere else in the continental US, and snow piled up as tall as buildings. It was difficult to imagine on a beautiful August afternoon, but it was a solid reminder that this national treasure sits on harsh and precarious ground.

Over our two-week stay in the area, we spent a total of five days in the park, arriving earlier each time than the time before so that we could beat the crowds and find the animals at their most active.

We saw our first bison on day two in the park. Having learned that it can be more important to watch for where cars are parked than watching for the wildlife itself, we pulled over on the side of the road and walked toward the gathering crowd. In our not-so-distant view was a large male bison, laying in the grass in a light wooded area by a creek. It was a sunny and warm day and he just seemed content to lie still while we took photos and admired his vast size and incredible beauty. Wild bison – CHECK! We were satisfied and exhilarated to finally see what Andrew had sought for a lifetime, and had no idea that in the coming days we would see hundreds more of these magnificent beasts.

We were blessed to see animals of all shapes and sizes, nearly every animal on our wish list , and many others that we hadn’t expected (we missed out on seeing any American Bald Eagles). There were many black ravens, as well as some yet-to-be-identified birds (perhaps you bird lovers can help us in the comments). Even the little chipmunks were adorable. We enjoyed a sudden visit by a coyote on a back road we were scouting (another couple had seen a black wolf on this road a previous day, so we were hoping to strike it rich with a visit). More moose, elk, many fish, and then, near the end of our visit, we saw the gathering crowd witnessing a mother black bear and her two cubs. They were perhaps 100 yards away, devouring a huckleberry bush in the comfortably warm afternoon sun. There were perhaps 100 humans looking through their cameras and binoculars for hours as these amazing creatures of God entertained us all. The “oohs” and “aahs” were heard among the park visitors as the bear cubs could be seen leaving the bush and wandering up the hill to a log, where they licked and swatted playfully at each other.

The winner of our two-week visit was most certainly the bison. We found many in both the Lamar and Hayden Valleys of the park. Bison grunted, grazed, rolled in the dusty dirt to get relief from bugs, and occasionally, one male would tussle and butt heads with another as the males were in the rut and busy competing for females for mating.

As you meet fellow visitors to the park, invariably, the conversation tends to become an exciting discussion of the various wildlife encountered. Everyone is happy to share photos, video and tips on locations for the best sightings you seek. One couple shopping in a gift shop alongside us in West Yellowstone witnessed the carcass of a recently killed male bison being scavenged by other wildlife. While there, they watched a video taken by another park guest of two bison in full mating battle, and watched as one bison gored the other in the head with his mighty horn, killing him instantly. Seven park rangers then labored to move the body of the huge animal to a safer location where nature would take its course in the circle of life, feeding an abundance of other wild animals.

Beyond animals, the natural features of the land were like nothing we have ever seen before. Old Faithful Geyser is the best known, and was absolutely amazing to see early one morning, but the beauty goes so far beyond this crowd pleaser. The hydrothermal features included mud pots, lesser-known geyers, large swaths of downed trees from previous volcanic activity, bubbly fumaroles of gaseous waters, hot springs, steam vents and the near-constant smell of sulphur (one of the only times in my life the odor has not been offensive). None of them disappointed.

Waiting for Old Faithful…
…on a rainy morning

We stopped at many road turnouts to take a peek at the various interesting spots. Side roads took us to outlying areas that felt like we were part of a secret in nature, and we even found our way to a very, very, VERY old (50 million years old) petrified Redwood tree.

A 50 million year old petrified Redwood tree

We ate and shopped our way through West Yellowstone, enjoying one of our best dinners at the Madison Crossing Lounge (try their cocktails!) on my birthday. We ate huckleberry fudge ice cream one afternoon, and we even had a great check-up visit to the West Yellowstone Vet one afternoon with Bug and Calvin.

In what felt like a great departure from the camping life, we got tickets to see Disney’s Newsies at The Playmill Theatre, also on my birthday. It had been a number of years since we had been fortunate enough to see a live show (thanks, Covid), and this little summer stock theatre was just wonderful! The theatre was only perhaps a dozen rows at center stage and perhaps eight rows on two sides of the very small stage – so small that our seats shook as the actors sang and danced! At intermission, guests remained in seats and the actors brought concessions around for sale! Even as we left, we saw the actors dressed as ushers and ticket-takers for the next show of the evening; they truly did it all!

In the summer, there are two shows each day and three different shows continuously through the summer! The quality of the performance was quite impressive overall, and the small atmosphere made for a very personal performance.

The ONLY challenge we had (on soap box) was feeling comfortable in what seemed to be a warm vat of Covid – approximately 300 people (267 guests plus actors) packed into a very warm, very small theatre, elbow-to-elbow and knee-to-knee, with perhaps only a half dozen people choosing to wear masks. We went into the show knowing that vaccines and masks were not required, but we were not prepared for the tightness of the facility. Thankfully, we are vaccinated, and we wore our masks, and did not get sick, but I have no doubt that performances like these are part of what is driving the severe infection spread throughout the state this summer (off soap box).

Another day found us in Ennis, MT where we had a great lunch at Tavern 287, wandered through the Nearly New (thrift) Shoppe, and Willie’s Distillery, where Andy added to his bottle collection and we chatted with several retired service members that were hanging out in town to watch the 8th Annual Montana POW/MIA Ride To Remember ride down the main street (motorcycles).

We believe these are snowdrift fences…
But tell me if we are wrong.
Ennis, MT – a cowboy town
This was on display downtown
Here is a close-up
Bistro 287 croissant grilled cheese and soup
Beautiful park in the middle of town
…and a cool sculpture
This is a great fly fishing sculpture coming into town
Willies Distillery
Thinking of Dad when shopping at Deemo’s Meats
The owners came from NJ to MT
Picking up some adult beverages for our expected guests
A cool stop to drink and eat
with a cool fence

On a long 12 hour “Sunday drive” road trip with the dogs, we combined a needed visit to Walmart (the best place to buy RV TP, lol) into a big loop south and around and up north again through Grand Teton National Park, which is adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. We saw Jackson Hole and a number of little towns that catered to visitors with cabins, all terrain vehicles, biking, snow sports and much more. We watched sunset at a turnout along another section of the Snake River, formed into layered terraces by glaciers millions of years ago, and then made our way through the evening pitch darkness through Yellowstone Park and back to our campsite by midnight.

Wildflowers are a daily treat
As the sun sets on the Snake Reiver
Terraces in the land formed by glaciers
Blessed every day
Even more beautiful in person

We even took a little day trip up to Big Spring, close to our campground in Island Park, Idaho. It is the birthplace of a river, where we could feed bits of hot dog to the eager and abundant trout that swarmed the warm spring water that is the headwaters of the Snake River.

In the end, Part II of our visit to Montana exceeded our already lofty expectations. Some observations we made along the way, in no particular order of importance:

There are no big grocery stores in much of the state. The stores that are there are expensive and very busy and have a small town feel that made us stand out as outsiders.
When visiting, enter the park EARLY. The summer crowds are excessive frome 10 am – 4 pm, so plan accordingly to see the most sights and to have the potential of seeing the most wildlife.
The population of all these popular areas swells significantly in the summer. Island Park, Idaho, for example, has a population of 268, but has approximately 2.3 million visitors that stream through its main highway each year.
We continue to notice that Montanoans are very friendly and welcoming in their state. Since tourism is their 5th largest employer, they value our presence in their state and take great pride in being a part of such a special place.
Many of the summer employees we met were not Montanoans at all, but rather out-of-state visitors that return each season to spend time in this outdoor paradise, earn some money, and then return to a warmer climate each winter.
There are no sales taxes in Montana – and alcohol is remarkably affordable. This makes for a fun time shopping and dining out!

And finally….we agree – Montana is indeed THE LAST BEST PLACE!

Safe travels, and stay tuned for Part III – we promise this will be the BEST of the “last best”!

The posts on the little grocery store in Island Park were cool.
We sampled some Huckleberry Cordials
BIG camp chai in our campgrpund

When History Comes To Life, So Does The Painful Truth Of Our Nation’s Past

The Indian Memorial at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Andrew’s favorite travel stop so far was in Crow Agency, Montana, which is the headquarters of the Crow Indian Reservation. As the weeks of 100 plus degrees continued, we were able to use our America the Beautiful National Parks Pass for the first time with a visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

The property’s 765 acres include a visitor center, cemetery, two memorials and a vast battlefield area. It is located on two small plots of federal land with a large area of Crow Indian Reservation land in between, so the 4.5 mile drive through the various defense and battlefield locations took us past a gate and sign notifying us that we were entering private property (Crow Country). It was on this reservation land that we paused for some seemingly free-grazing horses to pass, adding to the mystique of the historic land upon which we tread.

There are a few ways to experience the battlefield, including an audio tour with point-to-point storytelling (if you can get cell service). Without any service available to us, we instead picked up a map upon arrival at the Visitor’s Center, which marked and explained each stop or point of interest along the roadway. We suggest driving all the way to the end of the drive to begin the tour, working your way chronologically through the days of battle, until you end up back at the visitor’s center.

We used the road signage and the map, but this is a nice option as well – if you have cell service.

There are signs located at each wayside with a painting of the landscape and positions of the Indians and US federal troops during the key days of battle. So as we gazed across the vast landscape of today, we could see and reconcile those fateful days in history by matching up the hillsides and valleys with the painted sign images. With that, I could visualize the nearly 8,000 Native American men, women and children living off the land in a village of tipis along the Little Bighorn River in front of us. We could envision Captain Benteen’s and Major Reno’s men lowering themselves in the shallow gullies hidden by the barren ridges of the terrain. When they failed to make it to where General Custer’s men were located, the story of Custer’s last stand came to life, and we were able to stand at the monument where he and all his men fell in resounding defeat by the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors.

Throughout the battlefields, archeologists and historians have worked hard to find, identify and mark the location of every man that perished that day. Seeing the little white stone markers spread across the prairie landscape was a moving and ghostly experience, as it helped me to visualize the full tragedy of one historic battle in the lengthy decimation of our country’s native people and their peaceful way of life.

Standing at the top of Last Stand Hill, where Custer and his men dug in for their fateful end at the hands of White Bull and his fellow warriors, Andrew felt the full force of what happened on that day in history. Having always been a fan of history, he wanted to use all his senses to experience this place where brave men on both sides of the battle fought for what they thought was right. Looking out over that hillside, he could see the markers of the fallen all around, he could hear the echoes of warrior battle cries from one side of the sad fight and touch the ground upon which federal troops fell from the other side. He could practically taste the pain of the Native Americans in the oppressive heat of the day as they fought for their way of life, and smell the hubris and impatience of Custer and his men. The result was both predictable and unexpected at the same time. This is what makes history so fascinating.

The most interesting part of the visit for me was to see how, as a nation, we are still struggling to find a balanced way to tell our story. Since 1976, the American Indian Movement (AIM) had been formally protesting the reverence of Custer and presentation of the site as part of a heroic saga in American military history and the expansion into the American West. They instead argued for a more accurate representation of what was happening across the west – a battle to protect their nomadic way of life on land they had been occupying long before European Americans landed on the continent. The loss of the Native American way of life needed to be part of the history being told.

It wasn’t until 1991 that the site was renamed, removing the name Custer from the title, and approval was given to build an Indian Memorial onsite (whereas the well-known Seventh Cavalry Memorial on Last Stand Hill had been erected in 1881). Completed in 2003, the Indian Memorial was the most telling and dramatic part of the site for me. Built in a simple circular pattern of carved stone walls, it honors the Native Americans who struggled to preserve and defend their homeland and traditional way of life. Their heroic sacrifice was finally and formally recognized, and the stories and quotes that were most important to each tribe were etched into the stone. On the distant edge of the memorial, rises a large Spirit Warrior Sculpture, showing warriors riding horses into battle against the backdrop of the wild Montana sky.

Following our hours-long visit to the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Memorial, we stopped at a nearby cafe and gift shop for a meal and a much-needed pitcher of ice water (interestingly, still named “Custer Battlefield Trading Post and Cafe”). We sat in this simple local establishment, among several tables of tourists and several tables of local Native Americans. I noticed the whiteness of each tourist’s skin and contrasted it with the beautiful dark skin and hair of the Native Americans nearby, whom I thought were perhaps Crow, as we were sitting in Crow Agency, Montana.

Custer Battlefield Trading Post and Cafe’ – photo credit: Facebook.com

Custer Battlefield Cafe’ – photo credit: mtstandard.com

After a while, a table of young Native American men and women were joined by another group from the next dining room and they laughed and socialized. In many ways they were typical teenagers and young twenty-somethings in their dress and mannerisms. But in other ways, you could see their history and culture come to life, in their manner of speaking, with the long braided hair for some of the girls and with decoratively shaved hair or sharp, short, upright pony tails worn by some of the boys. I smiled at the thought of how they strived to keep their culture alive so many generations after the loss of their traditional way of life.

It was then that this group of perhaps a dozen young adults broke into song with a rendition of Happy Birthday for one of their seated friends. As the oh-so-familiar song ended and applause broke out across the dining room for the birthday girl, you could hear the distinct and familiar Native American celebratory trill, I believe also known now as “lele”. A number of the youngsters were cheering in celebration with the historic ululation of their ancestors.

It struck me that today’s Native Americans find their history and culture important to keep alive, even as all of our cultures continue to be watered down over the generations in this melting pot nation. As German Americans celebrate Oktoberfest around the country, and Irish Americans celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and Mexican Americans enjoy Cinco de Mayo, Native Americans also live out their history and traditions. Every culture has its special foods, celebrations, songs, clothing and ways of living to keep our ancestors alive in each of us.

As each generation travels through time, it is my wish that we all remember these unique differences carried forward from our ancestors, while at the same time, continue to grow together more than we grow apart. May we enjoy a growing peace and understanding, so that the painful and uglier parts of our shared histories become stories that we tell about lessons we have learned.

Safe travels and enjoy the discovery of our history!

Native American Quotes

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved designated November “National American Indian Heritage Month” to honor the culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life of Native people of the United States.

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

– Chief Seattle, Duwamish

“I do not think the measure of a civilization is how tall its buildings of concrete are, but rather how well its people have learned to relate to their environment and fellow man.”

– Sun Bear, Chippewa

“If you talk to the animals they will talk with you and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them you will not know them and what you do not know, you will fear. What one fears, one destroys.”

– Chief Dan George, Tsleil-Waututh Nation

“We must protect the forests for our children, grandchildren and children yet to be born. We must protect the forests for those who can’t speak for themselves such as the birds, animals, fish and trees.”

– Qwatsinas (Hereditary Chief Edward Moody), Nuxalk Nation

“I have heard you intend to settle us on a reservation near the mountains. I don’t want to settle. I love to roam over the prairies. There I feel free and happy, but when we settle down we grow pale and die.”

– Chief Satanta, Kiowa

“Honor the sacred. Honor the Earth, our Mother. Honor the Elders. Honor all with whom we share the Earth:-Four-leggeds, two-leggeds, winged ones, Swimmers, crawlers, plant and rock people. Walk in balance and beauty.”

– Native American Elder

“If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace… Treat all men alike. Give them all the same law. Give them all an even chance to live and grow.All men were made by the same Great Spirit Chief.They are all brothers. The Earth is the mother of all people, and all people should have equal rights upon it…”

– White Elk

“Let me be a free man, free to travel, free to stop, free to work, free to trade where I choose my own teachers, free to follow the religion of my fathers,free to think and talk and act for myself, and I will obey every law, or submit to the penalty.”

– Heinmot Tooyalaket (Chief Joseph), Nez Perce Leader

“Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.”

– Chief Seattle, 1854

“What is Life? “It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset. The True Peace. The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Taka (the Great Spirit), and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us. This is the real peace, and the others are but reflections of this. The second peace is that which is made between two individuals, and the third is that which is made between two nations. But above all you should understand that there can never be peace between nations until there is known that true peace, which, as I have often said, is within the souls of men.”

– Black Elk, Oglala Sioux and Spiritual Leader (1863 – 1950)

“Hold on to what is good, Even if it’s a handful of earth. Hold on to what you believe, Even if it’s a tree that stands by itself. Hold on to what you must do, Even if it’s a long way from here. Hold on to your life, Even if it’s easier to let go. Hold on to my hand, Even if someday I’ll be gone away from you.”

– Crowfoot, Blackfoot warrior and orator 1830 – 1890

“The Holy Land is everywhere.”

– Black Elk

“We will be known forever by the tracks we leave.”

– Dakota Tribe

“All who have died are equal.”

– Comanche People

SOURCE: xavier.com

Visiting “The Last Best Place” Does Not Disappoint!

Montana, known as the “last best place” has not disappointed, but especially not here in the Jefferson River Canyon, likely still looking much like it did when Lewis and Clark explored the area oh so long ago.

For his entire adult life, my husband Andrew has kept one bucket list location in his heart. Montana. Known to him only by reputation, the state of Montana was his representation of peace, tranquility and escape from what troubled him. He always imagined himself, his dog Jake, a log cabin, a big stack of firewood and a long snowy winter with mountain views and purposeful isolation.

When we began “re-dating” in 2014, he shared his “big sky country” dreams with me. His dream evolved into our joint goal. As our dating life moved on to married life, and as our travel plans evolved into a traveling lifestyle, Montana became number one on our destination list.

So it was on July 21st, 2021 that we crossed the border from Wyoming into Montana in our big Ford dually, towing our Grand Design RV home on wheels! Quite literally, we got goosebumps and cheered while driving down the highway past the “Welcome to Montana” sign. Andy instantly called his mom to share the excitement, since she knew all too well how much arriving in this location meant to his soul.

With the caveat of a two week campground stay just over the border in Idaho (to visit Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming), we will be exploring Montana for 56 days before leaving on about September 15th on our way to South Dakota! Even in our Idaho campsite, we look out across our Northern “backyard” of public land and see vast mountains that are located in Montana.

Now nearly halfway through our Montana adventure, we are here to report that the state has not disappointed in the least!

As bucket list items go, one could argue that Andrew didn’t exactly get what he imagined for his Montana experience. Andrew didn’t make Montana a solitary experience as he has always dreamed it would be. He didn’t stay in a cabin with mountain views. There was no snow at our feet this summer in the “Treasure State”, and with warm summer temperatures, an endless fire in the fireplace with a big stack of wood didn’t happen either. And sadly, loyal and wonderful Jake did not live long enough to make the trip west by Andrew’s side.

But he would probably share that the real life version of his bucket list to “the last best place” has filled his soul in a bigger, deeper way than a check-mark on a list. Our “cabin in the woods” was our RV, set up next to wide open spaces on and near state and public lands. Our fireplace and stack of firewood was instead a rare evening campfire on a cool night, and the snow was only occasionally glimpsed on a far away mountain top. And while Jake was with us in spirit and thought, we had three other furry friends by our side the entire way; Bug, Calvin and Stencil have loved Montana as well!

It isn’t a mountainside cabin in the Montana forest, but our little cabin on wheels has ever changing and beautiful scenery.

The most important part for both of us, however, is that we did it together. Because all these years of imagining his solitary journey to Montana was really a beautiful way to escape what was unhappy in his life. His Montana dream was a way to safely frame for himself and others that he wanted peace and love in his life. As is always the case, God listened and led. Andrew listened and followed. He no longer wants to be alone with his dog and escape to a snowy wilderness. He (and I) wanted a loving partner with whom he could share the rest of his life. Whether that life led him to Montana or around the world mattered little anymore, because his life became the journey rather than the destination.

God led us. We are now companions on the journey.

This song has been a fav of mine for a really long time, but as we gaze out over something spectacular on this leg of the trip, or sit with new or old traveling friends by the campfire, or when I simply take a quiet walk in the cool morning air, I am reminded of this song and the beauty of all of our journeys in life.

WHAT WE SAW AND WHERE WE SAW IT

Stop 1 – Billings, MT – We stayed at the first-ever KOA campground, and it was quite nice (I am not usually a fan of KOAs, but this one was one that we enjoyed). It sits right alongside the Yellowstone River, which is beautiful with its white shores and perfectly smooth and rounded stones of all sizes in the river bed.

Oddly, this is also the place where a camping neighbor and I witnessed a trailer being hauled through the campground a bit too fast…and with their awning still completely extended! Luckily, they noticed their lapse in “careful campsite take-down” and stopped up the road before they got on the highway (mental note to myself to be extra careful on travel days, ‘cause we don’t wanna be THAT guy!).

We adventured into downtown Billings and found a great locally owned non-profit fair trade store called Global Village where we bought some fabulous gifts for family members. We bought some books and goodies at non-profit This House Of Books, a unique co-op style bookstore aiming to keep small-town bookstores alive!

We also found our way to Billings’ downtown farmer’s market where we were sure to get some Flathead cherries, a Montana summer tradition. We came home with an armful of corn on the cob, chokecherry jelly, cheese balls, perfectly ripe peaches and handmade tortillas, all local products that make Farmer’s Market shopping a favorite pastime of ours.

The next visit in our travels is perhaps Andrew’s favorite so far. As the weeks of 100 plus degrees continued, we were able to use our America the Beautiful National Parks Pass for the first time with a visit to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. The telling of our experience will be a story for a future post, as it is an important and special place that deserves more time and attention than I can provide here. To be sure, any trip to the state should include a visit to this historic site.

Fun music at the Farmer’s Music!

Stop 2 – Livingston, MT – Osen’s RV Park was conveniently located just a few minutes drive from Livingston. It is neat, quiet and has one of the nicest, cleanest and lushest dog parks we have seen out west so far (security cameras on the fence overlooking dog owners might be the key to getting certain folks to clean up after their dogs). The new campground owners were hospitable and we enjoyed the quiet and simplicity of the park and the small grassy plots at each site.

Livingston was a great little walkable town despite the continuing heat wave and limited vistas due to smoke from distant wildfires. We found fun little shops and restaurants and as has been the theme this summer, many friendly folks.

In a quirky coincidence, we happened to shop in and visit with the very nice owner of Dan Bailey’s Outdoor Company while visiting Livingston. We learned about his love of cycling and fly fishing. We met his dog (we have met several great dogs in local fly fishing stores) and shared a little of our travels with him as well. The very next day, that store owner was in the news with a follow-up story to an incident that occurred between Fox’s Tucker Carlson and a man named Dan Bailey in the same store in Livingston just days before our arrival! The incident was recorded and the posted video went viral. Given that this verbal altercation was initiated by a man with no connection to the store bearing his name, the store’s owner felt it important to clear up any confusion that followed and distance themselves from the incident. So up popped this story shortly after we visited, with the friendly owner speaking of the incident that had brought them national attention for unwanted reasons. Small world….or is it big brother Google that noticed that my phone had been at that store?

Our best meal was at the joint venture of Gil’s Goods (the food) and The Murray Bar (where we ate the food). Filled on a busy weeknight with authentic cowboy hat-laden locals, outdoorsmen and visitors, we sat at a high-top table and enjoyed a delicious meal. My Greek salad an Falafel (yes, in MT) was among the best I have had for quite a while, Andy’s brick-oven pizza was a good treat and our drinks of choice were extremely affordable. Andrew’s go-to of Crown Royal on the rocks was a generous double pour and my jalapeno margarita was very well crafted, with jalapeno flavor infused into the tequila onsite.

We then wandered across the street to Uncorked, a wine bar and store set in an old train depot that was relegated to the outdoors due to Covid. It turned out to be a great evening on a covered patio, sitting by the train tracks and bustling with a few other busy tables. We shared a bottle of wine, enjoyed talking with a table of local senior citizens out for an evening of wine and charcuterie plates, and watched the rhythmic coming and going of the trains.

We spent our 6th wedding anniversary (August 1st for those kiddos that missed it) taking a beautiful Sunday drive with the dogs through nearby Paradise Valley and the Custer Gallatin National Forest. With scenery that wanders along the Yellowstone River, this valley is a place that we could find ourselves building that cabin of our dreams (if not for the price tag of land in this state!).

We took an impromptu detour into the forest and found ourselves on a tiny dirt road, passing bible camps, beautiful ranches, private getaway cabins and backcountry camping in tents and trailers of varying sizes. As we rounded a turn in the low mountain terrain, we came upon what we later found to be the location of a devastating wildfire in 2013. It was incredible to see how the fire jumped over valleys and took turns on certain mountainsides, only to decimate what ultimately was hundreds of acres.

Now more than eight years later, the green underbrush and wildflowers are growing among the blackened sticks of the mature trees that once stood over them. It will take quite some time for full restoration to occur, but it was both a sad and beautiful way to see Mother Nature work her magic. What began as a lightning strike, raged into a wildfire that cleared an area of forest that will eventually fully rejuvenate as part of a natural and needed process. At a time when we struggle as a world where wildfires are too frequent and too large due to the manmade harm from global warming, it was a moment of balance to be reminded that great good can still come from great devastation.

Bug and Calvin loved the large plush dog park at Osen’s RV Park

Wine bar with a train serenade

Stop #3 – Whitehall, MT – Whitehall, Montana is about 50 minutes from Bozeman, but we ended up with less time to explore than we had anticipated because shortly before arriving, we discovered a cracked rim on a truck tire which needed replacement sooner than later. We pre-ordered the rim to be shipped to Bozeman ahead of our arrival and then lucked out on getting it replaced when we arrived because someone else with an appointment was a “no-show”, opening up a fortuitous slot for us as we stood before the employee explaining our plight (we drove nearly an hour to get here, we are only going to be in the area for a week, and this is our only vehicle – “so can you help us?”).

Back in Whitehall, we were excited to see the absolutely stunning and open layout of the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. We were conversely disappointed to see that we had NO cell service throughout most of the campground. This situation made the perfect opportunity to install and test out our WeBoost cell signal booster. Once installed, we were happy to at least get one or two bars for the rest of our weeklong stay (we had read that a booster can improve low service, but cannot provide service where none exists, so even the slight improvement helped us conduct required vacation rental business during our stay).

The highlight of our stay was a two-hour Classic Tour of the Lewis and Clark Caverns. It was about a ¾ mile hike to the entrance of the cave, complete with dramatic vistas of the valley and Jefferson River Canyon (a tributary of the Missouri River).

The tour itself had an interesting start where we had to remain silent and wear masks to protect the bats that lived just inside the entrance, so as to keep them calm, safe and healthy. Once we walked deeper into the cavern, we crouched, shimmied and even slid on our bottoms at times through the many-leveled caverns. With a quick refresher course in minerals, geology, stalagmites (from the floor) and stalactites (from the ceiling), we looked on in wonder at the physical beauty and the great history.

Explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark never actually discovered the caverns, but they camped below on the Jefferson River and explored the surrounding area, so they were credited for their work by naming the park and the caverns after them.

One nice feature about this tour as compared to the ghost cave tour we took in Colorado in June, is that it was well lit and had many railings installed along the way. Stairs were carved into the limestone which helped me maneuver more comfortably in the shadows and uneven flooring. Also, the tour began at one end of the cave and ended many feet lower on the mountainside, where a long tunnel had been blown through the stone for easier egress.

While in the area, the heat wave finally broke free when several days of periodic storms brought cooler temperature and some much needed rain. Much of the wildfire smoke that we had been seeing since arrival in Colorado in June was finally clearing out on some days, and we were much more comfortable and able to enjoy the outdoors even more.

The next stop upon which we will report is actually a two-week period of time when we will LEAVE Montana for camping, so that we can have cloe access to the West entrance of Yellowstone National Park! But there is much more Montana ahead for us this summer, so stay tuned!

Safe travels, and may your bucket list journey be filled with joy and discovery!