CENTRAL MONTANA

46 CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM CENTRAL MONTANA

CENTRAL MONTANA www.centralmontana.com · 800.527.5348

When it comes to Central Montana, the question is, how far back in time would you like to go? To 1960s kitsch at the Sip‘n Dip in Great Falls, a tiki bar with live performing mermaids? To Rockwellian winters, schussing the time- honored slopes of Montana’s oldest ski area? Or back to painter Charlie Russell’s frontier West, viewed from the windows of a dinner train? Here, you’ll experience Fort Benton’s days as a fur-trading outpost; Lewis and Clark’s 1805–06 Montana expedition; and Bear Paw Battlefield, where Chief Joseph resigned to “fight no more forever.”

This land of sunny wheat fields, snowy plains and rolling mountains can take you back to a time before human civilization, too, like Choteau’s Cretaceous days as a hip dinosaur hangout. Or go back farther still, to geologic time, when sandstone rock formations slowly emerged along the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River, and the entire Rocky Mountain Front lifted into existence.

While Central Montana is home to 21st-century trappings like one of Montana’s largest wind farms, even everyday interactions here are tinged with a sort of old-fashioned charm. Chatting with the guy at the next ice fishing hole, swapping field notes with fellow birders and running into skinny-skiers on the trails, you’ll find folks warmly welcoming and unpretentious, much like the hotels, cafes, saloons and museums. In such a laid-back, unbustling place, it’s easy to feel like you have all the time in the world...maybe because you do.

Left: Hiking Mission Canyon, Fort Belknap Indian Reservation Above: Snow geese migration at Freezout Lake

AT A GLANCE + White Sulphur Springs gets its name from the natural hot springs in the heart of town. Historically, the springs were used by multiple Indian nations who regarded the area as a “valley of peace” to be shared by all. + Cornflower-blue Yogo sapphires hail from Yogo Gulch in the Little Belt Mountains (between Great Falls and Lewistown) and are prized worldwide. + The town of Ringling is named for John T. Ringling, one of the original seven brothers of the Ringling Brothers Circus. He financed bringing the railroad to Ringling. + Trek along the Montana Dinosaur Trail to see the first baby dinosaur bones found in North America at the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Bynum, and unearth mysteries at the Old Trail Museum in Choteau.

CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM 47 (If you have a windbreaker, bring it.) PHOTOGRAPHING KNOW BEFORE Comfortable, understated, well-worn practical fashion is the norm, and the TRIBAL CEREMONIES YOU GO layered look is always in. Powwows and dances have deep religious significance and typically do not BEST TIME TO VISIT HOW TO GET HERE allow flash photography. Be sure to have permission before snapping photos at With Central Montana’s uncrowded nature, Driving, you’ll arrive on I-15 or one of tribal ceremonies. For more information any time is the best time to visit. That the smaller highways. Take time to enjoy on proper etiquette while visiting the said, many claim that early fall and late spectacular scenery, rolling hills and reservations and how to best enjoy spring are the best times to experience abundant wildlife. You can also fly into your experience, contact tribal offices at outdoor treats like hearing the elk bugle Great Falls International Airport or ride visitmt.com/indiannations. CENTRAL MONTANA or watching the migration of tens of Amtrak’s Empire Builder passenger train thousands of snow geese. across Montana’s Hi-Line with stops in Havre and Shelby. Public transportation FOOD Winter brings a wealth of activities, in the region is limited; renting a car is Central Montana is cattle ranching from skiing on downhill slopes and strongly advised. country, and juicy burgers or steaks are well-maintained cross-country ski trails menu favorites. Small-town cafes to to cruising on an extensive network of gourmet restaurants offer the gamut from backcountry snowmobile trails, and let’s PASSPORT/ elegant to rustic. Save room for dessert not forget the popular sport of ice fishing. PORT OF ENTRY via the new “pie trail.” If you’re entering the U.S. from Canada, centralmontana.com/pietrail WHAT TO PACK you must report to the Customs and Immigration Services and present a While there are plenty of beautiful 90 passport. Sweetgrass has a 24-hour port degree summer days in this area of of entry, and there are several smaller Montana, the dry air makes for cool ports with limited hours. 406.335.9559. evenings, nights and early mornings.

to Cranbrook, BC to Regina, SK to Cardston, AB to Assiniboia, SK to Lethbridge, AB to Kildeer, SK CANADA to Swift Current, SK Rexford CANADA Yaak Eureka Westby GLACIER Whitetail Babb Sweetgrass Port of Four Flaxville NATIONAL Sweetgrass Opheim Buttes Fortine Polebridge BLACKFEET Sunburst Turner Trego St. Mary INDIAN Peerless Scobey Plentywood Loring Whitewater ND to Fortuna, PARK RESERVATION Lake Cut Bank Troy Apgar McDonald Browning Chinook Medicine Lake Libby West Glacier FORT PECK Columbia K INDIAN RESERVATION Shelby AMTRA Falls Coram Rudyard A Martin City Chester Froid MT Havre Fort AMTRAK Hinsdale RAK Whitefish Hungry Horse East Glacier Galata Saco Saint Park Valier Box Belknap Marie Lustre Elder Dodson Vandalia Kalispell Essex Agency Malta Culbertson Heart Butte FORT BELKNAP Kila Dupuyer ROCKY BOY’S INDIAN Glasgow Nashua Wolf Poplar Marion Bigfork Flathead River AMTRAK Heron Big Sandy INDIAN RESERVATION Point Bainville Somers to Williston, ND to Sandpoint, ID Noxon Conrad RESERVATION Lakeside FLATHEAD Rollins Bynum Brady Proctor VALLEY Swan Lake UPPER MISSOURI Fort Fairview Dayton Virgelle Trout RIVER BREAKS C. M. RUSSELL Peck Creek Elmo Loma NATIONAL MONUMENT Choteau Fort Benton Zortman NATIONAL WILDLIFE Thompson Big Arm Landusky REFUGE Sidney Falls Hot Springs Polson Lambert DAKOTA NORTH Crane Condon Fairfield Great Haugan Ronan Vaughn Falls Plains Savage De Borgia Charlo Augusta Winifred Bloomfield St. Regis Paradise FLATHEAD INDIAN Moiese RESERVATION Fort Shaw Brusett Circle to Coeur d’Alene, ID to Coeur d’Alene, IDAHO Belt Dixon St. Ignatius Ulm Roy Stockett Raynesford Denton Jordan Brockway Superior Cascade Geyser Arlee Seeley 253 Lake Stanford Glendive Ovando Craig Monarch Lewistown Alberton Sand Springs Wibaux Missoula Lincoln Hobson Winnett Cohagen Wolf Creek 253 Greenough Neihart Grass Mosby Bonner Range Helmville Utica Lolo Terry ND to Dickinson, Clinton Canyon Creek Fallon Marysville BITTERROOT East Florence Drummond Helena Judith Gap to Kooskia, ID VALLEY Helena Melstone Ingomar PINTLER White Sulphur Ismay Victor Stevensville SCENIC Elliston Plevna ROUTE Garrison Montana Springs Two Clancy Winston City Dot Harlowton Miles City Deer Baker Corvallis Philipsburg Jefferson Martinsdale Roundup Lodge Basin City Hysham Forsyth Hamilton This map is for reference only; see the Townsend Ringling ND to Bowman, Georgetown Lake Boulder Official Montana Highway Map for moreBighorn detail. Rosebud Darby Anaconda 569 Custer Conner Butte Worden Ekalaka Wise Wilsall 48 CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM Logan Big Colstrip Sula River Manhattan Pompeys Pillar Dewey Three Clyde Park Timber Whitehall Belgrade Greycliff Silver Forks Divide Livingston Reed Point Laurel Lame DAKOTA SOUTH Star Harrison Billings Wisdom Columbus Hardin Crow Deer to Melrose Pony A Ashland Olive Twin Gallatin McLeod W RRIOR Salmon, ID Agency PIONEER Bridges Gateway CROW INDIAN TRAIL MTNS Bozeman Park H 278 Sheridan Norris Absarokee City RESERVATION Garryowen Busby IGH SCENIC PARADISE Rockvale NORTHERN CHEYENNE WAY Broadus BYWAY Fishtail Saint Xavier Jackson Nevada VALLEY Joliet Pryor INDIAN RESERVATION Polaris City Ennis Pray Nye Roberts Lodge Fort Smith Birney Alder Emigrant Roscoe Grass 278 Bridger Virginia Big Sky Bannack Dillon City Red Lodge Otter Biddle Alzada Cameron BIGHORN CANYON Wyola Cooke Belfry Grant Gardiner Silver NATIONAL REC. AREA Decker 324 Gate City WYOMING to Belle Fourche, SD 324 Quake Tower Junction WYOMING to Gillette, WY Mammoth to Sheridan, WY Lake BEARTOOTH to Cody, WY to Lovell, WY Hot Springs ALL AMERICAN ROAD YELLOWSTONE Dell Canyon Norris Lima NATIONAL Madison Monida Lakeview West Junction PARK Yellowstone Lake West IDAHO to Idaho Falls, ID Thumb to Rexburg, ID Old Faithful Grant Village

to Grand Teton Natl Park and Jackson, WY CENTRAL MONTANA

Square Butte near Great Falls

GREAT FALLS is Montana’s third-largest streams. There are excellent year-round PLACES TO GO city, known as the “Electric City” due to its fishing opportunities here and also west numerous hydroelectric dams built on the of Havre off US 2 at Fresno Reservoir. COMMUNITIES Missouri River. The city sits among four Beaver Creek Park’s scenic beauty large falls that were both a magnificent attracts snowmobilers and cross-country CHOTEAU, located on Montana’s spectacle and a formidable barrier to early skiers as well. If you’re looking for some Rocky Mountain Front, offers camping, river travel. Grand vistas can be found in “steep-n-deep” fun, try nearby Bear Paw swimming, shopping and golf right in every direction; Great Falls is surrounded Ski Bowl, just 29 miles south of town. town. Nearby activities include hiking, by mountains and buttes on three sides, The Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap Indian skiing, wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting and as well as vast plains to the north. Nearby, Reservations are nearby. dinosaur digging. Choteau is surrounded Showdown Montana ski area, Silver Crest 406.265.4383 by outstanding outdoor recreational Winter Recreation Area, and Kings Hill www.havremt.com opportunities in the Lewis and Clark Recreation Area provide exciting terrain for National Forest and the Bob Marshall winter activities. LEWISTOWN is an agricultural Wilderness Complex. The community 800.735.8535 community located at the geographic has several taverns and restaurants, gift www.genuinemontana.com center of Montana. Although mostly rolling stores, clothing boutiques and art galleries. prairie, farms and ranches, the Lewistown Bynum Reservoir and Eureka Lake are HARLOWTON is a convenient stop at area features two beautiful mountain favorite local ice fishing spots. Teton the junction of US 12 and 191. Of special ranges, the Snowy and Judith Mountains, Pass Resort, located 35 miles west of interest are the E-57B Electric Train Park where grand 100-mile vistas stretch out in Choteau, offers 25 downhill runs, while the and a pioneer bronze sculpture entitled all directions. Four different lakes around Teton Pass area has cross-country and And They Called the Land Montana. The Lewistown offer ample year-round fishing snowmobile trails. Upper Musselshell Museum includes a spots. Try the Big Snowy Mountains 406.466.5316 general store, Indian artifacts, pioneer near Crystal Lake south of town for great www.choteaumontana.us home and Avaceratops lammersi dinosaur snowmobiling and the Green Pole and display. Chief Joseph Park, off US 12, Rock Creek areas for excellent cross- FORT BENTON was one of the most features camping, scenic walkways, a country trails. important early trading posts built along fishing pond and playground. The Judith 406.535.5436 the Missouri River. Steamboats brought Gap Wind Energy Center is located 12 www.lewistownchamber.com supplies upriver this far, but because miles north of Harlowton on US 191. of rapids, could go no farther. Cargo 406.632.4694 SHELBY is 35 miles south of the was unloaded here and taken by freight www.harlowtonchamber.com Canadian border at the junction of US wagons to the gold camps at Helena, 2 and I-15. In the 1890s, Shelby was Virginia City and other places in western HAVRE is situated close to the Canadian a trade center supplying cowboys and Montana. Today, Fort Benton is recognized border amid the wide panorama of sheepherders. In 1921, oil was discovered as a National Historic Landmark because the open plains. With daily Amtrak north of town, and, for a while, the town of the importance it played as the head of passenger rail service, it offers modern grew by leaps and bounds. While in navigation on the Missouri River. It’s also city conveniences in a remote setting, Shelby, visit the Marias Museum of History the gateway for exploration of the Upper surrounded by vast and uncluttered plains. and Art for a look at the area’s history, Missouri National Wild and Scenic River In the Bears Paw Mountains to the south homesteading, a dinosaur collection and the Upper Missouri River Breaks is Beaver Creek Park. This 10,000-acre and more. Marias Valley Golf Course National Monument. park, one of the largest county parks and Williamson Park Campground offer 406.622.3864 in the U.S., features rolling grasslands, outdoor recreation and camping. Deer, www.fortbenton.com wooded groves, rocky cliffs and rushing antelope, elk, foxes, golden eagles, grouse

CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM 49 CENTRAL MONTANA

The White Cliffs along the Missouri River

and the unique “sweet grass” can be seen C.M. RUSSELL MUSEUM COMPLEX in spring and fall, and waterfowl and in the nearby Sweet Grass Hills. North Take a look at the art and soul of the shorebirds in summer. Located west of of town, Lake Shel-oole offers outdoor real West at this amazing Great Falls Great Falls. Open all year. recreation and camping, and south of museum featuring Charlie Russell’s 406.467.2646 town is the Marias River, named after works in all types of media, personal www.visitmt.com/freezoutwma Meriwether Lewis’s cousin. items and artifacts. The museum 406.434.7184 also has outstanding pieces from his PINE BUTTE SWAMP PRESERVE, www.shelbymtchamber.org contemporaries. The complex includes located west of Choteau, is the largest Russell’s original log studio and his home. wetlands area along the Rocky Mountain WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS was named Open all year. Front. Noted for its diverse geography, because of the white deposits around the 406.727.8787 from mountains to foothills and prairie, this hot springs that were discovered here. www.cmrussell.org huge wildlife preserve is home to more Located near the Smith River—a premier than 150 species of birds and 43 species scenic and fishing area—camping, hiking FORT BELKNAP INDIAN of mammals. The preserve is managed and hunting opportunities are found here RESERVATION is the fourth-largest Indian by The Nature Conservancy, which also in abundance. The Showdown Montana reservation in Montana, encompassing operates Pine Butte Guest Ranch, next to ski area is just 30 miles north. After a day 675,147 acres of rolling plains. It is the preserve. of fun, take a soak in the natural mineral the homeland of the Gros Ventre and 406.443.5526 pools at Spa Hot Springs. Assiniboine tribes. They were traditionally www.nature.org/montana 406.547.2250 known by their native name of A’aninin, www.whitesulphurspringsmt.com which means “the White Clay People”; ROCKY BOY’S INDIAN RESERVATION, the largest tribe is now called Gros Ventre. 30 miles south of Havre, is home to the NOTABLE SITES Points of interest include Fort Belknap Chippewa Cree tribe and features many Community College, Fort Belknap Tourism attractions, such as their annual August BEAR PAW BATTLEFIELD Just 16 miles Office and Information Center, Mission powwow and rodeo, annual Christmas south of Chinook, visitors can see the site Canyon/Natural Bridge and St. Paul’s powwow, Bear Paw Ski Bowl and Square of the last major Indian battle in the U.S. Mission Church. Butte Trading Post for authentic arts The Nez Perce Indians surrendered to the 406.353.2463 and crafts. U.S. Army on October 5, 1877, after a www.discoverfortbelknap.com 406.395.5705 1,300-mile retreat. It was here that Chief www.chippewacree.org Joseph spoke his famous words, “From FREEZOUT LAKE WILDLIFE where the sun now stands, I will fight no MANAGEMENT AREA is an excellent UPPER MISSOURI RIVER BREAKS more forever.” The Blaine County Museum wildlife viewing area for migratory birds. NATIONAL MONUMENT includes in Chinook offers a unique multimedia As many as 300,000 snow geese and an ecosystem that parallels the Upper presentation, “40 Miles from Freedom,” 10,000 tundra swans gather and rest here Missouri National Wild and Scenic River that describes the battle. Open all year. on their spring and fall journeys. Year- through north-central Montana. Much of 406.357.3130 round opportunities for viewing wildlife are the land in this area (375,000 acres) is www.nps.gov/nepe available and include upland game birds public land managed by the Bureau of and raptors in winter, waterfowl migrations Land Management. In the center of this

50 CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM monument is the 149-mile-long Upper auction are highlights of this three-day CENTRAL MONTANA Missouri National Wild and Scenic River. event to benefit the C.M. Russell Museum. The Upper Missouri begins at historic Fort Works from living legends and deceased Benton on US 87 and ends 149 miles artists make up this spectacular Western east where the Fred Robinson Bridge art show. on US 191 crosses the Missouri River. 406.727.8787 This remote location retains unspoiled, natural settings that form a backdrop ICE BREAKER ROAD RACE – GREAT for outstanding recreational and cultural FALLS, APRIL This race has been opportunities. An interpretive center for named one of the top 100 road races in the area is located in Fort Benton. the country by Runner’s World magazine. HUTTERITE COMMUNITIES Open all year. Averaging over 3,500 participants, it is not Follow the hand-painted “Fresh Vegetable” only a fitness and competitive event, but 406.538.1900 or 406.622.4000 signs to locally grown products and a glance also a social event for the community. www.visitmt.com/missouribreaks into utopian colony culture. 406.771.1265 THINGS TO DO MANNEQUIN JUMPING – NEIHART, APRIL Come check out Showdown EVENTS Montana’s Mannequin Jump, the strangest ski jumping contest on the For exact dates and a complete listing of planet. Contestants build their own skiing all events go to visitmt.com/events. mannequin jumpers and send them off the giant mannequin jump. The rest of us just MONTANA PRCA PRO RODEO watch and laugh. CIRCUIT FINALS – GREAT FALLS, 800.433.0022 JANUARY Held at the Montana ExpoPark Farmers market in Great Falls in Great Falls, over 96 of Montana’s best ANNUAL LEWIS AND CLARK pro rodeo contestants travel to Great FESTIVAL – GREAT FALLS, JUNE + There are about 4,000 Hutterites living Falls to pit their wit and ability against the This weekend of rediscovery is your in roughly 40 self-sufficient colonies in skill and heart of Montana’s finest PRCA opportunity to experience the incredible Montana. rodeo stock. Festivities include an auction journey of Lewis and Clark. Included + Hutterites follow the teachings of Thursday before the rodeo and Saturday are reenactors in historical dress, Jakob Hutter, a 16th-century afternoon. The Miss Rodeo Montana demonstrations, tours of Lewis and Clark Reformation Christian, and live in tiny coronation is on Sunday. sites, children’s activities, exhibits, float agricultural colonies where hard work 406.727.8900 trips, a relay race, concert and more. and modern farm methods are embraced. 406.452.5661 THE RUSSELL: AN EXHIBITION AND + The colonies produce and sell high-quality SALE TO BENEFIT THE C.M. RUSSELL furniture, vegetables, soaps, clothes, MUSEUM – GREAT FALLS, MARCH preserves, eggs, pork, milk and butter. The Wall Art Sale, Art in Action and live Most eggs in Montana come from chickens raised on Hutterite colonies. + Often a small hand-painted sign for fresh vegetables on the side of the road is your only signal to turn into a Hutterite colony. + In the colonies, you’ll find a lot of “quaint”—meticulously weeded gardens and tidy simple dwellings. Married men wear beards, while women wear modest (if sometimes bright) dresses and head coverings.

Wylie and the Wild West performing at the Red Ants Pants Music Festival, White Sulphur Springs CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM 51 FORT BENTON SUMMER offers a main stage, kids area, food CELEBRATION – FORT BENTON, and beer vendors, craft vendors and JUNE Montana’s “birthplace” community agricultural demonstrations. celebrates summer with a parade, arts Camping is available. THE OLD FORTS TRAIL and crafts on the levee, Missouri River 406.547.3781 Traders Market, historical tours, free Once upon a frontier time, all roads led to entertainment, street dance, fishing derby ANNUAL MONTANA COWBOY Fort Benton (the “birthplace” of Montana); and fireworks display on the levee. Also POETRY GATHERING AND WESTERN Fort Assinniboine served as Montana’s included is a fun walk and run. MUSIC RENDEZVOUS – LEWISTOWN, biggest military outpost; and trappers, 406.622.2013 or 406.750.2918 AUGUST This four-day cultural event traders, bootleggers and American Indians gives visitors the opportunity to experience traversed between both, along with the forts WHOOP-UP DAYS AND RHUBARB a visual and oral history of the West and

CENTRAL MONTANA of the Canadian West. FESTIVAL – CONRAD, JUNE Central Montana. With hourly poetry The Annual Whoop-Up Trail Days and readings and music sessions, this Rhubarb Festival features a kids’ carnival, gathering is the second-oldest cowboy Rodeo Calcutta, pancake breakfast, poetry gathering in the country. parade, fun run and lots of delicious treats. 406.538.4575 406.271.7791 ROCKY BOY’S ANNUAL POWWOW – C.M. RUSSELL STAMPEDE, BBQ, BOX ELDER, AUGUST The powwow QUICK DRAW AND RODEO – is an event of Indian heritage and STANFORD, JULY Two days of western tradition. Dance, regalia and drumming family entertainment comes from the competitions are the featured events. heart of Central Montana at the Judith Competitions last throughout the weekend Now, the original forts are mostly gone, Basin County Fairgrounds in Stanford. with all ages participating. Exciting, but their replicas and the well-worn paths On Saturday afternoon, enjoy the sounds excellent cultural demonstrations as well between them tell the tales of their important of a jam session featuring local and as ethnic and traditional food are offered. pasts. Following the Old Forts Trail, travelers regional music talent. A barbeque begins 406.395.4478 experience the museums and artifacts of at 5 p.m. Quick draw action (featuring Forts Benton and Assinniboine in Montana, well-known artists) and then an auction of HAVRE FESTIVAL DAYS – HAVRE, Forts Walsh, Battleford and Wood Mountain the art follows. The evening is capped off SEPTEMBER The Festival Days Post in Saskatchewan and Forts Whoop-up, with a Calcutta auction for the Wild Cow weekend opens with a 48-hour softball MacLeod and Calgary in Alberta. milking teams. On Sunday, great PRCA tournament. Saturday highlights include a rodeo action begins at 1:30 p.m. The Wild community parade, craft and commercial The journey along this international trail Cow milking contest is at the intermission show, local organizational events and follows foothills and prairie routes trodden of the rodeo. activities. On Sunday participate in a fun more than a century ago, retracing the flow run/walk for all ages or watch the annual of goods and people that helped lay the 406.566.2422 soap box derby. groundwork for the modern West. MILK RIVER INDIAN DAYS – FORT 406.265.4383 www.oldfortstrail.com BELKNAP, JULY Milk River Indian Days highlights spirited and colorfully clad MONTANA BALE TRAIL – UTICA, dancers. A powwow features Native SEPTEMBER This event, formerly called American dancers and drummers “What the Hay,” started out as a good- combining culture, dance and music natured spoof between two neighboring for a spectacular display. ranchers. Now a nationally recognized 406.353.2452 celebration, you can see more than 50 hay bale sculptures in fields between Hobson MONTANA STATE FAIR – GREAT and Windham. FALLS, JULY Experience Montana’s 406.423.5453 culture and history in the heart of Montana—Great Falls. Superstar CULTURE/HISTORY entertainment, the Mighty Thomas Carnival, five nights of pro rodeo, BAIR FAMILY MUSEUM Charles M. Bair 40 food vendors, livestock shows, came to Montana in 1883 as a conductor stage acts, quilts, floral and cooking on the Northern Pacific Railroad and exhibits and more! went into the ranching business in 1891. 406.727.8900 He made his fortune in the Alaska gold rush and went on to invest in mining, oil Lewis and Clark Memorial in Fort Benton RED ANTS PANTS MUSIC FESTIVAL – and real estate. Many of the antiques WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, JULY and works of art were purchased on his Connect with good folks and dance your daughters’ frequent trips to Europe. A pants off! It’s time to celebrate the hard- trip to the Bair home allows you to step working side of Montana. The festival into the life of one of Montana’s most

52 CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM prosperous families. Located CENTRAL MONTANA near Martinsdale. Open daily Memorial Day through Labor Day. Limited off-season hours. 406.572.3314 www.bairfamilymuseum.org

CASTLE MUSEUM “The Castle,” in White Sulphur Springs, is an imposing mansion built in 1892 by Bryon Roger Sherman, which is now the home of the Meagher County Museum. The Victorian landmark is made of hand-cut granite blocks hauled by oxen from the nearby Castle Mountains. The museum is complete with period furniture, mineral samples, clothing and artifacts from the region’s past. Open May 15 through September 15. 406.547.2324 Giant Springs State Park near Great Falls www.visitmt.com/castlemuseum

LEWIS AND CLARK NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL INTERPRETIVE Central Montana. Silver Crest Ski Trail in of Great Falls. For more than 600 years, CENTER This spectacular center in Great the Kings Hill Winter Recreation Area Indians stampeded buffalo over the Falls features interactive exhibits that give near Neihart grooms over 19 km of trails mile-long cliff. Today, the top of the jump you the opportunity to test your strength for cross-country enthusiasts or gives you panoramic views of the Rocky against canoe-carrying explorers, hear snowshoers. Snowshoe rentals and Mountain Front and the Missouri River the languages used during the sometimes naturalist-escorted snowshoe tours are valley as well as the buttes and grasslands complicated translations between the available at Showdown Montana near the that characterize this Great Plains setting. explorers and Native Americans and much Kings Hill area. Teton Pass near Choteau The visitor center is open all year. more. Open all year. also has trails for both activities. Beaver 406.866.2217 406.727.8733 Creek Park near Havre, and Green Pole stateparks.mt.gov www.visitmt.com/lewisclark and Rock Creek southwest of Lewistown offer excellent cross-country trails. FISHING Central Montana has some TWO MEDICINE DINOSAUR CENTER www.wintermt.com/xcski fantastic fishing. Experience fly fishing in See the world’s largest full-size skeletal peaceful streams and rivers or cast a line model of a Seismosaurus halli (earth- CRYSTAL LAKE This beautiful lake is in one of the area’s beautiful lakes. Some shaker lizard), a Guinness Book of located south of Lewistown in the Big of the local favorites are the blue-ribbon World Records listing. Also featured are Snowy Mountains. A campground sits stretch of the Missouri River between the first baby dinosaur bones found in in a thick stand of spruce on the lake with Craig and Great Falls, Bynum Reservoir North America. The center is famous for 28 campsites that are large, secluded (Choteau), Arod Lake (Conrad), Beaver its public hands-on dinosaur research and widely spaced. The lake is well Creek Park or Fresno Reservoir (Havre), and education programs designed to suited for canoeing or floating. The area Ackley Lake, Carter’s Pond, Hanson allow participants to work beside actual also has a large network of hiking and Creek Dam, East Fork Dam (Lewistown), research professionals and staff. All snowmobile trails. Martinsdale Reservoir and Bair Reservoir programs require advance registration. In 406.566.2292 (Martinsdale), Lake Elwell (Shelby/Chester) Bynum. Open May through September. www.visitmt.com/crystallake and Lake Frances (Valier). 406.469.2211 www.tmdinosaur.org DOWNHILL SKIING/SNOWBOARDING GIANT SPRINGS STATE PARK If you’re a skier or a boarder, you’ll be able Noted by the Lewis and Clark Expedition to hit the slopes at three areas in Central in 1805, Giant Springs is one of the largest OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES Montana: Showdown Montana southeast freshwater springs in the world and flows of Great Falls, Teton Pass Resort west at a rate of 156 million gallons per day. BUFFALO JUMP ARCHAEOLOGICAL of Choteau and Bear Paw Ski Bowl near This is also the site of the Roe River, once in Havre is one of the best-preserved SITE Havre. These areas are smaller, mom- listed in the Guinness Book of World buffalo jumps and campsites in the plains and-pop hills, but they offer everything Records as the world’s shortest river. Visit area. On your tour you’ll view extensive you need to have some great runs and a the adjacent fish hatchery, walk along the in-place bison kill and campsite deposits great time. Eagle Mount, in conjunction River’s Edge Trail or visit the nearby Lewis excavated at various depths up to 20 feet with Showdown Montana, and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive below the surface. A one-hour guided 406.454.1449 or , offers people with Center. All of these attractions are located walking tour is available all year, weather eaglemount.net disabilities an adaptive ski program. along a three-mile section of Giant Springs permitting. www.skimt.com Road recently designated as a Montana 406.265.6417 State Scenic Byway. Open all year. FIRST PEOPLES BUFFALO JUMP 406.454.5840 CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND See for yourself how You’ll find well- STATE PARK stateparks.mt.gov SNOWSHOEING Native Americans hunted for bison at maintained cross-country ski trails in this prehistoric bison kill site, just south

CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM 53 angling for walleye, northern pike, sauger, native trout, ling, perch and others. For boaters and swimmers the area boasts over 178 miles of shoreline, a marina and five well-maintained boat ramps located strategically around the lake. There are also numerous campground areas. Open all year. 406.456.3226 www.visitmt.com/tiberdam

CENTRAL MONTANA SCENIC & WILDLIFE

BENTON LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE covers 12,383 acres on the western edge of the Great Plains, near Great Falls. The refuge supports a great variety of waterbirds with both nesting and migration habitat. Up to 100,000 ducks, Showdown Montana 40,000 geese, 5,000 tundra swans, bald eagles and peregrines may be observed in migration. A nine-mile tour route is open ICE BOATING is a sport where a boat, park, a skateboard park and native open to the public for wildlife observation. The similar to a sailboat, is fitted with skis or spaces on both sides of the river. Open refuge is open all year. runners (skates) designed to run over ice. year-round during daylight hours. 406.727.7400 Watch this winter sport at Freezout Lake 406.788.3313 www.fws.gov/refuge/benton_lake near Fairfield, Lake Frances near Valier or www.thetrail.org Priest Butte Lake near Choteau. CHARLIE RUSSELL CHEW CHOO SMITH RIVER STATE PARK Permits Experience a spectacular evening as you MOTORCYCLE TOURS Central are required to float this 59-mile stretch of travel by train through the mountains and Montana offers some great motorcycle the Smith River from Camp Baker (put-in) prairies of central Montana. This three- rides. If you want to follow history on to Eden Bridge (take-out). This popular and-a-half-hour dinner train travels through your ride, try the Lewis and Clark, C.M. section of the river is noted for its scenery rolling hills, ranch lands, a half-mile tunnel Russell, Last Battle or Cowboy routes. and red-ribbon trout fishery. On average, and over two trestles and offers excellent Some amazing geography and scenery floaters take four days for the float. A wildlife viewing opportunities as well. The can be seen on the Plains to Peaks, minimum of two nights and three full days journey begins 20 miles northwest of Centermark, Mountains to Wind Towers should be planned for normal water levels. Lewistown. Around Christmas, the dinner and Scenic Byway routes. If you just From June 10 through July 10, floaters are train is transformed into the North Pole want to ride, check out the Big Loop restricted to a four-night maximum stay Adventure, which is a holiday journey for and Figure 8 routes. All can be found at on the river once they launch. Floating families, complete with elves serving hot centralmontana.com/motorcycle_rides. the Smith requires careful planning, cocoa and cookies. preparation and, of course, as mentioned 406.535.5436 RANCH VACATIONS How about already, a permit. Northwest of White www.montanadinnertrain.com vacationing in a world that feels light years Sulphur Springs. away from your day-to-day routine? Let 406.454.5840 C.M. RUSSELL AUTO TOUR This auto your current life disappear for a spell as stateparks.mt.gov tour uses Charlie Russell’s art to open you live out the Montana ranch vacation a window to the Judith Basin area and experience. The best thing about a ranch SNOWMOBILING Kings Hill Winter its history. The basin truly fits the classic vacation is you only need to bring yourself. Recreation Area is one of Montana’s Montana description of high, wide and All-inclusive vacations include meals, most popular sports areas with trailheads handsome. The auto tour is designated lodging and activities with a personalized to more than 200 miles of groomed as the “Charles M. Russell Trail” and lies touch. You’ll be taken care of from snowmobile trails. Other areas offering between Great Falls and Lewistown on morning to night. great trails are near the town of Belt, the US 87. Make sure to visit the C.M. Russell www.visitmt.com/ranch South Fork Waldron northwest of Choteau, Museum located in Great Falls and the Teton Pass area west of Choteau, Beaver charming museums located in Stanford, RIVER’S EDGE TRAIL Extending over Creek Park near Havre, the Big Snowy Utica and Hobson. Open all year. 40 miles along the beautiful Missouri River Mountains near Lewistown and the Little 800.527.5348 in Great Falls, this trail offers spectacular Belt Trail southwest of Utica. www.visitmt.com/russellauto views of Black Eagle Falls, Rainbow Falls, www.wintermt.com/snowmobiling Crooked Falls and the Great Falls of the KINGS HILL SCENIC BYWAY Start at Missouri. The paved, wheelchair-accessible TIBER DAM-LAKE ELWELL Just east White Sulphur Springs and follow US 89 urban portions of the trail link many of Shelby is the Tiber Reservoir area. north to its intersection with US 87. Gravel riverfront parks, boat launches, a waterslide The lake provides excellent year-round roads intersecting the scenic highway

54 CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM lead to backcountry trailheads, lakes, FOR THE BIRDS CENTRAL MONTANA abandoned mines and other interesting Montana is full of bird brains—in fact, we have more bird watchers per capita than any other sites to explore. state. With its steep Rocky Mountain Front and miles of unbroken prairie, Central Montana 800.527.5348 provides ample habitat for hawks, geese, falcons, owls, sandpipers and other feathered fowl. While

the chance to glimpse so many birds in one place is in itself remarkable, Montana’s heartland also MISSOURI BREAKS NATIONAL gives birders the chance to scratch a few “bucket-list birds” off their list. The calliope hummingbird, BACKCOUNTRY BYWAY There’s plenty great grey owl, Clark’s nutcracker and many other rarely glimpsed birds occasionally make one of to see and do on this 81-mile stretch of their infrequent appearances here. road east of Winifred. Take the Lewis & Clark and Nez Perce National Historic Trails or a side trip to the free McClelland Ferry across the Missouri River that runs April through October. Byway is open all year. 406.538.1900

MONTANA DINOSAUR TRAIL Enjoy six stops of the Montana Dinosaur Trail while in Central Montana. Choteau and Bynum (US 89), Rudyard, Havre and Chinook (US 12) and Harlowton (junction of US 191 and US 12) offer significant paleontology displays, and some have “hands-on” field digs. Open all year. www.mtdinotrail.org

MONTANA SCENIC LOOP This route covers nearly 400 miles of spectacular landscapes and offers travelers the opportunity to see one of the most intact Dueling sandhill cranes mountainous ecosystems in the U.S. The route encompasses the Flathead, Lolo, While birds can be spotted year-round, spring brings two treats for avian enthusiasts: the massive Helena and Lewis and Clark National migrations of snow geese from Freezout Lake Wildlife Management Area, and the colorful Forests and circles the largest expanse of courtship dances of the sharp-tailed grouse at Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge. wilderness in the lower 48 states. Glacier In reality, almost all of Central Montana serves as a birder’s paradise, but we’ve marked a few National Park borders the northern section likely hot spots just to get you started. of the loop, and travelers can drive along the west and east slopes of the Rocky For more information visit centralmontana.com/birding. Mountains. Recreation opportunities are unparalleled along this route, and there CANADA are many small towns offering a variety of services. Open all year.

SUN RIVER WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT Chinook Shelby Chester Rudyard Havre AREA The Sun River is one of Montana’s Galata Fort Belknap Saco most beautiful and scenic rivers. Beginning Valier Sanford Park Chinook/ Malta Box Elder Beaver in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the river Upper Lloyd Glasgow Dupuyer Creek Park/ Loop flows southeast to Great Falls where it Conrad Missouri Natl Big Sandy Tah-Nah-To Rocky Wild & Scenic Recreation Fort Peck Dam meets the Missouri River. Not only will Mountain Benton River Park Front Lake Loma Zortman you see abundant wildlife, but you’ll also Fort National Benton Virgelle enjoy great fishing for trout and mountain Choteau Wildlife whitefish as well as excellent boating on Refuge Freezout Lake Fairfield Giant Gibson Reservoir. Open May 15 through Springs State Kingsbury Winifred November 30. Augusta Great Falls Park Lake 406.454.5840 First People’s Buffalo Jump Waterfowl State Park Production Brusett Ulm Belt Geyser www.visitmt.com/sunriverwma Kings Hill Area Scenic Stanford Byway Cascade Stanford Hobson Winnett Monarch Bluebirds Lewistown Grass Mosby Neihart Utica Range

Judith Gap Melstone Helena White Sulphur Springs Harlowton Roundup Deer Martinsdale Lodge Hardin CENTRAL MONTANA - VISITMT.COM 55 Crow Butte Agency Big Timber Whitehall Billings Fort Smith Bozeman Livingston Gardiner Yellowtail Dillon Dam Red Lodge