Silence the noise, escape the hurry, and feel light years away in the dark skies of Central Montana – where every setting sun takes you back to a nighttime of wonder. Surrounded by millions of acres of public land and void of light pollution (read: no city lights), Central Montana promises some of the darkest skies and brightest stars in the lower 48. Though known for its epic daytime adventures, Montana “after dark” is a … Read more
The open road ahead had me filled with a mixture of nostalgia and excitement. Having grown up in Montana, it had been years since I had driven Highway 89 from Belt to White Sulphur Springs. As the new Executive Director for Central Montana Tourism, I had recently moved back to this amazing state after living on the east coast for the last 15 years. While it felt like just yesterday since I had made my … Read more
Montana is synonymous with dinosaurs. Why is Montana such a hotbed for dinosaur fossils. ? Answer, it is atop the Hell Creek Formation, a 300-foot-thick bed of sandstone and mudstone that dates to a period between 66 million and 67.5 million years ago, the time just before dinosaurs went extinct. Stretching across the Dakotas and Montana (in Wyoming, it’s known as Lance), the formation—one of the richest fossil locations in the world—is the remnant of … Read more
drink • it • in figure of speech, to pause and experience something with great enjoyment Drink It In Montana aims to tell the story of the Montana craft beverage industry while introducing Montana locals and visitors to our communities. Montana grows some of the best grain in the country, with international labels like Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors sourcing grain from Montana. Our craft beverage industry is set apart with access to the same high-quality grains. … Read more
Shelby Chamber of Commerce recently had their annual banquet to recognize the leaders of this northern Montana town with 3100 population. Hats off to the Chamber leading this small town on the Hi-Line. You could say Shelby hits above its weight class when it comes to the business community. As I sat at the table enjoying the corned beef and cabbage, this nice man sitting next to me struck up a conversation. After exchanging general … Read more
You can bank on delicious food and great people Tall Boys, Hobson, Montana. I’m so lucky…getting to live like a visitor in 13 counties across Central Montana. I recently moved to Montana, from Iowa and accepted the director of Central Montana Tourism region. This means, Central Montana includes, Toole, Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Fergus, Petroleum, Wheatland, Judith Basin, Meagher, Cascade, Chouteau, Teton and Pondera. To better acclimate me to the region, I travel the backroads visiting … Read more
It was the strangest thing I had heard. Sitting with new friends at Triple Dog Brewery in Havre, someone excitedly said – hey look, it’s perfect Belgian lace! I had no idea what she was talking about. My lesson came next. An empty glass of beer sat at a nearby table. I turned to look and there were about nine rings of beer foam circling the glass forming what really did look like lace! The … Read more
Memories seem to pop up as I watch each season change. This time of year the changing colors of Montana’s fall landscape remind me of family times spent hunting. We rarely went upland game bird hunting although I’ve grown fond of that in recent years. Antelope (fastest land mammal in the Western hemisphere) and deer were on our hunting list. They’d provide good lean meat for the freezer and were usually nearby. I first remember … Read more
If your Montana vacation dream includes learning history, plan some visits to these three old forts in Central Montana. Fort Assinniboine Fort Assinniboine sits tucked alongside US Hwy 87 about seven miles southwest of Havre. You can easily drive right past it, just noticing the compound of red brick buildings spread around rolling grasslands. A historic marker is at a highway pullout giving a brief history but the guided tour is the real gem. Our … Read more
Bright sunshine, warm temps and long and leisurely summer days are what we look forward to all year. Sometimes though it’s great to take a break, get indoors and explore. Here are four fun indoor activities in four different communities in Central Montana. Carousel Rest Area of Shelby Located on US Hwy 2, this carousel, technically the Carousel Rest Area of Shelby, is great for the kiddos, and adults come away with some pretty big … Read more