It’s wintertime and the holiday season is in full swing in Central Montana! If you’re in the region visiting friends and family and looking for a fun way to get out of the house, then you might consider some of the following ideas for enjoying our charming small towns on a winter day. Breweries Visit to one of our 8 breweries! A local brew is a great way to catch up on old memories while … 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
After you’ve absorbed all of the majestic beauty on a visit to Glacier National Park, save some time to explore the region on the eastern side of this national icon. Central Montana has a mix of it all when it comes to geography – mountains, rivers and plains. Day 1 in Central Montana After leaving East Glacier and then Browning, turn south on US Hwy 89 and follow this route that hugs the east slope … Read more
On my last visit to Meagher County I starting counting the reasons why people came to vacation in the area. I saw hikers, hunters, campers, retired couples out for a getaway, and people who came to soak in the thermal springs. All in all, that covered quite a variety of people. Here’s a bit of history of the area. The largest town in the county is really a small quaint town of about 1,000 people. … Read more
A “city” made out of rocks, people made out of trees and a lesson in history – the fun way to learn! Kids love exploring and I know three that are always up for an adventure. Read along while I reflect on some recent experiences. Let’s talk geology and geography. I took the kids to an area called Rock City six miles north of Valier, Montana. I wasn’t sure what their reaction would be. This … Read more
Rebekah Jarvey gazes out her living room window near the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation as she begins to tell her story. She is Chippewa Cree and her well-kept home sits along the reservation border in northern Montana. When she was a little girl her job was threading needles. She was doing beadwork at age five and at age eleven her mother taught her to sew. That struck chord with me because I started sewing at … Read more
Choose your weekend and begin exploring the diverse landscapes of Central Montana. This weekend suggestion will have you visiting a state park, doing your choice of activities – from hiking, fishing, floating, seeking out a waterfall, adding to your bird life-list and soaking in hot springs. Let’s start! We’ll begin by leaving Great Falls and driving east on a highway of many numbers – US Hwys 87 and 89 and MT Hwys 3 & 200 … Read more
Many museums have unique and historic items on exhibit but let’s take a look at some rather quirky things at three of Central Montana’s small town museums. In Stanford, Montana you’ll find the Judith Basin County Museum next to the local courthouse. A well-manicured lawn and beautiful flowers surround the entrance during the summer. As you enter the main floor level of the museum you can’t help but see their massive collection of salt & … Read more
Actually, there are a lot of fishy things in downtown Great Falls! Some background – the Missouri River ambles through Great Falls and you occasionally see fishermen on the river banks. Several businesses have used the river and fish theme in their marketing…follow along as we explore the town. A group of us were recently at Mighty Mo Brewing Company on Central Avenue in Great Falls. We weren’t sure of what beer to order so … Read more
It’s been 100 years since an amazing exhibition of Charlie Russell’s masterpieces went on view at the Calgary Stampede. At that time, Russell headlined the exhibits in an effort to help boost a struggling Stampede Rodeo in the Alberta town of Calgary. The event spanned one week and the events and exhibits commemorated and chronicled the changing West, a good fit for cowboy Charlie’s art. Charlie and Nancy Russell shipped 24 paintings and 8 bronzes … Read more