Our group of exploring kids set off early the other day to get a glimpse of what the area looked like where dinosaurs once roamed. We were on the Rocky Mountain Front west of Choteau. The scenic backdrop is stunning with a wide open view of the Rocky Mountains. We also had pretty blue sky with occasional clouds – nice! There was very little vegetation where we were walking in search of dinosaur bones. It’s early July and our … Read more
Hey, let’s hope we don’t become like dinosaurs! I stopped by Barnes & Noble last Sunday to secure Dave Trexler’s autograph on his new book “Becoming Dinosaurs”. In Dave’s words it is a prehistoric perspective on climate change today. Dave is a paleontologist who leads dino digs out of Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Bynum, MT (north of Choteau). He has worked on this interesting book for a long time. So far, I’m about a … Read more
The other day when I was heading north on US Hwy 89 I stopped in Bynum, MT (north of Choteau if you don’t have your map handy!). Two Medicine Dinosaur Center is the most obvious business there – a very large steel building with a big logo featuring a dinosaur gracing the front of the building. It’s one of those “can’t miss” attractions as you drive on this highway. I’ve been to Two Medicine quite … Read more
Four of us traveled northwest of Great Falls on US 89 last week. Our first stop was in Choteau. We met Al Wiseman, a local Metis, who works tirelessly to keep the history of this mixed blood race alive. Outside the Old Trail Museum (open seasonally Memorial Day – Labor Day) there is a replica of one of the Red River carts that many Metis used to carry their belongings. Quite a few Metis settled in … Read more
Today we are cruising east on US Hwy 2 from Havre to Chinook. Our first stop is the Blaine County Museum. There are several notable themes at the musem – area homestead history, Chief Joseph and the Battle of the Bear Paw, and the Montana Dinosaur Trail. The Blaine County Museum serves as interim visitor center for the historic Bear Paw Battlefield 16 miles south of Chinook. Park ranger Stephanie Martin was on hand to … Read more
It seems to be quite a contrast to be in such a tiny town (Bynum, MT) with a population of about 27 people and find this unique dinosaur facility. Ongoing paleo digs are a great part of summer activities at Two Medicine but the center itself has amazing displays. It is one of the “stars” on the Montana Dinosaur Trail and a visit to the center won’t disappoint you. Going way, way back, these tiny nestling bones shown in the display case … Read more
I was busy trying to absorb all of the information being patiently explained and feeling slightly inadequate because I knew so little about what was in the bone prep lab at Two Medicine Dinosaur Center. This photo shows one of the Center’s interns working on a bone that had been “field jacketed” which is what is done to a specimen to get it out of the dig site and into the lab without disturbing it. Plaster … Read more
Do you know about the Montana Dinosaur Trail? I recently visited several locations on the trail, beginning along the Rocky Mountain Front. Our first stop was to be at an active dinosaur dig west of Choteau. The dig is managed by Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Bynum and we were to meet them as they traveled to the dig. Due to landowner restrictions only authorized vehicles can enter the site so I planned to leave … Read more
Hi everyone. We made it! We have completed the Montana Dinosaur Trail! It was great. A quick glance back at our trip – two grandmas (young grandmas!) and three grandsons, one van and a lot of miles. We traveled from southeast Montana to northeast Montana, then followed US Hwy 2 from Glasgow, almost to the junction of US Hwy 2 and US Hwy 89. We worked our way south along the Rocky Mountain Front, then … Read more
Anolther lovely day on the Montana Dinosaur Trail with my sister and the three handsome grandsons! We left Shelby this morning and made it all the way to Bozeman with several adventures and awesome decisions to make in all the gift shops…what choices! The drive to Bynum started with not one cloud in the sky and the spectacular Bob Marshall Wilderness across our windshield. There were green fields and oil wells alongside cattle and horses and once in … Read more