I can’t say that the Dept of Transportation rest area in Harlowton is brand new but it just opened last summer. I haven’t had my camera handy when I’ve been there but this time I was prepared.
Harlowton sits near the junction of US Hwys 191 and 12. Right at the junction is a motel, Wade’s Drive Inn and Ray’s Conoco and Western Wear store. And, now there is a beautiful new brick building that is a state operated rest area. There is a large parking area, big enough for semi trucks and quite a few passenger cars.
We had an inch or two of snow when I was traveling through Harlowton but I still stopped to check the new rest area out. Another vehicle pulled up to use the rest area right after I got there.
Obviously there are restroom facilities there but inside you will see visitor information in panels. Harlowton has a nice museum (the Upper Musselshell Museum), a great 9-hole golf course, and they are also on the Montana Dinosaur Trail with a significant “find” on display at the museum. You can learn about all of this with the information at the rest area.
Harlowton was once the end of the electric rail line and the E57B train engine is proudly displayed in a park downtown. A great photo of the engine is in the rest area.
I hope travelers using the rest area take a few minutes to look at the community information and swing through the downtown area. There are some locally owned shops, restaurants and some amazing stone buildings.