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Scenic Area Drives
If you are looking for beautiful scenery only minutes away, you have come to the right place. Listed here are some suggestions for a great day drive.
This list of drives was provided by the Bitterroot National Forest Service.
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SKALKAHO FALLS
DARBY RANGER DISTRICT Skalkaho Falls is located along Skalkaho Highway (MT-38), in between Hamilton and Phillipsburg. 3 miles south of Hamilton, turn left on MT38/Skalkaho High-way and continue another 22 miles. The falls will be locat-ed on your left. Skalkaho Falls is located in the Sapphire Mountains within Bitterroot National Forest. The water of Skalkaho Creek cascades down over 150 feet, providing impressive views and great photo opportunities. Most accessible during late spring through early autumn. Travel on Skalkaho Highway is slow due to narrow curves and limited pull-outs. During winter, only the first 10 miles of the road is plowed for automobiles.
MCCART LOOKOUT
DARBY/SULA RANGER DISTRICT From Sula, MT head northwest 0.2 miles on Highway 93. Turn northeast (right) onto East Fork Rd. (county road #472). Go approximately 15 miles and turn south (right) onto Forest Service Road #435 (Johnson Peak Trail). Travel 5.5 miles to the trailhead. Hike about 1.5 miles to the lookout tower. The tower is situated east of the Bitterroot Valley, at an elevation of 7,115 feet. It was named for William McCart, who settled the area but failed to com-plete his homestead entry to patent. It is poised on the edge of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness and offers beautiful views of the Pintler Mountains to the east and the Bitterroot Mountains to the west.
SULA PEAK LOOKOUT
DARBY/SULA RANGER DISTRICT This peak has an active fire look-out. It can be driven up on a good road starting from For-est Service Road 5727, just south of the Spring Gulch Campground on highway 93. The drive is 3.6 miles to the top. Visiting hours for the Lookout are from 9:30AM to 6:00PM during the fire season.
BAKER LAKE VISTA POINT
WEST FORK RANGER DISTRICT From Darby, drive south on U.S. Highway 93 for 4.4 miles to the West Fork Road, Route 473. Turn right and drive seven miles west to the Baker Lake Road. Turn right on Baker Lake Road and drive one mile to a junction. Take the right fork. Drive another mile to a second junction. Take the right fork again, and drive to the end another 7.5 miles. This road gains considerable amount of elevation, climbing the mountain via switchbacks. The road is also very narrow in some places. Total driving time on the dirt road can be 30 minutes so plan ahead. About a half mile before the trailhead you will come to an overlook with a giant rock. Pull off to the right and walk out for a breathtaking view. About a half mile up the road is the trailhead. A short but vigorous hike through forest leads to Baker Point, a large rock outcropping with panoramic views. After this point the trail levels out a bit and continues on to Baker Lake, sitting in the Basin below Trapper Peak (the Bitterroot’s tallest peak). One-way mileage to Baker Lake is 1 1/4 miles.
Meet Your Next Group Destination for Weddings, Reunions & Meetings
When it comes to selecting a destination for a wedding, family reunion or meeting, you may be looking for a place with natural social distancing opportunities. A place like the Bitterroot Valley. And whether you’re in need of a large space or an intimate setting, you’ll likely find exactly what you’re looking for in one of eight communities in the valley.
Destination Weddings For destination weddings, there are not many more picturesque places—that also happen to be affordable and provide a great value—than here. With mountains on either side of a lush valley with a river running through it, there are an array of venues that are ideal for exchanging vows. And while the wedding may be your main event, it’s also easy to add on adventures for your guests. Introduce guests to real Montana with a guided fly-fishing trip on the Bitterroot River. Book a trip with local outfitters and guides—all of whom offer trips several months a year—or set out on your own by using one of the 14 fishing access sites in the valley. For wedding party bonding, take a tour of local breweries with the option to do a self-guided tour (with a designated driver) or a guided tour with Montana Adventure Shuttle. Breathe in fresh Montana air on outdoor adventures— book an ATV tour with Bitterroot Adventures through the Sapphire Mountains, hit the waters of Lake Como on a stand-up paddleboard or peek into history with a visit to the Daly Mansion Museum in Hamilton, the Historic St. Mary’s Mission in Stevensville or Travelers’ Rest State Park in Lolo. www.visitbitterrootvalley.com/weddings Family Reunions This year, family reunions and multigeneration family trips are making a comeback, especially as many families haven’t been able to see each other in person during the last year. When it comes to making memories as family, the Bitterroot Valley is an ideal place to do just that. Enjoy individual privacy with easy access to extended family members by booking cabins at Alta Ranch, plan an adults-only getaway at Triple Creek Ranch, reserve Anglers Lodge and Cabins or book a private house that will give you plenty of opportunities to reconnect.
Meet in Montana Located in Hamilton, the Bitterroot River Inn is a hotel and conference center that sits on the Bitterroot River and offers stunning views of the towering Bitterroot Mountains. While it’s ideal for in-person meetings, they also have the latest technology to service hybrid meetings that have a virtual component.
South and west of Darby, Triple Creek Ranch has a meeting facility that’s perfect for small groups or corporate retreats. An all-inclusive property, Triple Creek has a world-class restaurant, awardwinning wine cellar and pool, with many activities—like horseback riding, fly-fishing clinics and hiking—included in the stay.
Taste Montana
With eight charming small towns, there are plenty of places to please your palate and taste the many flavors and styles of Big Sky Country. From restaurants to breweries and coffee shops to bakeries, you’re sure to find lots of tasty experiences no matter your dining style. And with so many locations to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start.
Here’s a sampling of where to taste Montana in the Bitterroot Valley.
1. Stevensville. Start the day off with a hearty breakfast or dig into a lunch special at Frontier Café. Share a pizza at family-friendly restaurant Kodiak Jax or chow down on pasta at Marie’s Italian Restaurant and Romeo’s Italian Kitchen. For an elevated experience, try the Mission Bistro for farm-to-table dining or The Catered Table, with offerings that include seafood, fish, beef and pasta.
2. Victor. A comfortable establishment on the edge of U.S. Highway 93, Cowboy Troy’s has plenty of space, with menu items that include salads, chicken, burgers and brick oven specialty pizzas.
3. Corvallis. A few miles off U.S. Highway 93 on the Eastside Highway, Memories Café—which is in an old church building from the late 1800s— serves up hearty meals for breakfast and lunch. Just down the road, The Merc Market & Grill features their signature “messy burgers” and weekly specials. Open for dinner, the Wild Mare has an array of sophisticated offerings like shrimp, beautifully cut steaks and pastas.
4. Hamilton. The largest community in the valley with a population of around 4,700, Hamilton has more than 15 places to dine, with culinary choices that include pizza, sandwiches, burgers, BBQ and sushi.
5. Darby. Located at the southern end of the valley, Little Blue Joint is an American-style restaurant that serves pizza, burgers and salads, with a chef menu in the evenings that highlights seafood, steak and pasta. New to the scene and right across the street, the 406 Saloon/Big Cat Café also has all-season dining that includes an outdoor area with a fireplace.
When it comes to adult beverages, there are 10 craft-focused watering holes in the form of breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries. Some breweries offer food, including Bitter Root Brewing Company and Higherground Brewing. Travelers can sip made-right-here libations in Darby, Hamilton, Stevensville, Victor and Florence. Local bakeries and coffee shops are must-visit spots and serve up sweet treats and specialty drinks. In Hamilton, Starbucks, River Rising Bakery & Deli, Bitterroot Beanery and Big Creek Coffee Roasters. In Stevensville, visit Grains of Grace Café. Or hit up the Florence Coffee Co. locations in Florence, Corvallis and Hamilton. One of the ways to get up close and personal with Montana’s culinary scene is a stay or visit at ABC Acres. Located in Hamilton, ABC Acres has a variety of on-farm activities that include livestock feedings, self-guided farm walks, farm tours, nature observation walks and work-along experiences that provide an up-close look at the flavors of the Bitterroot Valley. You can also purchase farm produced beef and pork, farm fresh egg and preserves.
Learn more about the area’s dining experiences and offerings at www.visitbitterrootvalley.com/restaurants.
