Victor Community

Photo by Perry Backus

community of VICTOR

Welcome to Victor - Located in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. The 0.46 square mile unincorporated town has a population of about 745. Victor is nestled between the Bitterroot Mountain Range, Bitterroot River and the Sapphire Mountain Range. This positions the community of Victor for some of the most breath-taking panoramic views in this valley. The warmth and charm of Victor provides you with small community traditions and the ability to experience nature out your back door. With mountain corridors and the river close by, there is an abundance of wildlife and fowl. You’re just minutes away from a labyrinth, corn maze, float trip down the Bitterroot River, hike or horseback ride from one of the many trailheads. You can unwind at one of Victor’s vacation rentals, lodges or Bed and Breakfasts. Enjoy fantastic dining at Victor’s restaurants - known to be some of the Valley’s best! For larger groups, choose from one of the privately owned event destination centers - each having a unique landscape and charm. The town has a variety of small businesses spread throughout the community. Victor’s school has over 300 students from K-12, including the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center with a capacity of 270. This venue has state-of-the-art equipment and was opened in 2009. Like most small Montana rural communities, Victor is close knit, helping and enjoying the town they live in. Events such as Victor Heritage Museum Annual Chocolate Tasting (the first Monday in December) or the ‘Field of Screams’, Western Montana’s #1 Haunted Attraction, shows how this community takes pride in their town!

The people of the Red Willow (the Salish), a nomadic tribe, occupied the Bitterroot Valley including Victor before the earliest trappers and explorers came. Plenty of Horses christened as Victor, was chosen as chief of the Salish tribe. Chief Victor died in the summer of 1870 on a hunt near Three Buttes in eastern Montana. In the mid 1860’s, A. Sterne Blake and his Shoshone wife came to the valley and were among the original founders of Victor. Mr. Blake was also the first elected State Legislator from Missoula County, which at that time Victor was a part of. Founding of the townsite, originally named Garfield after President James A. Garfield, was August 20, 1881. It was later discovered when applying for a post office destination for the town, the name ‘Garfield’ had already been taken. The name Victor was made official December 12, 1881. Shortly after, Victor experienced the railroad and silver mining boom along with prosperity in lumber and agriculture. For more information on the Victor community visit us at www.victormt.com.

A BRIEF HISTORY

A group of enthusiasts here in the Bitterroot, find excitement and fun traveling off-road. Going off road gives you some spectacular views that you would not otherwise see. It also challenges you as the terrain is different from what you are use to driving on. For more information on your local off-road association here in the Bitterroot visit www.facebook.com/groups/ravallioffroad.

RULES FOR A SAFE, ENJOYABLE RIDE

Let someone know where you will be and when you expect to return.

Always have at least one other vehicle along.

Pack survival gear ... you never know what might happen.

Stop if you become tired. Arms and legs must remain inside.

If you get stuck in a precarious position, do not try to pull it down or tip it by hand. Use the proper tools and techniques - be smart. Make sure you are on level ground with brake on if you stop.

Tie everything down on your vehicle.

Wear your seatbelt, it is no different than driving your car. Inspect your vehicle before you leave on your trip to make sure everything is working properly.

SERVING THE BITTERROOT VALLEY SINCE 1993

Because our associates live the lifestyle they sell, you’ll get local insight that can’t be found elsewhere.

Stop by our office and say ‘Hello’! 333 MAIN STREET, HAMILTON

LET US HELP YOU

www.CMPMontana.com | 800.577.3013

Soaking up the local hot spots

Russ Lawrence

When water deep underground comes in contact with rocks still heated by magma and then finds its way back to the surface, we get a natural hot spring. And, when a human body eases into such a pool of hot water, smiles and relaxation are the natural result! The Bitterroot Valley is ringed by natural hot springs, and here are a few to consider: Lolo Hot Springs, 26 miles west of Lolo on US Hwy 12, sits amid picturesque granite boulders that provide a clue about the hot springs’ origin. About 100 million years ago, the Idaho Batholith surged upward from deep within the earth, forming the Bitterroot Mountains. Lolo Hot Springs sits right above the contact of that body of still-warm granite with the sea-bed rocks that it shoved aside. Native Americans knew of Lolo hot springs, and the Lewis & Clark expedition camped there on their return journey in 1806. They enjoyed a soak, and were both astonished and amused by their Native American guides who alternately soaked in the hot pools, and then cooled themselves in the icy Lolo Creek. A road was built to connect Missoula with the hot springs in 1888, and the resort thereafter became a destination for Missoulians and Bitterrooters alike. It even briefly served as a training ground for Olympic athletes when the first luge run in the U.S. was built there in 1965, and the remains of the run can still be found. Lolo Hot Springs is now a well-developed destination, with indoor and outdoor pools that offer water from 102-106F. The resort has a restaurant with bar/lounge and casino, and accommodations include cabins and camping. Soak up some history while imagining the relief that Native Americans and white explorers enjoyed there! More at www.lolohotsprings.com.

Another hot spring boasts a Lewis & Clark connection as well. Sacagawea, the expedition’s Shoshone guide, led Captain Clark to Jackson Hot Springs on their return journey in 1806. Clark recorded that it took just 25 minutes to cook the meat for their dinner in the near-boiling water! Today, visitors will drive through the spectacular Big Hole Valley to get to Jackson, on MT 278; you won’t get lost looking for the lodge in tiny Jackson. Visitors pass through a beautiful lodge and bar to access the rustic pool, where the water temperature runs between 100-106F. The highly-regarded restaurant will be happy to cook your steak for you - although boiling is not an option! The lodge offers accommodations for those who want to take full advantage of the area’s abundant attractions. Find out more at www.jacksonhotspringslodge.com. Unfortunately, Lost Trail Hot Springs escaped the notice of Lewis & Clark as the expedition passed nearby in 1805. You won’t want to overlook it, though, tucked into the valley just off US 93 near the base of Lost Trail Pass, “conveniently located in the middle of nowhere,” as their own website boasts. Known as “Gallogly Hot Springs” up until the 1970’s, the resort served as a resting place for those traveling over Lost Trail Pass and Gibbons Pass, long before those roads were improved and when travel of any kind was difficult. Modern visitors will find lodgings ranging from an RV park to private cabins, with a group lodge available. Hot water burbles up at a temperature of about 108F, but the pool maintains a comfortable 95F, and the hot tub about 103F. In colder weather, the pool resides under a plastic greenhouse dome that keeps the water warm and the air comfortably moist. Get details at www.losttrailhotsprings.com.

For those interested in a deluxe, private experience, Sleeping Child Hot Springs may be the answer. This private retreat features a 25,000 square foot lodge (yes, that comma is in the correct place!), nine bedrooms, 17 bathrooms, and accommodations for up to 20. Not just the pool, but the entire property is heated by the natural artesian hot spring which gushes forth at 130F. Once a more humble operation open to the public, the property now is available as a rental for weddings, retreats, or other occasions. For more information, see the listing on www.vrbo.com.

Medicine Hot Springs, on Warm Springs Creek at the toe of Lost Trail Pass, is another historic attraction, but it is currently for sale and not available for public or private use.

Many more Montana hot springs beckon within a day’s drive: Elkhorn, Polaris, Quinn’s, Fairmont, Symes, and more await your discovery; check them out via www.visitmt.com.

For those seeking a more natural experience, numerous hot springs are located on public land within a day’s drive of the Bitterroot, most located in Idaho. These are largely undeveloped areas, and conditions are subject to change due to use and natural events. Numerous websites feature information on these attractions; www. idahohotsprings.com is one among many. Visitors should also check with the appropriate land management agency – the US Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management – for details on access, camping, and usage.