Southeast Montana Travel Guide 2019 by Kyle McGowan

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

WELCOME

12 RECREATION 16 HISTORY 20 INDIAN NATIONS

Find distinctive treasures that are from the plains of Southeast Montana while visiting this unique store in a charming town.

24 WESTERN ADVENTURE

Prairie Unique offers a variety of gourmet food, candy, art, toys and special gifts, all made in Montana.

28 DINOSAUR ADVENTURE

Mural by Michael Jondavid Martin

32 HUNTING & FISHING 36 SUGGESTED ITINERARIES 46 CALENDAR OF EVENTS EconoLodge • Miles City Hotel • Miles City Hotel & Suites Motel 6 • Sleep Inn & Suites • Super 8 • War Bonnet

50 DIRECTORY OF TOWNS 58 LISTINGS 60 ONLINE PLANNING RESOURCES

milescitychamber.com

114 SOUTH LOGAN AVENUE • TERRY, MT 406.635.5598 • PRAIRIEUNIQUE.COM

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Get off the highway and...explore the Dinosaur Trail, Makoshika State Park, the Badlands, history, art and the unique flavor of local shopping and dining.

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Located about 3 miles northwest of Terry, Mont., the Terry Badlands Wilderness Study Area (WSA), stretches approximately 10 miles by 8 miles. The cover image of Chimney Rock was shot in an especially wet spring, during gloaming. Accessing this area can be tricky and requires dry roads plus an all-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicle. As a WSA, off-road travel is not allowed but hiking will reveal an amazingly pristine wilderness, including natural bridges, arches, spires and scoria escarpments. Cover photo by Kelly Wicks

Any reproduction or reprint of this guide, or portion thereof, without written permission from Visit Southeast Montana is prohibited. Information subject to change without notification. To advertise in the next guide, please call 406.829.8200.

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SOUTHEAST MONTANA

WELCOME TO SOUTHEAST MONTANA “ I’M IN LOVE WITH MONTANA. FOR OTHER STATES I HAVE ADMIRATION, RESPECT, RECOGNITION, EVEN SOME AFFECTION. BUT WITH MONTANA IT IS LOVE. AND IT’S DIFFICULT TO ANALYZE LOVE WHEN YOU’RE IN IT.” — JOHN STEINBECK

Out here in Southeast Montana, we aren’t surprised by the words of John Steinbeck. Anybody who has lived here, visited here or driven through here knows that with Montana, it is love. We know that when you visit Southeast Montana and drive our highways, dirt roads, scenic routes and historic trails, you too will find it difficult to analyze the feelings you experience. There’s just something about it—those smiles you get from passersby on the streets of our small towns; the chatter you overhear from the ranchers sitting at the next table in the local diner; the riot of color as the sun sets over the badlands in a sky that, though you know it sounds crazy, just looks bigger here than it does anywhere else. Then you begin to understand: You are in love with Montana. These experiences can be easy to miss. Our two major thoroughfares, Interstate Highway 90 and Interstate Highway 94, speed travelers through our part of the state efficiently and quickly, and many pass through without ever taking the time to experience the beauty and adventure this region offers. We encourage you not to make this mistake. Whether you would like to visit some of Montana’s most intimate small towns, or Billings—its largest— Southeast Montana offers experiences that can take your trip from memorable to unforgettable.

Photos – Top Left: Makoshika State Park, Nathan Satran Photography; Bottom Left: Camping in Rosebud County, Alexis Bonogofsky; Next Page: Kayaking in the Bighorn Canyon, Nathan Satran Photography

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BIGHORN CANYON IS A WONDERLAND OF EPIC OUTDOOR DISCOVERY + FUN

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HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE We have organized this guide into six different general interests to help you find what you’d most like to experience in our area. Each section gives an overview of that particular area of interest and shows on a map the top five attractions for each. These sections are Recreation, Historic Adventure, Indian Nations, Western Adventure, Dinosaurs, and Hunting and Fishing. Look further into the guide for ideas on unique Southeast Montana experiences and hidden treasures off the beaten path in our region. If you are the type who loves Western movies, have always wanted to see a real powwow, and can’t get enough of the new series, Yellowstone, then you’ll want to focus your efforts on the Western Adventure, Indian Nations and Historic Adventure sections of this guide. The Western Adventure section will guide you to all of the rodeo and cowboy hot spots in Southeast Montana, including one of the best cowboy bars in the state. Turn to the section on Indian Nations to see how you can witness one of the largest powwow gatherings in the nation at Crow Fair.

Photos – Top Left: Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Montana State Parks; Bottom: Bighorn Canyon, Andy Austin; Next Page: Range Riders Museum, Miles City, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

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Hog ’n Jog Country Cafe Just like being at home. Real good homemade food! We are committed to serving quality and flavorful foods! We prepare our entrées from scratch using local Prairie County and Montana goods! We believe in the “Farm to Table” philosophy and think serving locally produced food is good for the local economy

MILES CITY 1006 So Haynes . 406.232.3000 SleepInnMilesCity.com 90 Smoke Free Rooms & Suites Pillow-top Beds . Indoor Pool . Exercise Room 42” HDTVs . Free High-Speed Internet Hot Morning Medley Breakfast Each Day, Hot Soup & Warm Cookies Served Nightly

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Photos – Top Left: Medicine Rocks State Park, Chasing the Wild Outdoors Photography; Below: Amur Tiger at Montana's only zoo (located in Billings), ZooMontana

In the Historic Adventure section, you’ll learn about the most famous battle of the Plains Indian Wars, the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his men were wiped out by Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors. If you are more of the outdoorsy type, are on your way to Yellowstone or Glacier National Park, and want to get out along the way to stretch your legs a bit, then the Recreation and Dinosaur sections are for you. Both will guide you to Southeast Montana’s most scenic and rugged destinations. Dinosaur Adventure and the Montana Badlands go hand in hand. Flip to this section to learn about some prime spots to get a hike in where you’re most likely to spot a dinosaur fossil. The Recreation section has all of the information you’ll need to find the wildlife in our area, and to camp, hike, fish, hunt or even just sit and enjoy the fresh air and big sky. Finally, the Hunting and Fishing section will give you the information you need if your idea of a dream vacation is to bag a trophy pronghorn antelope or fish a blue-ribbon trout stream. Once you’ve made your decision to stop in Southeast Montana, you’ll find helpful resources in the back of this guide, including sample itineraries and a city directory to help you know what to expect in each town you pass through. If you need more information, there is much more online at southeastmontana.com. We hope that you’ll take time to explore all the sections of this guide and open your mind to all the possibilities that await you out here in Southeast Montana. 10

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RECREATION

FROM CANYONS TO BADLANDS AT BIGHORN CANYON, DISCOVER A 70-MILE LAKE STRETCHED THROUGH A CANYON WITH WALLS A THOUSAND FEET HIGH. AND, IN THE BADLANDS, FOSSILS ARE SO ABUNDANT YOU MIGHT WALK RIGHT OVER SOME WITHOUT EVEN NOTICING.

Montana. The name is synonymous with spectacular, unspoiled nature. Southeast Montana is an essential part of this story. Here you can experience pristine nature in the valley of the untamed Yellowstone River as it flows unchecked toward its rendezvous with the Missouri River, or from a rented pontoon boat on Bighorn Lake, as you gaze up at the towering 1,000-foot walls of Bighorn Canyon. How about watching the sunset paint the badlands red and gold from your vantage point in Makoshika State Park? We want to help you experience these places locals have known about for generations. If you are traveling I-94 between Yellowstone National Park and the North Dakota border, you will be following the Yellowstone River Valley. Here you can watch as the endless prairie gives way to the steep ravines and colorful rocks of the badlands. Recreational opportunities include hiking and sightseeing at Makoshika State Park near Glendive and the Terry Badlands with its awe-inspiring natural stone bridges. If you are driving west from Mount Rushmore toward the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, you will find yourself on U.S. Highway 212. Also known as the Warrior Trail, this route will lead you through the heart of the Wolf Mountains, home to many battlefields and sites sacred to the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Thousands of acres of Custer Gallatin National Forest land lie between Broadus and Ashland and are open to hiking, camping and other recreation.

Photos – Top Left: Bighorn Canyon, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Capitol Rock, Kelly Wicks; Next Page: Makoshika State Park, Nathan Satran Photography 12

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MONTANA’S LARGEST STATE PARK FEATURES BADLAND FORMATIONS. TAKE EXIT 215 OFF I-94 NEAR GLENDIVE 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

Lakeside

Trout Creek

RECREATION Haugan

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Great Falls

St. Ignatius

Seeley Lake

Arlee

Cascade

Alberton

1. MAKOSHIKA STATEMissoula PARK Bonner

Ovando Greenough

Lincoln

Ulm

Stockett

Belt Raynesford Geyser

Wolf Creek

Glendive Stanford

Monarch

Craig

Lewistown Hobson

Neihart

Jordan

Roy

Denton

Circle

Brusett

Fort Shaw

Dixon Moiese

Savage

Bloomfield

Winifred

Utica

Grass Range

Mosby

Canyon Creek Lolo Badlands scenery, dinosaur digs,Helmville an Clinton Drummond 18-hole disc golf course and more than Helena East Florence Judith Gap Ingomar Helena Melstone White Sulphur Stevensville Montana 11,000 acres of undeveloped hiking Victor Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Dot Miles City Harlowton Jefferson Martinsdale Roundup opportunities come together to make up Deer City Corvallis Philipsburg Forsyth Lodge Townsend Hysham Basin Hamilton Ringling Rosebud Montana’s largest, and one of its most Bighorn Boulder Anaconda Broadview Darby Custer unique, state parks. Makoshika Wise SOUTHEAST Worden Conner Butte River Wilsall Logan Colstrip Big (Ma-kó-shik-ka) received meaning Pompeys Sula its name from a Lakota Sioux phrase Manhattan Divide Timber Huntley Pillar Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Greycliff Hardin Forks “land of bad spirits.” Today the park is known scenery Silver for breathtaking Lame Point Reed Billings Laurel Livingston Harrison Star Crow Deer Columbus Ashland Wisdom Pony Agency and a wealth of dinosaur bones. It isMelrose not unusual toNorris see ongoing dinosaur McLeod Twin Gallatin 4 Busby Park Bridges Gateway Bozeman Absarokee Sheridan City Garryowen Saint Rockvale Nye Fishtail digs near the park. Xavier Nevada Jackson Pray Roberts Joliet Pryor Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Birney Roscoe Fort Smith Lodge Alder Bridger Sky Big Rock OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: Stretch your legs along the Cap Trail, an Grass Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack Otter City Red Lodge Wyola easy 1-mile loop with unlimited possibilities for all-day off-trail exploration Belfry Silver Cooke Grant Decker Gardiner Gate City of unique sandstone rills, pinnacles, caprocks and even a natural bridge.Tower Junction WYOMING Mammoth WYOMING Hot Springs To learn more about Makoshika, explore the Visitor Center, located at the Sheridan Dell Canyon Lovell West Norris Yellowstone Lima entrance to the park. Madison Lakeview Monida Junction Cody Lake 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika West 4. FOUR DANCES NATURAL AREA

Terry

85 323

Spencer

2. MEDICINE ROCKS STATE PARK AND CHALK BUTTES 75

Island Park

Old Faithful

Thumb

Grant Village

Ismay

Plevna

323

MONTANA

Ashton

Ekalaka

Moran

Olive Broadus 323

Biddle

Alzada

3. CALYPSO TRAIL Terry, Montana is a small town rich with history. Famed 19th-century photographer Evelyn Cameron even called Terry home, and her work can be seen at the Evelyn Cameron Heritage and the Evelyn Cameron Gallery, tin downtown Terry. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: After visiting the museum, head out of town to the Calypso Trail, a 5.5-mile primitive road leading to impressive arches, bridges, flat tabletops, pinnacles, spires and scoria escarpments. At the end of the road, stretch your legs to get a firsthand look at these amazing structures as you hike and scramble your way to 360-degree vantage points. You will need dry roads and a high-clearance, all-wheel-drive vehicle.

Call 1.800.346.1876 to learn more about hiking in Southeast Montana.

Spearfish

DEVIL’S TOWER

Belle Fourche

112 14

Deadwood

Sundance

Lead

Gillette

Buffalo

Minutes from downtown Billings is the Upton Four Dances Natural Area, also known Worland as Sacrifice Cliffs. Standing atop25 the Newcastle sandstone cliffs yields spectacular views looking down on the Yellowstone River and the south hills. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: Four Dances Trail is a 2.6-mile loop located near Billings, Montana. The trail is rated as moderate and is primarily used for hiking. 16

Wright

Volborg

120

385

Thermopolis

SCENIC DRIVES

Those who are less active can Custer experience Southeast Montana’s spectacular, unspoiled nature from a vehicle via scenic routes, ranging Hot Springs from well-maintained two-lane roads to bumpy, “high-clearance-vehicleonly” dirt roads.

MT RUSHMORE

Jewel Cave NP

Casper

5. BIGHORN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA Straddling the Montana-Wyoming border, the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area encompasses 120,000 acres including a 71-mile-long lake. The towering canyon walls stretch 1,000 feet above Bighorn Lake, creating an amazing contrast in scale between humans and land. The best way to experience the Bighorn Canyon’s North Unit in Southeast Montana is by boat. Bring your own or rent a pontoon or kayak at Ok-A-Beh Marina (open seasonally). Travel into canyon fingers and crevices to find the perfect picnic spot—all accessible by water only. Hiking options from the North Unit include Beaver Pond Nature Trail, Head Gate Trail and Three Mile Access Trail along the Bighorn River, below After Bay. OUR FAVORITE TIP: National Park Service Rangers offer programs throughout the summer, which the NPS posts on the Facebook page and bulletin board. Learn about the Crow Nation, historic river trips, the bears of Bighorn Canyon, floating the Bighorn, night skies and more.

The Terry Badlands are designated a federal Wilderness Study Area.

Rapid City

Wall

As its name implies, Medicine Rocks was Rexburg a place of “Big Medicine,” where American Arco Indian hunting parties danced and prayed Idaho Falls Jackson for a successful hunt. Teddy Roosevelt described Medicine Rocks “as fantastically beautiful a place as I have ever seen” when he visited in the 1800s as a young rancher. Weathering has given the soft sandstone rock formations a Swiss cheese look. OUR FAVORITE TRAIL: You can camp, picnic, watch wildlife or go hiking on a short .75-mile trail. If you’re looking for a little longer hike, get off the beaten path and explore one of the high points of Southeast Montana with a trip to the Chalk Buttes. The white sandstone buttes rise seemingly out of nowhere on the prairie just 15 miles southwest of the town of Ekalaka. Climb 700 feet and walk the ridgeline with no set trails, but the opportunity for endless adventure.

Marmarth

Baker

Greybull

One of the lesser-known activities available in Southeast Montana is rock hunting along the Yellowstone River. Experienced rock hounds can find agates ranging from blue to red to even black or brown. Yellowstone River agates, which were formed millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions, are treasured by rock hunters nationwide due to their coloration and hardness. If agates don’t catch your interest, be sure to watch for pieces of petrified wood. Though agates and petrified wood can be found anywhere along the river, the best spots for rock hunting are fishing access sites between Sturgis Forsyth and Glendive.

Dickinson Beach

ROCK HUNTING

Fallon

IDAHO

RECREATION

Wibaux

Sand Springs

Winnett

Crane

SOUTH DAKOTA

Inset Photos – 1. Makoshika State Park, Shutterstock; 2. Medicine Rocks State Park, Nathan Satran Photography; 3.Terry Badlands, Megan Richter; 4. Four Dances Natural Area, Visit Billings, Andy Austin; 5. Rock Hunting, Prairie Unique

Sidney

Landusky Zortman

Augusta

There’s nothing like experiencing Montana on foot, up close and personal. This part of the state is full of hiking opportunities, from badlands to lakes to towering canyon walls. You don’t need special equipment or reservations—just a good pair of shoes, a bottle of water and a spirit of adventure.

Fairfield Vaughn

Condon

TOP 5 RECREATIONAL EXPERIENCES AH ID

HIKING

Paradise

Superior

BOATING Despite what you may have heard about eastern Montana, we are not all flatland and prairie. In fact, boating is very popular in this part of the state. Both the Tongue River Reservoir and Bighorn Canyon provide boating enthusiasts with plenty of beautiful scenery; clean, cool water; and most importantly, space. If you are traveling crosscountry and don’t have a boat with you, rent one at Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area at Ok-ABeh Marina near Fort Smith.

De Borgia St. Regis

Fort Benton

SOUTH DAKOTA

If you really want to get away from it all, take state Highway 7 between South Dakota and North Dakota. Here you’ll pass through Montana’s own small piece of the Black Hills. Hike out to see the Chalk Buttes south of Ekalaka, as rich in American Indian history as in breathtaking vistas. North of Ekalaka is Medicine Rocks State Park, said by some to be Montana’s most unique campground in an area that American Indians called “Big Medicine.”

Ronan Charlo

Fairview

Fort Peck

Loma

Choteau

Polson

Plains

Virgelle

Brady

Bynum

Swan Lake

TA NORTH DAKO

Thompson Hot Springs Falls

Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm

The best scenic drives in Southeast Montana wind through our badlands areas. Along I-94, just north of the town of Terry, is a scenic drive that showcases badlands scenery and provides exceptional views of the Yellowstone River along the way. Exit I-94 north, toward Terry, and follow Montana Highway 253, the Big Sky Back Country Byway, to wind above the Terry Badlands with beautiful rock formations and plenty of wildlife. Another beautifully scenic drive is in Makoshika State Park near Glendive. The paved road that leads to the park entrance winds up onto a badlands plateau, offering stunning overlooks of the entire park. At the end of the road is an outdoor amphitheater, which hosts a variety of events throughout the summer.

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HISTORY

A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY FROM THE MEADOWS AT LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD TO THE VARIED AND UNIQUE COUNTY MUSEUMS, OUR HISTORIC ADVENTURES ARE WORTH THE MILES TRAVELED.

During your visit to Montana, you will undoubtedly see beautiful mountains, rivers full of sparkling trout and maybe even a buffalo or two. You’ll visit charming small towns and meet people who can make any stranger feel at home. These things alone would make for an incredible vacation, but in order to truly know Montana, to understand what it means to be a Montanan, you have to experience the bond that ties all of the nature, culture and people together. This bond is Montana’s history. Experiencing history is different from seeing history. Out here in Southeast Montana, history is an adventure. It’s in the thundering hooves of the ponies carrying native warriors and cavalrymen as they reenact Custer’s Last Stand. It’s in the sound of rustling cottonwood leaves as you climb the 202 steps to the top of Pompeys Pillar to catch a glimpse of what William Clark saw when he stood in that very spot. It’s in the dust and the grass of the battlefields as you follow the trails and look out over the same prairie that Lt. Col. Custer did, where he first caught a glimpse of the massive Indian village he had been pursuing. In Southeast Montana, history is an adventure that shouldn’t be missed. The full story of Montana’s history can be discovered at the many museums and historic sites in nearly every community in Southeast Montana. There are some general themes that can help you understand how this area was shaped and molded into what it is today.

Photos – Top Left: Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Custer’s gravestone at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Next Page: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography 16

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LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT PRESERVES THE SITE OF THE JUNE 25 - 26, 1876, BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIGHORN NEAR CROW AGENCY 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

Lakeside

Trout Creek

HISTORY Haugan

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Great Falls

Seeley Lake

Arlee

Alberton

Missoula 1. LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD Bonner NATIONAL MONUMENT Lolo Clinton

Lincoln

Ovando Greenough Helmville

Brusett

Fort Shaw

St. Ignatius

Ulm Cascade

Stockett

Belt Raynesford Geyser

Wolf Creek

Glendive Stanford

Monarch

Craig

Utica

Grass Range

Mosby

Terry

Canyon Creek

This site, previously known as Custer Helena East Florence Judith Gap Ingomar Helena Melstone White Sulphur Stevensville Montana Battlefield, memorializes one of the Victor Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Dot Miles City Harlowton Jefferson Martinsdale Roundup greatest battles fought between the U.S. Deer City Corvallis Philipsburg Forsyth Lodge Townsend Hysham Basin Hamilton Ringling Rosebud Cavalry and the Plains Indians seeking to Bighorn Boulder Anaconda Broadview Darby Custer maintain control over their ancestralWise lands. SOUTHEAST Conner Butte 2 River Wilsall Logan Colstrip Big Lt. Col. Custer led 263 men Pompeys Sula into battle against a much larger force Manhattan Divide Timber Huntley Pillar Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Greycliff Hardin ForksCuster’s of Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors. All Silver of the men in Lame Point Reed Billings Laurel Livingston Crow Harrison Star Deer Columbus Agency Ashland Pony McLeod column, including Custer himself,Wisdom wereMelrose killed. The National Monument 3 Twin Gallatin Busby Norris Park Bridges Gateway Bozeman Absarokee Sheridan City Garryowen 1 Saint Rockvale Nye Fishtail includes a museum featuring Jackson interpretation of the clues left behind at Xavier Nevada Pray Roberts Joliet Pryor Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Birney Roscoe 5 Fort Smith Lodge Alder Bridger Sky Big the site, which fill in some of the details of this grisly battle, though Grass Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack Otter City Red Lodge Wyola many remain unknown. More recently, an Indian Memorial was erected Belfry Silver Cooke Grant Decker Gardiner Gate City to honor the warriors and tribes involved with the battle. Several WYOMING Tower Junction Mammoth WYOMING Hot Springs walking trails with interpretive signage, as well as an audio tour, tell the Sheridan Dell Canyon Lovell West Norris Yellowstone Lima story of the battle. For other tour options, see Madison Lakeview Monida Junction Cody Lake southeastmontana.com/tours. West 4. PRAIRIE COUNTY MUSEUM Thumb IDAHO Old Island Buffalo 406.638.2621, nps.gov/libi Faithful Grant Park Spencer AND EVELYN CAMERON GALLERY Village

Beach 85 323

Ismay

Plevna

323 85

MONTANA

Ekalaka

Olive Broadus 323

Alzada

Greybull

Moran

Before even the first European trappers Arco ventured into the untamed American Idaho Falls Jackson wilderness, Pompeys Pillar was a meeting place for American Indian tribes who camped and hunted in the area. They left their mark on the stone in the form of symbols and images. Pompeys Pillar’s most famous visitor, William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, left his signature on the stone when he stopped in 1806. The signature can still be seen clearly carved into the rock—it is the only visible, accessible, evidence left in the field. Climb 202 stairs to the very top of the pillar to witness Clark’s view from more than 200 years ago. The Interpretive Center helps tell the story, and children will enjoy the extensive grounds including a teepee and replica dugout canoe. 406.875.2400, blm.gov/office/pompeys-pillar-national-monument 26

385

Rapid City

120

Rexburg

Sturgis Lead

Gillette

MT RUSHMORE

Ashton

THE RAILROAD

Deadwood

Sundance

As you travel through the cities and Wall towns of Southeast Montana, you will Upton What happens when you take a probably notice the familiar sound of 25 (as sophisticatedWorland English gentlewoman Custertrain whistles and the sight of train Newcastle a child she had a servant whose only job cars stretching into the distance. The was to comb her hair), give her a glassHot Springs U.S. Cavalry may have opened up plate camera, and drop her in the middle Montana to settlers, but the railroad of the Southeast Montana prairie? In this case, you get an amazing is what truly colonized it. Many of story, complete with photos to document it. The Evelyn Cameron Southeast Montana’s cities and towns, Gallery in Terry showcases this amazing woman’s photography, which including Billings and Laurel, were Casper gives us a rare glimpse of ranch life on the Montana prairie in the planned and laid out, and had citizens late 1800s. You can learn about her life and her attempts to breed ready to move in, before a single brick polo ponies to send back to England. In the end, her only real source was laid. In fact, Billings is named for of income was to sell her photos. To learn more about the Evelyn Frederick Billings, the president of Cameron Gallery, and for information on operating hours and seasons the Northern Pacific Railroad at the or to schedule an off-season tour, contact the museum in Terry time. The railroad brought fame and 406.635.4040, visitterrymontana.com. fortune to Southeast Montana, and many area museums, including the 5. BIG HORN COUNTY Western Heritage Center, Yellowstone HISTORICAL MUSEUM County Museum and Big Horn County Located in Hardin, near the former Fort Historical Museum, tell the full story of Custer, this museum features 35 acres the railroad’s impact on the area. of historic buildings and artifacts relating Wherever you go in Montana, history to Big Horn County’s early history. is all around you. It is in Southeast Exhibits include original works of artist Montana, however, where some of Will James, a diorama of the original fort, and extensive artifacts from the state’s most significant events military and frontier life in the late 1800s. A boardwalk links the main occurred. We hope you will visit exhibit building with 24 historic structures, including a church, train the many museums and historic station and barns full of historic vehicles and equipment. There are monuments in order to learn the full also artifacts relating to the American Indians who lived in this area, story of these amazing people. To including Yellowtail’s vision teepee, in the main gallery. follow the story, download a history 406.665.1671, bighorncountymuseum.org map at southeastmontana.com/maps. 14

2. POMPEYS PILLAR NATIONAL MONUMENT

Spearfish

DEVIL’S TOWER

Belle Fourche

112 14

Volborg

Marmarth

Baker

Biddle

In the years that followed, people of European descent moved to Montana in larger numbers, which changed the dynamic of Southeast Montana forever. Conflicts between the American Indian tribes and the U.S. Cavalry eventually led to the Great Sioux War of the 1870s. To fully understand the legacy and impact of this war, visit the many battlefields that dot the prairie in Southeast Montana, including Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. For more information on Southeast Montana’s battlefields, see the Battlefield Itinerary on page 40 or visit southeastmontana.com.

Dickinson

Fallon

HISTORIC CONFLICT

Sand Springs

Winnett

Drummond

HISTORY

Wibaux

Lewistown Hobson

Neihart

Circle

Jordan

Roy

Denton

Savage

Bloomfield

Winifred

Crane

SOUTH DAKOTA

Dixon Moiese

Sidney

Landusky Zortman

SOUTH DAKOTA

Inset Photos – 1. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography; 2. Pompeys Pillar National Monument, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Yellowstone County Museum, Donnie Sexton; 4. Evelyn Cameron Gallery, Megan Richter; 5. Big Horn County Historical Museum, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

Fort Benton Fairfield Vaughn

Condon

Fairview

Fort Peck

Loma

Augusta

The first official visit by representatives of the U.S. government was from the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. On his way back east to share the news of the incredible discoveries he made, Clark stopped in Southeast Montana along the Yellowstone River to climb a peculiar sandstone pillar jutting up from the riverbank. He named it after his American Indian guide’s son, “Little Pomp,” and carved his name into the soft sandstone. This signature, as well as the pillar he climbed, can still be seen at Pompeys Pillar National Monument.

Paradise

Superior

AH ID

Long before the citizens of the 13 British colonies on the East Coast had ever considered the idea of an American nation, the Crow Nation had firmly established this entire area as Crow Country. The land was heavily contested by many other tribes, including the Northern Cheyenne, and uneasy alliances plus the occasional pony raid marked the area long before any white government claimed it as its own. As you travel through the region and look out over the prairie, imagine how it would have been 300 years ago, when this entire area was controlled, and fought over, by many different Plains Indian tribes, each vying for control of the vast herds of buffalo, valuable trade routes and limited pony herds.

Ronan Charlo

5 STOPS TO STEP BACK IN TIME

AMERICAN INDIANS

Virgelle

Brady

Choteau

Polson

Plains De Borgia St. Regis

Bynum

Swan Lake

TA NORTH DAKO

Thompson Hot Springs Falls

Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm

Wright

3. YELLOWSTONE COUNTY MUSEUM This museum is located atop the Billings Rimrocks, overlooking the city of Billings and the Yellowstone River Valley. The museum, which houses more than 25,000 artifacts relating to the early history of Yellowstone County, consists of an upper and lower section, with the upper being housed in a wealthy cattleman’s log cabin dating back to 1892. Stop by to have a look at the fully assembled chuck wagon, early Western gun collection and the museum’s amazing collection of American Indian artifacts, including a moccasin collection unmatched out here in Southeast Montana. 406.256.6811, ycmhistory.org

Pompeys Pillar features an abundance of American Indian petroglyphs,

Jewel Cave NP

Thermopolis

as well as the signature of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

INDIAN NATIONS

THE CROW AND NORTHERN CHEYENNE A THOUSAND TEEPEES AND A CELEBRATION 500 YEARS IN THE MAKING. THE ANNUAL CROW FAIR IN SOUTHEAST MONTANA IS ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED NATIVE AMERICAN EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY.

One of the most romantic and enduring images of the American West is that of the American Indians. Their traditional dances, ceremonies and ways of life have captured the imaginations of generations of Americans. When you visit Southeast Montana, you will see many of these images, and you will also see that American Indian culture is not a thing from some romantic past; rather it, continues to thrive and grow. Of the 12 Indian Nations in Montana, two reside in Southeast Montana. These are the Apsáalooke (Crow) and Northern Cheyenne. A visit to these tribal reservations will allow you to experience their past and present. You will see monuments of victory and defeat, heartbreak and hope. You will come to understand the obstacles they have overcome and know the proud people they are today. The two reservations are located adjacent to one another and lie along the routes of U.S. Highway 212 and I-90. If you are traveling east from Billings, the first reservation you will encounter is the Crow, followed by the Northern Cheyenne.

Photos – Top Left: Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Bottom Left: Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; Next Page: Crow Fair, Allen Russell 20

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Lakeside

Trout Creek

INDIAN NATIONS Haugan

Paradise

Fort Benton

Seeley Lake

Cascade

Circle

Jordan

Roy

Denton

POWWOWS

Nothing exemplifies the beauty of Dickinson American Indian culture like a powwow. Hobson Lincoln Missoula Wolf Creek 1. ST. LABRE INDIAN SCHOOL Ovando Beach Grass Mosby Bonner Greenough Neihart Range Terry Utica Fallon Helmville In modern times, the powwow has Canyon Creek AND MUSEUM Lolo Clinton Drummond come to represent the honor and The school made a humble beginning in East Helena Helena Florence Judith Gap Ingomar Melstone Ismay White Sulphur Plevna respect American Indians have for Stevensville Montana 1884 with the construction of a log cabin Victor Springs Two Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Marmarth Dot Miles City Harlowton Baker Jefferson each other and for their traditions. Deer Martinsdale Roundup school building operatedCorvallis by four Ursuline Lodge City Philipsburg Forsyth Townsend Hysham Basin Hamilton Ringling When visiting a powwow for the first Rosebud Sisters. The original three-room cabin Bighorn Boulder Anaconda Broadview time, you will notice that the powwow Darby Custer served as a residence, school, dormitory SOUTHEAST MONTANAEkalaka Wise Conner Butte River Wilsall singers are held in high regard. These Logan Colstrip Big and church. A replica of the original Pompeys Sula cabin now stands on the site of the Volborg Manhattan Divide Timber Huntley Pillar Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall singing groups consist of several men Greycliff Hardin Forks mission. Today, St. Labre is responsible for theSilverwelfare and education Lame Reed Point Billings Laurel Livingston Harrison Star Crow Deer Columbus Ashland Wisdom 4 Olive sitting in a circle around a large drum. Agency McLeod of nearly 700 American Indian children.Melrose A visit here Pony includes the St. Twin Gallatin 1 Busby Norris Park Bridges Gateway Bozeman Absarokee Sheridan City Broadus Saint Each man has a baton that he uses to 2 5 Garryowen Nye Fishtail Rockvale Labre Indian Chapel (inspiredJackson by the teepee of the Plains Indians) and Xavier Nevada Pray Roberts Joliet Pryor Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Birney Roscoe Fort Smith Lodge beat out the rhythm of the song they Alder Bridger Big Sky and a the Cheyenne Indian Museum, featuring Plains Indian artifacts Grass Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack Otter City Biddle sing in unison along with the drum. The Alzada 3 Lodge Red Wyola documentary film on the St. Labre school. Visitors are welcome. For Belfry Silver Cooke Grant Decker Gardiner Gate City groups often include both older and more information on hours and tours, see stlabre.org. Belle WYOMING Tower Junction Mammoth WYOMING Fourche younger tribal members, as the younger Hot Springs Sheridan Dell Canyon Lovell West Spearfish singers are being taught the songs Norris 2. CHIEF PLENTY COUPS STATE PARK Lima Monida Lakeview Yellowstone Madison Junction Sturgisthe traditions of the powwow. You Cody Sundance and Lake Plenty Coups (Aleek-chea-ahoosh, Lead West 4. CROW NATIVE DAYS Rapid Thumb Gillette IDAHO Old Island will also notice that the drum groups Buffalo City meaning “many achievements”) was a man Faithful Grant Park Spencer Crow Native Days is an annual Village Wall Upton wear plain clothes. Only the dancers whose vision helped bridge a gap between celebration held on the Crow Reservation, will be wearing the bright colors and Worland two cultures. Having been recognized for Ashton 25 which coincides with the anniversary of Custer Newcastle traditional garb normally associated his bravery and leadership, he was made Custer’s last stand at the Battle of Little Rexburg with powwows. a chief of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe by Bighorn. This week is an exciting time Arco Hot Springs age 28. In 1884, Plenty Coups chose to give upFalls his nomadic way of life, Idaho in Southeast Montana, with a privatelyCEREMONY ETIQUETTE and through the Indian Allotment Act, was deeded a 320-acre tract ofJackson held reenactment of the battle, plus events in both Crow Agency and There are a few things to remember land to develop and farm. Per the wishes of Plenty Coups and his wife, nearby Hardin. At Crow Native Days, visitors can enjoy a powwow, about visiting a powwow or other the site of his homestead has been transformed into a state park. The a Native parade complete with reenactors, and much more. The American Indian event that will help you Casper park includes the farmstead, home, museum, interpretive center and a headline event for Crow Native Days each year is the Ultimate Warrior get the most out of your experience. sacred spring surrounded by bushes, where prayer bundles are often Competition. This Crow version of a triathlon pits participants against First, don’t expect events to begin seen tied. 406.252.1289, stateparks.mt.gov/chief-plenty-coups each other in a grueling endurance race on foot, by canoe, and in a exactly when they are supposed to. As bareback horse relay. You won’t want to miss this exciting event. with many cultures around the world, 3. ROSEBUD BATTLEFIELD crazycrow.com/site/event/crow-fair-celebration-pow-wow-and-rodeo time in Crow and Northern Cheyenne Arlee

Alberton

Stanford

Monarch

Craig

Glendive

Wibaux

Lewistown

Sand Springs

Winnett

323

112

DEVIL’S TOWER

Deadwood

Greybull

385

SOUTH DAKOTA

SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM | 1.800.346.1876

Stockett

Belt Raynesford Geyser

INDIAN NATIONS

SOUTH DAKOTA

Brusett

Fort Shaw Ulm

Savage

Bloomfield

The most striking feature of the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is the terrain created by the Wolf Mountains. The range runs across the reservation and helps make this one of the most beautiful reservations in eastern Montana. A visit to the St. Labre Indian School and Museum in Ashland will help you learn the amazing story of how these people escaped captivity in Oklahoma to return to Montana’s Wolf Mountains. Places of interest on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation include Chief Dull Knife Cultural Center and the Jesse Mullin Picture Museum. The best way to experience the Northern Cheyenne Reservation is with a local guide. There are many experts on the history of the area who will help you get the most out of your trip. For more information, visit our website at southeastmontana.com.

Great Falls

Crane

Winifred

MT RUSHMORE

120

Jewel Cave NP

Moran

Wright

NORTHERN CHEYENNE

Sidney

Landusky Zortman

Augusta St. Ignatius

Fairview

Fort Peck

Loma

Fairfield Vaughn

Condon

Dixon Moiese

Superior

AH ID

The Crow Reservation is intersected by U.S. Highway 212 and I-90. The Crow people call themselves Apsáalooke, which means “People of the Large Beaked Bird.” Early translators misinterpreted this name as “Crow.” The reservation encompasses many renowned historic and recreational sites, including Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, the Bighorn River and Chief Plenty Coups State Park. It is also home to the world-famous Crow Fair Powwow—the Teepee Capital of the World—and Crow Native Days, which takes place on the anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn. The Crow Reservation is one of the largest in Montana, and the Crow are one of the few tribes who were allowed to remain on their ancestral land.

Ronan Charlo

5 NATIVE SIGHTS AND EVENTS

THE CROW

Virgelle

Brady

Choteau

Polson

Plains De Borgia St. Regis

Bynum

Swan Lake

TA NORTH DAKO

Thompson Hot Springs Falls

Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm

Thermopolis

STATE PARK

Rosebud Battlefield, a National Historic Landmark, is associated with the Great Sioux War of 1876–77. It is considered to be the greatest Indian conflict ever to occur in America and is associated with the lead-up to the Battle of Little Bighorn. On June 17, 1876, the vast number of warriors and soldiers present at Rosebud Battlefield made the day one of the largest battles of the Indian Wars. There is a self-guided walking tour developed by Montana State Parks at the site. Take state Highway 314 toward Decker. Twenty miles from the junction of Highway 314 and Highway 212 is a sign for the battlefield site. Take the access road at the turnoff and drive 1.5 miles to the park. 406.757.2298, stateparks.mt.gov/rosebud-battlefield Inset Photos – 1. St. Labre Indian School and Museum, Nathan Satran Photography; 2. Chief Plenty Coups State Park, Montana State Parks; 3. Rosebud Battlefield State Park, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; 4. Crow Native Days, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development; 5. Crow Fair, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

Visit the Indian Nations section of our website at southeastmontana.com.

5. CROW FAIR The annual Crow Fair Celebration is one of the largest gatherings of the year for the Apsáalooke Nation and is considered one of the largest modern-day American Indian encampments in the nation. The historical event, which has been held each year since 1918, is a time when Crow tribal members from across the world return to Crow Country to celebrate the Crow culture and traditional way of life. Crow Agency is known as the “Teepee Capital of the World” because of the approximately 1,200 to 1,500 teepees in the encampment during the celebration. The event includes a powwow each night at the center of the encampment as well as horse racing, a daily parade, rodeo and Indian-relay races. crazycrow.com/site/event/crow-fair-celebration-pow-wow-and-rodeo

Learn more about Montana’s tribes at visitmt.com.

cultures is more fluid than many people are accustomed to. Also, be cautious when taking photos. Rules for photography can be different from tribe to tribe and from powwow to powwow. If there is any question about whether photography is allowed, be sure to ask somebody involved with the management of the powwow. Finally, shop local. Immerse yourself in the experience by eating at local concession stands, shopping at local arts and crafts displays, and buying raffle tickets. You may have to pay a small fee to watch the powwow, but the effort put into the event by the dancers and the management team far outweighs the financial compensation they receive when sharing their culture. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

WESTERN ADVENTURE

WE ARE WESTERN ADVENTURE FOR THESE BRONCS, LAUNCHING A CAREER MEANS LAUNCHING A COWBOY, AND THERE’S NO BETTER PLACE OUT HERE TO DO THAT THAN THE MILES CITY BUCKING HORSE SALE.

The name Montana is synonymous with cowboys, and that rings true especially on the green grass and rolling prairies of Southeast Montana. Rodeo is a way of life here, whether it is the indoor arena events in Billings, such as the Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) and the Professional Bull Riders (PBR), or the rural rodeos in places like Broadus. But more than all of these, Miles City is the birthplace of genuine Montana cowboying and is world famous to this day for its deep roots in the Old West cattle trade. Out here in Southeast Montana, we like to think that the “Old West” is a way of life rather than something out of a history book. To get the true Western experience, look no further than the many authentic small towns in Southeast Montana, where the cowboy spirit continues to thrive. Their historic main streets may look like a set from a Western movie, but in reality they are bustling centers of commerce, local news and the occasional gossip, just as they have been since horse-drawn wagons rolled down the streets where pickup trucks do these days. Western culture, from the million-dollar sponsorships at the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo to the platinum records of Nashville’s country music legends, is formed in towns like this.

Photos – Top Left: Cowboy working the ranch, Lynn Donaldson; Bottom Left: Miles City Saddlery, Megan Richter; Next Page: Horseback Riding at Double Spear Ranch, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development 24

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Lakeside

Trout Creek

WESTERN ADVENTURE Haugan

Ronan

Paradise

5 MUST-SEE LOCATIONS

We know that for people who hail from bigger cities, small towns can be a bit intimidating. So we have developed a three-step guide that will help you get the most out of your visit.

Missoula 1. POWDER RIVER COUNTY Bonner HISTORICAL MUSEUM Lolo Clinton & MAC’S MUSEUM

Ulm

Seeley Lake

Cascade

Wolf Creek

Drummond

Helena

East Helena

Beach

Fallon

2. HUNTLEY PROJECT MUSEUM OF IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE Mammoth Hot Springs

Dell Lima

West

Judith Gap Two Dot

Harlowton

Greycliff Reed Point

Absarokee Fishtail

Nye

Roscoe

Bridger

Olive Broadus 323

Birney Otter

Wyola

Biddle

Alzada

Decker

WYOMING

Sheridan

Spearfish

DEVIL’S TOWER

Deadwood

Sundance

Greybull

120

Moran

Wright

Belle Fourche

112 14

Gillette The Western Heritage Center is a regional Buffalo museum with collections, exhibits and Upton programs telling stories of life in the Yellowstone Worland 25 Newcastle River Valley. Located in historic downtown Billings, the building that houses the Western Heritage Center is the former Parmly Billings Library, built in 1901. The Western Heritage Center provides both long-term and changing exhibits with interactive components, as well as educational programs for visitors Casper of all ages. The museum cares for more than 16,000 artifacts and an extensive collection that illustrates and documents the history of the Yellowstone River Valley. Guided tours are available for groups with reservations along with seasonal hoof-it with a historian walking tours. 406.256.6809, ywhc.org 16

The Bucking Horse Sale first took place in 1950.

Ashland

Fort Keogh, named after a soldier who fell at the Battle of Little Bighorn, was established near present-day Miles City soon after the battle as a permanent frontier fort. Its personnel were charged with subduing the remaining native tribes in the area. Only a few of the 100-plus buildings that made up Fort Keogh have survived, but those that still stand have been incorporated into the Range Riders Museum, one of the largest Western museums in the area. The museum tells the story of the Southeast Montana pioneer and contains a wealth of artifacts, including saddles, antique cameras, patchwork quilts and more than 400 firearms. The museum also hosts a frontier town with 11 shops representing the old Main Street in Miles City. 406.232.6146, rangeridersmuseum.org

Lame Deer Busby

Saint Garryowen Xavier Lodge Grass

Fort Smith

Lovell

3. RANGE RIDERS MUSEUM

Crow Agency

Volborg

Cody WESTERN HERITAGE CENTER 4.

Belfry

Tower Junction

Roberts

Park City Rockvale Joliet Pryor

Colstrip

Hardin

Billings

Red Lodge Silver Cooke Gate City

Laurel

Columbus

McLeod

Marmarth

Ekalaka

Pompeys Pillar

Huntley

5 Baker

SOUTHEAST MONTANA

Custer

323

Rosebud

Bighorn

Plevna

Forsyth

Hysham

Broadview

Big Timber

Ismay

Miles City

Roundup

Canyon

Norris Yellowstone With 10.4 acres, 18 homestead buildings, Madison Lakeview Monida Junction Lake hundreds of farm implements and West Thumb IDAHO Old Island thousands of other artifacts on display, Faithful Grant Park Spencer Village the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture interprets what life was like Ashton for those living on the Huntley Irrigation Rexburg Project from the early 1880s to the late Arco 20th century. The museum has one of the largest Idaho Fallscollections of horsedrawn agricultural machinery in the nation, as well as other displays, Jackson including a tar paper shack, two schoolhouses, an early doctor’s office, a bank and a horse barn made from locally harvested cottonwood. 406.348.2533, huntleyprojectmuseum.org

Ingomar

Melstone

Thermopolis

5. O’FALLON HISTORICAL MUSEUM Housed in what was once the O’Fallon County Jail, built in 1916, the O’Fallon Historical Museum is home to thousands of items showcasing life on the Montana prairie in Baker, Montana from the early 1900s to the 1920s. The main attraction at the museum is Steer Montana, the largest recorded steer. A Roan Polled Shorthorn breed, Steer Montana was born in 1923 and lived more than 15 years. Local rancher Jack Guth raised the steer, and they traveled together to more than 60 different state fairs, stock shows and carnivals in places as far away as Fort Worth, Texas, and Los Angeles, California. Steer Montana grew to be 5 feet 11 inches tall and 10 feet 4 inches long and weighed in at 3,980 pounds. The local theory as to why he grew to be so massive was that Guth fed him grain mash, a by-product produced in great quantities by the local bootleggers—or so the story goes. 406.778.3265, falloncounty.net/museum.html The Yellowstone County Jail often played host to the unruly Calamity Jane.

Sturgis

IfRapid indoor arenas, light shows and City Wall circuits are more professional rodeo your style, Billings is your town. Watch Custer the PBR, the NILE and the Chase Hawks Rough Stock Invitational at Hot SpringsMetraPark’s Rimrock Auto Arena. If you’re looking for a rodeo experience that is a good mix of the two, then what you really want is the WorldFamous Bucking Horse Sale in Miles City, held annually in May. Lead

385

SOUTH DAKOTA

SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM | 1.800.346.1876

Terry

SOUTH DAKOTA

Gardiner

Inset Photos – 1. Powder River County Historical Museum, Powder River County Historical Museum; 2. Huntley Project Museum of Integrated Agriculture, Huntley Project Ag Museum; 3. Range Riders Museum, Donnie Sexton; 4. Western Heritage Center, Donnie Sexton; 5. O’Fallon Historical Museum, O’Fallon Historical Museum

Mosby

Nothing says “cowboy” like a good rodeo, and nowhere in Montana can you find a better variety of rodeo action than right here in Southeast Montana. For an authentic rodeo experience, venture out into the smaller communities where future rodeo stars are groomed. Ever heard of mutton busting? This is a staple event of the small-town rodeo. Watch as young kids test their mettle riding wily, woolly sheep. Go ahead and laugh, it’s supposed to be fun—then then imagine how many of the famous bull riders and bronc-busters riding at the PBR and NFR began their careers on the back of a sheep.

Dickinson

323

Grant

RODEOS

Sand Springs

Winnett

Grass Range

Utica

WESTERN ADVENTURE

Wibaux

Lewistown

Canyon Creek

Florence

Jordan

Glendive Hobson

Neihart

Circle

Brusett Roy

Denton

Stanford

Monarch

Craig

Lincoln

Ovando Greenough Helmville

Stockett

Belt Raynesford Geyser

Savage

Bloomfield

Fort Shaw

Alberton

AH ID

Third, if possible, visit local events and festivals. Many small towns in Southeast Montana have weekly farmers markets in the summer, which offer samples of local produce and meats, along with conversation. Or, plan your visit around a county fair to watch the excitement on kids’ faces when they auction off their prize pigs, chickens and sheep. You’ll also find excellent food, entertainment and, of course, good company. For more information, visit our events calendar at southeastmontana.com/events

Great Falls

Crane

White Sulphur Located smack-dab inVictortheStevensville middle of Garrison Elliston Clancy Montana Springs City Winston Jefferson Deer Martinsdale prime ranching country, this museum Lodge City Corvallislittle Philipsburg Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling packs a Western punch. Discover Plains Boulder Anaconda Darby Indians artifacts, historical guns and Wise Conner Butte River Wilsall Logan ammunition, pre-1900 buggies, vintage vehicles and farm implements, Sula Manhattan Divide Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Forks demonstrating modern-day ranching practices. amazed Livingston SilverYou will be Harrison Star Wisdom Pony Melrose with the extensive bit and spur collection and prized battlefield Twin Gallatin artifacts Norris Bridges Gateway Bozeman Sheridan from the Reynolds CampaignJackson in 1876. The generational bridal gownPray Nevada Polaris Ennis City Emigrant Alder Big Sky and vintage dress collections are sure conversation-starters. Open Salmon Virginia Cameron Dillon Bannack City seasonally and by appointment. 406.436.2977

Sidney

Landusky Zortman

Winifred

St. Ignatius

Arlee

First, eat when and where the locals do. There’s no better way to get a feel for what a small town is all about than by people-watching at local diners. If you want breakfast, you’ll probably need to make it an early one.

Second, get out and walk. A small town’s main street may seem underwhelming when you cruise through, but the truth is, you are missing many of the things that make small towns great. Park your car and get out to stretch your legs. Breathe in the fresh air and begin your exploration of the town. You are guaranteed to see places you would have missed from the car.

Fort Benton

Augusta

Dixon Moiese

Superior

Fairview

Fort Peck

Loma

Fairfield Vaughn

Condon

Charlo

DISCOVER MORE OF OUR SMALL TOWNS

If you aren’t quite that adventurous, having lunch right around noon is your best bet. Find the place with the most people or ask somebody on the street where their favorite restaurant is. They will be happy to tell you and brag a bit about their town.

Virgelle

Brady

Choteau

Polson

Plains De Borgia St. Regis

Bynum

Swan Lake

TA NORTH DAKO

Thompson Hot Springs Falls

Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm

MT RUSHMORE

Jewel Cave NP

Other unique rodeo experiences to be found in Southeast Montana include Indian rodeos and ranch rodeos. The latter may be what folks call the “real” cowboys—they work the ranch during the week and occasionally compete on the weekends. Events like wild cow milking and doctoring mimic everyday ranch life and are undertaken with a great dose of humor. Indian rodeo is a growing culture, culminated with the Indian National Finals Rodeo every October. Learn more about how the horse and Indian cowboys, and cowgirls, honor their tribe and their land while witnessing daring events. Whether you want small-town hospitality or big-city professional rodeo, Southeast Montana can oblige. See southeastmontana.com/things-todo for details. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

DINOSAUR ADVENTURE

DINOSAURS ONCE ROAMED THESE HILLS WE MAY CALL THEM “THE BADLANDS,” BUT FOR DINOSAURS, IT WAS HEAVEN ON EARTH. ON THE REGION’S EASTERN EDGE, YOU’LL FIND MAKOSHIKA STATE PARK, WITH A FEW MILLION YEARS OF HISTORY TO EXPLORE.

Remember when you were a kid and you dreamed about those giant creatures who once roamed the earth? You would visit natural history museums in New York City, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles and gaze in disbelief at the massive skeletons towering over you. If this sounds familiar, then there is a good chance that you have already witnessed a piece of Southeast Montana. Many of the dinosaur skeletons in these famous museums were found right here. In fact, the badlands of eastern Montana have the highest concentration of exposed dinosaur fossils in the world. Just one short year after Lt. Col. Custer and his 7th Cavalry were defeated at the Battle of Little Bighorn, Othniel Marsh, one of the first paleontologists and the man who is credited with the discoveries of such dinosaurs as Triceratops and Stegosaurus, braved the elements and bands of American Indians on the warpath to explore the hills of eastern Montana. The first Tyrannosaurus rex was found here and was loaded into horse-drawn wagons with the help of professional wolf trappers who happened to be working in the area. As you can see, dinosaurs are as much a part of our cultural heritage as cattle drives and powwows. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that today, more than 100 years since the railroads began shipping carloads of Montana fossils to eastern museums, paleontologists in eastern Montana are still making new

Photos – Top Left: Searching for fossils near Glendive, Megan Richter; Bottom Left: Digging for fossils, Megan Richter; Next Page: Carter County Museum, Nathan Satran Photography

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EXPLORE THE LAND WHERE DINOSAURS ROAMED THE EARTH 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

Lakeside

Trout Creek

DINOSAUR ADVENTURE Haugan

discoveries, and the number of fossils being found has continued to hold steady. The dinosaur epicenter of Southeast Montana is undoubtedly Makoshika State Park near Glendive, where the badlands are steepest and most rugged.

Fairfield Vaughn

Great Falls Winifred

St. Ignatius

Ulm

Seeley Lake

Arlee

Cascade

Alberton

Missoula 1. FRONTIER GATEWAY MUSEUM Bonner

Ovando Greenough

Stockett

Wolf Creek

Polaris Alder

Salmon

2. CARTER COUNTY MUSEUM

Dillon

Bannack

Nevada Ennis City

Judith Gap Two Dot

Virginia City

Harlowton

Billings

Laurel

Absarokee Fishtail Roberts

Park City Rockvale Joliet Pryor Bridger

Fort Smith

Moran

3. GLENDIVE DINOSAUR AND FOSSIL MUSEUM The Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum features 20,000 square feet of dinosaur fossil exhibits, including Stegosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus and many other singular fossils found in the area. This museum is unique in that it seeks to explain the existence of dinosaurs within the context of biblical creationism and is the largest of its kind in the United States. An exhibit called “The Man and Dinosaurs” provides evidence collected throughout paleontology’s history that suggests it is possible that dinosaurs and man coexisted. No matter what you believe, the museum’s incredible collection and unique perspective make it worth a stop for any dinosaur enthusiast. The museum also hosts digs via advance reservations. 406.377.3228, creationtruth.org

Marmarth 323

Baker 85

SOUTHEAST MONTANA

Ekalaka

Colstrip

Hardin

Lame Deer

2 5

Olive Broadus 323

Birney Otter

Wyola

Biddle

Alzada

Decker

WYOMING

WYOMING Sheridan

Lovell 14

Spearfish

DEVIL’S TOWER

4. MAKOSHIKA STATE PARK VISITOR CENTER

Greybull

Deadwood

Sundance

Lead

Gillette

Buffalo

385 16

Wall

Upton

The Visitor Center at Makoshika State Worland 25 Park, which is operated by Montana Newcastle Fish, Wildlife & Parks, showcases some of the fossils found in the park, as well as evidence of early humans discovered there. Stopping here before continuing on into the park will allow you to gain an understanding of the interesting features you will see on the scenic drive around the park and better enjoy your experience. The Casper annual Buzzard Day celebration welcomes summer and the return of the buzzard, or turkey vulture. During the summer season, register for a paleo experience to learn how fossils are collected, documented and curated, or join a related Ranger Talk. 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika 16

Belle Fourche

112 14

Cody

Volborg

Ashland

Busby

Garryowen Saint Xavier Lodge Grass

Belfry

Plevna

120

Wright

Thermopolis

SOUTH DAKOTA

Forsyth

Crow Agency

Red Lodge Silver Cooke Gate City

Pompeys Huntley Pillar

Columbus

McLeod

Beach

Rosebud

Worden

The Hell Creek Formation is part of what makes Southeast Montana so special to paleontologists and dinosaur enthusiasts. The formation refers to a layer of earth that was on the surface at the time when dinosaurs roamed the planet. In modern times, this layer is far beneath ground level in most places, making it difficult or impossible to reach in order to find dinosaur fossils. In eastern Montana, this layer is exposed due to the unique environment of erosion and ground upheaval that exists in Montana’s badlands. Though made famous in Montana, this formation also runs Sturgis into North Dakota, South Dakota Rapid and Wyoming. City

Dickinson

Wibaux

Fallon

Ismay

Hysham

Custer

Greycliff Reed Point

Roundup

Big Timber

Roscoe

Gardiner

HELL CREEK FORMATION

Miles City Bighorn

The Carter County Museum, Montana’s Tower Junction Mammoth Hot Springs first county museum, was founded Dell Canyon West Norris Yellowstone Lima in 1936 and houses an impressive Madison Lakeview Monida Junction Lake collection of firearms, American Indian West Thumb IDAHO Old Island artifacts and, of course, dinosaur bones. Faithful Grant Park Spencer Village Located in the town of Ekalaka, the museum’s paleontological collection includes a mounted skeleton of Ashton a Hadrosaur that displays the actual dinosaur’s bones, not a model— as is seen in most larger museums. It also displays the Rexburg complete Arco skull of Triceratops, Pachycephalosaurus and a marine Falls Idahoplesiosaurus, fossil. All of these bones were found locally in nearby exposures of Jackson the Hell Creek Formation. The last weekend in July, the Carter County Museum celebrates “all things dino” annually with the Dino Shindig. 406.775.6886, cartercountymuseum.org 75

Ingomar

Broadview

Cameron

Grant

Terry

Melstone

Nye

Pray Emigrant

Big Sky

Mosby

1 3 4 5

DINOSAUR ADVENTURE

323

Sheridan

Jackson

Glendive Sand Springs

Winnett

Grass Range

Utica

Circle

Jordan

Lewistown Hobson

Neihart

Helmville Lolo A member of the Montana Dinosaur Trail, Canyon Creek Clinton Drummond the Frontier Gateway Museum offers a Helena East Florence Helena White Sulphur Stevensville Montana walk way back in timeVictor with “Margie” the Springs Garrison Elliston Clancy City Winston Jefferson Deer Martinsdale full-sized skeleton cast ofCorvallis Struthiomimus, City Philipsburg Lodge Townsend Basin Hamilton Ringling named for the woman who found it near Boulder Anaconda Darby Glendive in the 1990s. Exhibits include a Wise Conner Butte River Wilsall Logan full-size Stegoceras replica, Sula plus an impressive collection of historic Manhattan Divide Clyde Park Dewey Three Belgrade Whitehall Forks armor and structures, vintage photographs and books, fossils, medieval Silver Livingston Harrison Star Wisdom Pony Melrose turn-of-the-century gowns. 406.377.8168, frontiergatewaymuseum.org Twin Gallatin Norris Bridges Gateway Bozeman

Savage

Bloomfield

Brusett Roy

Denton

Stanford

Monarch

Craig

Lincoln

Belt Raynesford Geyser

Crane

Fort Shaw

5 DINO HOT SPOTS

Sidney

Landusky Zortman

Augusta

Dixon Moiese

Fairview

SOUTH DAKOTA

The Montana Dinosaur Trail is your guide to most of the great dinosaur museums in Montana. The Frontier Gateway Museum, Makoshika State Park (both in Glendive), and Carter County Museum in Ekalaka are all stops along the trail. Dinosaur Trail Passports are sold in these museums and can be stamped at any museum along the trail. For more information about the Dinosaur Trail and to obtain a trail map, visit mtdinotrail.org.

Fort Benton

Condon

THE MONTANA DINOSAUR TRAIL

Paradise

Superior

AH ID

The soil here is continually washed away year after year by rain and snow, revealing the ancient layers of earth beneath. Many of the fossils found in the park can be seen at the Makoshika State Park Visitor Center, but this is not the only place to find bones. Take a paleo tour or sign up for a private fossil hunt. What could be a better souvenir than a 65-million-year-old dinosaur bone? We encourage you to be transported back to when you were that wideeyed kid. Rediscover the magic of a world full of these “terrible lizards,” and wander the hills where they once lived.

De Borgia St. Regis

Ronan Charlo

Fort Peck

Loma

Choteau

Polson

Plains

Virgelle

Brady

Bynum

Swan Lake

TA NORTH DAKO

Thompson Hot Springs Falls

Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm

To the trained eye, the formation Custer can actually be seen and recognized by the texture and color of the soil, which is different from the layers Hot Springs above and below it. These colors are best seen at Makoshika State Park, where the steep cliffs, tall spires and scenic vistas allow visitors to view the formation from different vantage points.

MT RUSHMORE

Jewel Cave NP

5. MONTANA DINOSAUR TRAIL Montana offers spectacular “hands-on” archaeological, paleontological and geological experiences. Can you dig it? Yes, in fact, you can, and we’ve got the folks to help you do it safely and legally. There are 14 stops along the Montana Dinosaur Trail that allow you to discover Montana’s paleontological treasures for yourself. You will have opportunities to see one-of-a-kind specimens like “Leonardo,” the mummy Brachylophosaurus or scour Makoshika State Park for the next long-lost treasure. mtdinotrail.org

Inset Photos – 1. Frontier Gateway Museum; 2. Carter County Museum, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum, Lynn Donaldson; 4. Makoshika State Park, Megan Richter; 5. Fossil hunting along Montana’s Dinosaur Trail, Carter County Museum 30

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Learn more about dinosaur attractions at southeastmontana.com/dinosaurs.

Makoshika State Park was considered for designation as a national park in the 1920s.

GUIDED DINOSAUR DIGS If you’ve learned about all the dinosaur bones in Southeast Montana and are ready to go out and find some yourself, then join in on a dinosaur dig. There are several organizations in Southeast Montana that take groups and individuals out into the Montana badlands in search of dinosaur bones. Some groups will even let you keep the bones you find. Remember that on public land, it is illegal to remove any dinosaur bones. Also, it can sometimes be difficult to know whether the land you are on is publicly or privately owned. Always be sure you know whose land you are on before hiking or driving off road.

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HUNTING & FISHING

LEGENDARY HUNTING AND FISHING OUT HERE, YOU MIGHT SEE MORE FISH AND WILDLIFE THAN PEOPLE. IT’S PART OF OUR HERITAGE AND CULTURE—ONE THAT VISITORS CAN EXPERIENCE ON THEIR OWN OR WITH THE HELP OF OUR KNOWLEDGEABLE GUIDES.

Hunting and fishing are some of our favorite pastimes in Southeast Montana, and though we may joke about keeping our treasures to ourselves, we love to share our abundant outdoor resources with visitors to our state. Here you will find tens of thousands of acres of wide-open public lands, rivers so full of trout you’ll be more concerned with the daily catch limit than what kind of fly is working best for the season, and massive reservoirs that are perfect for finding a secluded spot to shut off your boat’s motor, grab your fishing rod and relax without another person in sight. Your first stop before planning a hunting or fishing trip to Southeast Montana is the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website at fwp.mt.gov. Here you can learn about what types of animals you can hunt in Southeast Montana, how to purchase hunting licenses and permits, and what you need to fish legally in our state. You’ll also find information about hunting and fishing regulations and seasons.

Photos – Top Left: Fishing on the Bighorn River, Alexis Bonogofsky; Bottom Left: Elk, Sharon Borla; Next Page: Pheasant hunting, Erik Petersen

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THE THRILL OF THE HUNT IS TRADITION AND A WAY OF LIFE OUT HERE 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

HUNTING & FISHING

If you want to hunt or fish on your own, it’s easy to find public land and fishing access in Montana. But if you want to increase your odds of bagging that trophy buck, or reeling in that monster rainbow trout, you’ll want to use an outfitter or guide. These people make it their business to know the best places and tactics to help their clients have the experience of a lifetime. Read more about the benefits of working with an outfitter in the Hunting and Fishing Experiences section on the following pages.

NONRESIDENT HUNTING PERMITS/LICENSES Information regarding the process for purchasing nonresident hunting licenses and permits can be found in the hunting section of the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks website. Some permits can be purchased over the counter, while others require a draw. Requirements change each year, so be sure to check online before planning your trip. Hunting outfitters and guides can also help by providing you with information on how to increase your chances of getting your permit.

NONRESIDENT FISHING LICENSES In order to fish in Montana, you will need to purchase both a conservation license and a fishing license. These can be purchased from a Fish, Wildlife & Parks office in Montana or can be applied for through the mail. Visit the Fish, Wildlife & Parks website for more information or to download the application.

HUNTING & FISHING

HUNTING AND FISHING EXPERIENCES

TONGUE RIVER RESERVOIR

1. BIG GAME HUNTING

5. HUNTING OUTFITTERS

The plains of eastern Montana have been called the Serengeti of North America due to the abundance of wildlife here. The most plentiful big game animals are pronghorn antelope, mule deer, whitetailed deer and elk. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer and white-tailed deer can be found virtually anywhere in our region, but you’ll want to contact Fish, Wildlife & Parks or a hunting outfitter to learn the best places to hunt elk.

Without a doubt, the best way to ensure that your hunting trip to Southeast Montana is a complete success is by planning it with a local outfitter. These hunting experts are located throughout our region. They can provide you with all the hunting equipment you need and can show you the best secret spots to find those big bucks. Visit our website at southeastmontana.com to find hunting outfitters in our region.

2. FISHING

6. FISHING GUIDES

If fishing is your favorite pastime, Southeast Montana is where you’ll want to take your next vacation. Species of fish here range from rainbow and brown trout to prehistoric paddlefish. In fact, there are 12 species of catchable fish in Bighorn Lake alone. Visit fwp.mt.gov to see what types of fish are available and where you can find them.

Whether you are an expert who is looking for somebody who can show you where the best fishing holes are, or a complete novice who’s never picked up a pole, the fishing guides here in Southeast Montana can provide you with the trip of a lifetime. Visit our website at southeastmontana.com to find fishing guides in our region.

3. BIRD HUNTING

7. PADDLEFISHING

A variety of birds can be harvested in Southeast Montana, including grouse, pheasant, partridge and turkeys. Some birds may require special permits, so consult with a guide or with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to be sure you have everything you need for your bird-hunting adventure.

During late May and June, a special breed of anglers travels to a rocky stretch of the river near Glendive, at the Intake Diversion Dam. Here, they rig up their saltwater fishing gear and churn the coffee-colored water to catch the senior citizen of the Yellowstone—the paddlefish. Paddlefish are also caught in lesser numbers at the mouths of the Tongue and Powder rivers and the Forsyth Diversion Dam. Ask a local for the best fishing places and techniques for catching these prehistoric fish. You can also take home some Yellowstone Caviar for a unique taste of Southeast Montana, found at the Glendive Chamber of Commerce. 406.234.0900, fwp.mt.gov/fish

4. FISH, WILDLIFE & PARKS OFFICE Southeast Montana spans two Fish, Wildlife & Parks regions. These offices are here to help answer any and all questions you may have about hunting or fishing in Southeast Montana. The headquarters for Region 5 is in the city of Billings at 2300 Lake Elmo Drive and can be reached at 406.247.2940. The headquarters for Region 7 is in Miles City at 352 I-94 Business Loop and can be reached at 406.234.0900.

One of our region’s hidden fishing paradises, this 12-mile-long reservoir is situated among scenic red shale, juniper canyons, and the open prairies of Southeast Montana. The park is loved by Montana and Wyoming anglers, campers and boaters. The reservoir boasts excellent bass, crappie, walleye and northern pike fishing, with two staterecord fish pulled from its waters. This state park offers more than 150 campsites, including 40 paved sites with electrical hookups. The park is 642 acres in size at an elevation of 3,468 feet. The site also has a fishcleaning station and LP gas refill.

OTHER FISHING SPOTS Most serious anglers know that the Bighorn River rises to the top of Montana’s list of world-class trout streams. The river is fished yearround by both waders and floaters with a payoff of brown and rainbow trout averaging 15 to 16 inches. If you are interested in fishing for something a bit more exotic than trout, mark your calendars for late May, when the season opens for paddlefish on the Yellowstone River at the eastern edge of the state. During this one-month season, about 3,000 anglers descend on the town of Glendive to try their luck in one of only a handful of paddlefish fisheries in the world. If you catch one, the paddlefish roe can be donated to the Glendive Chamber of Commerce, where it is processed into world-renowned Yellowstone Caviar.

Inset Photos – 1. Antelope, Alexis Bonogofsky; 2. Fishing the Bighorn River, Nathan Satran Photography; 3. Bird hunting, Nathan Satran Photography; 4. Fish, Wildlife & Parks in Miles City, fwp.mt.gov; 5. Hunting guides, Eastslope Outfitters; 6. Fishing Bighorn River with guide from Cottonwood Camp, Nathan Satran Photography 7. Paddlefishing, Visit Glendive 34

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Bighorn Canyon is home to 12 species of game fish.

In 2016, the world-record elk was bowhunted on public lands in Southeast Montana.

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ITINERARIES

You’ve decided a trip out here to Southeast Montana is in your future. We know that planning can be a daunting task, so we created some easy-to-follow itineraries, with stops for everything from dinosaur bones to craft beers. Follow our itineraries step-by-step or combine them to create your own custom trip.

LOOP LEGEND

Wibaux 94

Get A Little Western Get A Little More Western

Still need more help? Visit southeastmontana.com for planning tools and additional things to see and do while you’re here. For even more itineraries, not only for Southeast Montana but for the entire state, go to VisitMT.com.

Terry 14

Battlefield Loop

Melstone

Ingomar

Ismay

1 Roundup

3 Rosebud Forsyth

Broadview

Pompeys Pillar

17 Custer

4 Big Timber

191

Billings

gston

Columbus

Hardin

7 Pryor

CROW INDIAN RESERVATION

Little Bighorn Battefield Monument

Garryowen Saint Xavier

Roberts

212

Lame Deer

Ashland 212

Olive

The Warrior Trail

Busby

Broadus 12

NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION

212

Lodge Grass

Bridger

212

Crow Agency

Chief Plenty Coups State Park

Joliet

Ekalaka 18

Volberg

Colstrip

Laurel

Absarokee

Castle Rock Lake

Huntley

Reed Point

16 Plevna Baker

Hysham

Lavina

Miles City 13

Harlowton 12

Fallon

Dinosaur Loop

191

Fort Smith

Red Lodge

310

Belfry

Cooke City

MONTANA WYOMING

212

14A

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

1 Musselshell Valley

6 Western Heritage Center and

2 Jersey Lilly Saloon

7 Chief Plenty Coups State Park

3 Rosebud County

8 Big Horn County Museum

Historical Museum

Pioneer Museum 4 Pompeys Pillar

14A

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Alzada

POINTS OF INTEREST

5 Huntley Project Museum 36

Glendive

of Irrigated Agriculture

Yellowstone County Museum

9 Little Bighorn Battlefield

National Monument 10 Custer Battlefield Museum

11 St. Labre

Cheyenne Museum 12 Powder River

Historical Museum 13 Range Riders Museum 14 Prairie County Museum

and Evelyn Cameron Gallery

15 Frontier Gateway Museum,

Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum, and Makoshika State Park 16 O’Fallon Historical Museum 17 Medicine Rocks State Park 18 Carter County Museum

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ITINERARIES

GET A LITTLE WESTERN If you’re itching to experience small-town cowboy culture, this is the loop for you. From cattle drives to sheep herders, Southeast Montana has it all. ROUNDUP – Logically named for the area’s primary activity, Roundup started as a cattle-wrangling town. Visit the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum or stroll downtown to learn about the early days of “cowboying.” Today, the town boasts a RiverWalk, several quaint cafés and an emerging art scene. INGOMAR - If you’re looking for some authentic cowboy fare, the Jersey Lilly Saloon in Ingomar is a must-stop. The burgers are great, the baked beans are famous and the “sheepherders” were once featured on the Food Network. If you want to know what a “sheepherder” is, you’ll just have to try one. FORSYTH – Here’s a perfect example of a small town made wealthy by the railroad. Be sure to check out Forsyth’s beautiful and historic county courthouse. Visit the Rosebud County Pioneer Museum to get a glimpse of life on the prairie at the turn of the century or picnic alongside the meandering Yellowstone River. You’ll love the vintage cinema marquee, too.

HUNTLEY - Several small communities east of Billings combine to make up the Huntley Project, a groundbreaking irrigation experiment that forever changed farming in America. Learn more at the Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture then enjoy dining al fresco at a local favorite along the Yellowstone River. BILLINGS – The largest city in Montana, Billings is home to Public Auction Yards (PAYS) where you can experience live animal sales, sitting alongside buyers and sellers as sheep, cattle and horse are bartered— but don’t lift your paddle! Next, steep yourself in cowboy history at the Western Heritage Center and the Yellowstone County Museum. Or, visit the Yellowstone Art Museum to marvel at Western and modern works. Then kick back along historic Montana Avenue in Billings’ bustling downtown or stroll the state’s only Walkable Brewery District.

Miles City, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

GET A LITTLE MORE WESTERN We have so many authentic Western experiences that we created two itineraries. If you are really cowboycrazy, try them both. MILES CITY – Home of the world-famous Bucking Horse Sale, held annually the third weekend in May, Miles City still revolves around cowboy (and cowgirl) life. Be sure to visit the Ranger Riders Museum—a combination heritage center and historical campus— along with the Miles City Saddlery and WaterWorks Art Museum, which illustrates the Western story. VOLBORG – To a traveler, Volborg may not look like much, but this community is the heart of a substantial ranching population, including 2017 Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion, Jess Lockwood. Stop at the General Store to hear his story—and many others— or snap a quick pic at the Western-style post office and vintage dance hall. BROADUS – Western heritage is part of everyday life in this small town. Browse antiques, Western gifts and clothing from local merchants or grab a meal beside cattlemen and ranchers. Be sure to check out the meticulous Ben Patten bit and spur collection or the historic frontier cabin at the Powder River Historical Museum—the craftmanship is unequaled.

Historic Jersey Lilly Saloon in Ingomar, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development 38

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ALZADA – If you lean toward unusual atmosphere, then you don’t want to miss the Stoneville Saloon “conveniently located in the middle of nowhere,” A.K.A. Alzada, Montana. With sawdust-covered floors, an

antique bar, kitschy décor and a bartender with a million stories, you can’t go wrong. The establishment sassily advertises “Cheap Drinks, Lousy Food.” Located spitting distance to the Montana-Wyoming border, Alzada is as unique as its name. EKALAKA – Named for the Sioux bride of local scout and frontiersman David Harrison Russell, this town is more than a phonetic challenge. Stop at the Carter County Museum for a glimpse of the past, including an exhibit legacy of Tooke rodeo bucking horses and a tribute to Southeast Montana’s military veterans along with their ranching roots. By the way, this town is pronounced: Eek-ah-lack-ah. How’s that for a conversation-starter? MEDICINE ROCKS STATE PARK – Mystery is part of the allure at this eastern-most state park of “big medicine.” The sandstone spires of wind-worn, haunting hoodoos tell stories of the prairies with pictographs and petroglyphs plus more “modern” communication. Western aficionado Teddy Roosevelt called it, “as fantastically beautiful a place as I have ever seen,” and we all agree that Teddy was spot-on. BAKER – With roots etched in ranching, this prairie town now thrives on a combination of agriculture and energy industries. Feast your eyes on the world’s largest steer at the O’Fallon Historical Museum or pick up some sandwiches and picnic at the town’s man-made lake. Be sure to ask a local about the lake’s story—there’s no Loch Ness monster, but you will be entertained. 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

ITINERARIES

BATTLEFIELD LOOP Southeast Montana was no stranger to conflicts between warrior tribes and U.S. Cavalry. Drive this loop, which includes U.S. Highway 212, also known as the Warrior Trail, to follow in the footsteps of these warring nations and learn how broken treaties, competing goals and human nature led to all-out war on the Montana prairie.

CROW AGENCY – Grab a bite with locals at the Custer Battlefield Trading Post and Café—try a bison burger or Indian taco, made on traditional fry bread. Be sure to browse the wide selection of gifts and artisans work here or at Medicine Turtle and River Crow Trading Posts for handcrafted souvenirs.

If you are a true history buff, follow the Trail to the Little Bighorn, a series of 19 roadside markers telling the story of events leading up to and immediately following the Battle of Little Bighorn. You will follow dirt roads and traverse the same rolling prairies that the 7th Cavalry did more than 100 years ago. Download the map at southeastmontana.com/maps.

LITTLE BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD NATIONAL MONUMENT - In the heart of Crow Country at Crow Agency is the site that marked the climax of the Indian Wars. See where Lt. Col. Custer attacked a superior force of Sioux and Cheyenne and saw more than 200 of his men killed. Battlefield tours from the National Park Service or a personal guide tell the full story of this world-famous battle.

BILLINGS – A great place to begin your journey, the Western Heritage Center and the Yellowstone County Museum will help get you oriented and paint the picture of how conflicts with the Plains Indians began.

GARRYOWEN – Don’t miss the Custer Battlefield Museum, which boasts more than 100 historical photographs, firearms, Indian artifacts, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a large Custer collection.

POMPEYS PILLAR – This sandstone pillar, known by tribes as “the place where the mountain lion lies,” served as a meeting place for centuries. William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition carved his name in the stone, right next to Indian petroglyphs carved there much earlier. See the site where Lt. Col. George A. Custer camped while leading a gold-hunting expedition years later.

HARDIN – Learn about the rise and fall of Fort Custer at the Big Horn County Museum. With extensive exhibits, including many original buildings, learn about the tireless efforts of Europeans and American Indians alike who worked to homestead the wild prairie and build a life for themselves in the wake of the Indian Wars.

MILES CITY – The saga continues with the establishment of Fort Keogh. Learn about the fort and its role in the Indian Wars at the Range Riders Museum in Miles City. ASHLAND – Get the American Indian perspective at the St. Labre Cheyenne Museum in Ashland. Learn about the culture of the Crow and Cheyenne tribes and how they continue to honor the traditions of their ancestors today.

CHIEF PLENTY COUPS STATE PARK – Finish your journey with a stop at this farmstead that Chief Plenty Coups, the last traditional Crow chief and visionary, left as a place for all cultures to come together in peace. First a warrior then a farmer, Chief Plenty Coups lead the transition of the Apsáalooke people from the “buffalo days” into the 20th century.

Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum, Andy Austin

DINOSAURS AND DIGS The eastern Montana badlands are one of the best places in the world to find dinosaur fossils and study related geology. If you are following the Montana Dinosaur Trail, be sure to pick up your passport stamps at the indicated facilities. This route will take you through the heart of dino country in Southeast Montana and bring out your inner rock-hound. Start your journey in either Miles City or Glendive. GLENDIVE – The Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum, which gives an alternative, creationist approach, and Frontier Gateway Museum are both must-see spots for dinosaur enthusiasts. Once you’ve learned about our local dinosaurs, check out Makoshika State Park and see if you can spot a few yourself, or sign up for a fossil dig on private property. Both Frontier Gateway and Makoshika are stops along the Montana Dinosaur Trail, so be sure to have your passport stamped.

EKALAKA – Home of Carter County Museum, Montana’s first county museum and another stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail. The dinosaur exhibits, including collections dating back to the 1930s, cover 90 million years of history. Scientists from across the globe trek to Ekalaka to study the Cretaceous extinction event and subsequent “recovery period” that are well-preserved from a thin layer of ash—it is that popular. Visit during the annual Dino ShinDig the last weekend in July to learn the dirt on dinos from international experts. BROADUS – The Powder River Historical Museum includes Mac’s Museum, one man’s lifetime collection of more than 22,000 fossils, rocks and arrowheads from the local area and across the world. You will find military artifacts unearthed from the Reynold’s Battlefield, a forerunner of the Battle of Little Bighorn.

BAKER – Pop into the O’Fallon Historical Museum for an up-close-and-personal look at locally found fossils, including triceratops and hadrosaurs. After your excursion, stop at a local brewery and advance your geological education while wetting your whistle. For something different, try beer-yoga on Sundays.

MILES CITY – Take some time to visit Montana’s best-preserved saloon on Miles City’s Main Street and imagine you’re drinking your whiskey alongside rich cattle barons (or ruthless cattle rustlers). Spend time hunting agates along the Yellowstone River, exploring the seasonally-available Pirogue Island State Park or hike the aptly-name Strawberry Hill Recreation Area just east of town.

MEDICINE ROCKS STATE PARK – Halfway between Baker and Ekalaka is a state park like no other. Stroll among the strange and fascinating sandstone pillars sprouting a hundred feet above the rolling prairies. Listen closely, and you will hear their stories created more than 60 million years ago as an ancient river laid down the rocks that became the Fort Union formation. Some primate precursors have been found at the Medicine Rocks area.

TERRY – Situated on the edge of the Terry Badlands, this small community is another agate paradise. Or, step up your adventure by driving, biking or hiking the Calypso Trail.* Don’t miss Chimney Rock, the natural bridges or the plethora of hoodoos. For a more sedate look at this distinguished area, learn about worldrenowned prairie photographer Evelyn Cameron at the Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery or the Evelyn Cameron Heritage center.

* This is a minimum maintenance road that requires high-clearance, all-terrain vehicles and dry conditions. As a Wilderness Study Area, wheeled devices (including vehicles and bikes) are not allowed off the Calypso Trail road. Battle of the Little Bighorn Reenactment, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development 40

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Corvallis

Hamilton

City

Broadview

Butte

Sula

Wisdom

Jackson

Divide

Silver Star

Melrose

Twin Bridges

Whitehall Harrison Pony Norris Sheridan

Polaris

Salmon

Alder

Dillon

Bannack

Bozeman 10

Big Sky

Cameron

Grant

Greycliff Reed Point

Fishtail Roscoe

Gardiner

Silver Cooke Gate City

Roberts

Red Lodge

West Yellowstone

IDAHO

Island Park

Spencer

Norris

Old Faithful

Bridger

Lame Crow Agency Deer

Ashland

Olive

Busby

Broadus 323

Birney Otter

Wyola

Belfry

Biddle

Alzada

Decker

Tower Junction Canyon

WYOMING Sheridan

Lovell

Spearfish DEVIL’S TOWER

14 14

Greybull

Worland

Ashton

120

Rexburg

Idaho Falls

Newcastle

Moran

Arco

Wright

26 26

MT RUSHMORE

Jackson

Rapid City Wall

Upton

SOUTH DAKOTA

Sturgis Lead 385

16 16

Deadwood

Sundance

Gillette

Buffalo

Grant Village

• Campgrounds fill up early! Book in advance. • Purchase a National Park Pass. • Cell service can be spotty, so plan ahead.

Belle Fourche

112

Cody 20

TRAVEL TIPS 85

Madison Junction Lake West Thumb

Volborg

Hardin

Garryowen Saint Xavier Lodge Grass

Fort Smith

SPONSORED

THE BASECAMP TO THE BEARTOOTHS The alpine resort town of Red Lodge is nestled snuggly in the Beartooth Mountains where 12,000-foot peaks are a dime a dozen. This idyllic mountain community that’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Billings (it’s only about an hour south) is more than a gateway to Yellowstone National Park—the most scenic route to the park, in fact—it’s a year-round world-class recreation destination and a ridiculously fun place to spend your hard-earned vacation days. From downtown discovery, to downhill and Nordic skiing, to skijoring, hiking, biking and flyfishing, Red Lodge is the Montana you have in mind. Snow lovers make their way to Red Lodge Mountain ski resort for big adventures without big prices or crowds. This down-to-earth ski hill boasts a well-developed terrain park for all ages and ability levels, with plenty of room to push the limits on advanced and expert trails. Off the slopes, the trails and the water, Red Lodge offers unique and boutique shops and galleries and the Carbon County Museum, plus restaurants, arts and culture, a farmers market and a vibrant nightlife. Historic downtown Red Lodge couldn’t be quainter if it tried. It’s the kind of place you’ll find fine wines and fancy cheeses

Red Lodge, Montana, Merv Coleman

alongside genuine Montana burgers and beer. The local brewery uses glacial water and Montana grown and malted barley, satisfying the most discerning of beer lovers. There’s even a cider mill here, too. You’ll find warm welcomes and excellent accommodations in Red Lodge, like luxury log cabins, guest ranches, resorts, cabins, and a beloved historic hotel right downtown. Red Lodge proudly marks the starting point for what’s been called the most beautiful drive in the country—the Beartooth Highway. This National Scenic Byways AllAmerican Road is downright sublime. It’s the highestelevation paved highway in the Northern Rockies, and between May and October is your chance to experience spellbinding switchbacks and dramatic jagged peaks piercing Montana’s fiercely blue, famously big sky. Pull over and explore alpine plateaus and lush forested valleys, fish pristine glacial lakes, and hike to rushing waterfalls. The Beartooth Highway takes you right into Yellowstone National Park—it’s a wonder why you’d take any other route. Learn more about Red Lodge at visityellowstonecountry.com/city/red-lodge.

View of Crazy Mountains from a county road near Big Timber, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

SMALL TOWNS + ADVENTURE OUTPOSTS Just as captivating as Montana’s wild landscapes are its charming small communities. Big Timber sits about an hour west of Billings, almost equidistant to Billings as Red Lodge. Where the prairies meet the mountains and the Boulder River meets the Yellowstone River, Big Timber is known for ranch vacations, rodeos and river floats, as well as breathtaking scenes from Robert Redford's adaptations of “A River Runs Through It” and “The Horse Whisperer.” Stroll the Big Timber farmers market late spring through early fall, explore Natural Bridge State Park and visit the Crazy Mountain Museum. Between Billings and Big Timber, anglers and backpackers will find plenty do in Columbus. This little spot on the map happens to be a full-service town with fine dining, lodging and shopping, and even a golf course. Visit nearby Cooney State Park and the Museum of the Beartooths. A popular stop between Columbus and Red Lodge, Absarokee offers Stillwater and Yellowstone river adventures, hiking in the nearby Absarokee-Beartooth Wilderness and guest ranch horseback riding getaways. Wind your way westward along the wild Stillwater River from Absarokee to Nye via the Absarokee Scenic Loop through grasslands and a narrow canyon stretch

with jagged Beartooth Mountain peaks. Nye sits on the Stillwater River, with easy access to the Custer Gallatin and Shoshone national forests. Hike the popular Stillwater River Trail to Sioux Charley Lake through a gorge and up a river canyon. This year-round hike is a rarity in the Beartooths. Bring your fly rod—the Stillwater fishing access sites are many and the rainbow, brown and cutthroat trout are as well. From Nye, follow Fishtail Creek right into the town of Fishtail. Fuel up at the historic Fishtail General Store where you’ll find everything from fishing gear to gifts to hand-dipped ice cream. Guest ranches, good food and creek fishing access at Rosebud Isle are all part of Fishtail’s charm, but one must-stop is the Tippet Rise Art Center featuring incredible large-scale art installations on an enormous working ranch. South of Fishtail just outside of Red Lodge, take the short and sweet Luther-Roscoe Scenic Drive. This 18-mile route between these two small towns offers unbelievable views of the rugged peaks, soft hills and wide-open grasslands that make Montana’s Yellowstone Country a necessary adventure. For more information on these communities, go to visityellowstonecountry.com/communities.

Start discovering now. Get your FREE Travel Packet by calling 1.800.736.5276 or going to VisitYellowstoneCountry.com.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Some of the biggest draws to Southeast Montana are the annual events. The Little Bighorn Battle Reenactments, Bucking Horse Sale and Crow Fair are known all over the world, and in this section we have listed some of this year’s highlights held in the region. While these events are some of our more famous, there are many more to enjoy year-round. There are so many, in fact, that we could never fit them all in this guidebook. To see a comprehensive list of the events held out here in Southeast Montana and to discover which best fit your trip through Montana, check out our events calendar at southeastmontana.com/events or visit Southeast Montana’s Events page on Facebook.

MAY BUCKING HORSE SALE, MILES CITY There are rodeos and then there are rodeos. The world-famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale is in a category by itself. In fact, many rodeos have their roots right here in Miles City, as the Bucking Horse Sale annually debuts some of the finest bucking stock seen across the continent. Held the third full weekend in May each year, the Bucking Horse Sale offers a special brand of rodeo action born right here in Southeast Montana. 406.234.2890, buckinghorsesale.com

JUNE BUZZARD DAY, GLENDIVE Each spring, Makoshika State Park, near Glendive, celebrates the return of the turkey vulture (also known as a buzzard in eastern Montana) with Buzzard Day. Buzzard Day has events for all age groups, including the famous toughest 10k in Montana, 5k and kids 1 mile fun run. The longstanding event also includes performances by American Indian drummers and dancers; archery and atlatl stations for participants to try out their skills; bird walk; paleo-hike; bouncy houses; food vendors; and games for all ages. 406.377.6256, stateparks.mt.gov/makoshika

LITTLE BIGHORN DAYS, HARDIN On the third weekend in June, Hardin commemorates the epic battle between the Plains Indians and the 7th Cavalry with Little Bighorn Days—three days of festivities that echo the sights and sounds of the past. The Jailhouse Gallery and Historic Train Depot host art exhibits, downtown events include a parade, street dance and rodeo while the Big Horn County Historical Museum’s Living History exhibits including a 1870s Infantry encampment, blacksmithing and interpretive talks. 406.665.1672, southeastmontana.com/community/hardin BATTLE OF LITTLE BIGHORN REENACTMENT, CROW AGENCY Each year in June, near the Little Bighorn River, the famous battle where Lt. Col. Custer and his 7th Cavalry engaged thousands of American Indian warriors occurs again. The Battle of Little Bighorn is reenacted by professional Cavalry reenactors and members of the American Indian tribes that played a part in the battle. The reenactment takes place on the Crow Reservation, upon the land where the actual historic battle was fought. Learn about the events that led up to the infamous conflict and watch how the battle played out. littlebighornreenactment.com DON'T MISS THE BUCKING HORSE SALE HELD ANNUALLY SINCE 1950. Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

CROW NATIVE DAYS At Crow Native Days, visitors can enjoy a powwow, a Native parade complete with reenactors, and much more. The headline event for Crow Native Days each year is the Ultimate Warrior Competition. This Crow version of a triathlon pits participants against each other in a grueling endurance race on foot, by canoe, and in a bareback horse relay. You won’t want to miss this exciting event. For more information, visit crow-nsn.gov

JULY ROUNDUP INDEPENDENCE DAYS EXTRAVAGANZA (RIDE), ROUNDUP Come celebrate our country’s birth through the lens of an authentic western town. RIDE includes three days of 4th of July festivities featuring community parades, special events for kids, two evenings of live music and a youth rodeo. There will also be a carnival and community rodeo in town to add to the celebration. 406.323.4163, roundupindependencedays.com ANNUAL DINO SHINDIG, EKALAKA The Carter County Museum celebrates dinosaurs with lectures by world-famous paleontologists, kids activities, educational booths, demonstrations and a BBQ lunch. The town of Ekalaka joins the fun with an evening street dance, plus Montana Fish & Wildlife hosts a bat walk. Festivities continue with a paleontologist-led fossil expedition, lectures and performances at nearby Medicine Rocks State Park. Prices vary and reservations for the fossil expedition are limited. 406.775.6886, cartercountymuseum.org

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AUGUST CROW FAIR AND RODEO, CROW AGENCY The Annual Crow Fair Celebration is one of the largest gatherings of the year for the Apsáalooke Nation and is considered the largest modern-day American Indian encampment in the nation. Crow Agency is deemed the “Teepee Capital of the World” because of the approximately 1,200 to 1,500 teepees in the encampment during the Crow Fair celebration. The event includes a powwow each night at the center of the encampment as well as horse racing and Indianrelay horse races. 406.638.3808, crazycrow.com/site/event/crow-fair-celebration-powwow-and-rodeo/

OCTOBER NILE STOCK SHOW AND RODEO, BILLINGS The Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) Stock Show and Rodeo is held each year at MetraPark in Billings. The NRA-sanctioned rodeo is one of the first opportunities for professional cowboys to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. The Western Expo is also held in conjunction with the NILE and showcases cowboy collectibles, clothing, Western art and farm/ranch equipment. Livestock events include breeding cattle shows and sales, two horse sales, horse futurity shows, herding dog competition and the Northern Range Ranch Roping Finals. 406.256.2495, thenile.org Rosebud County Fair, Nathan Satran Photography

FARMERS MARKETS

COUNTY FAIRS

Using locally-sourced ingredients in food is nothing new to us out here in Southeast Montana. Farmers markets provide local farmers, ranchers and craftsmen the opportunity to sell their goods in the same communities in which they live and work. Many communities in Southeast Montana hold weekly farmers markets throughout the summer. For example, Hardin hosts two farmers markets in the downtown area on Thursdays and Fridays starting the first week in August through the first two weeks in September featuring locally grown food and many talented local artists. southeastmontana.com/things-to-do

There is no better showcase for everything that is great about rural communities than a county fair, and there is no shortage of county fairs out here in Southeast Montana. These fairs typically feature prize livestock, dancing, arts and crafts, and rodeos. The Montana Fair in Billings is the largest in Montana and brings in bigname musicians, carnival rides, PRCA rodeo and more. County fairs are typically held in July or August.

ONGOING For more information about county fairs and farmers markets in Southeast Montana, check out our online events calendar. 1.800.346.1876, southeastmontana.com/events

Crow Fair, Visit Southeast Montana 48

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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS

DIRECTORY OF TOWNS Now that you have read about all there is to see and do out here in Southeast Montana, it’s time to drill down and really figure out where you want to go. This section gives a brief description of each community in Southeast Montana. Big or small, every town has something to offer—just take the time to stop and look. Consider this your guidebook for the practicalities in Southeast Montana. Communities are listed here alphabetically. As always, there’s more information at southeastmontana.com.

Downtown Billings. Nathan Satran Photography

ACTON

BAKER

BILLINGS

BUSBY

Acton is 16 miles northwest of Billings. Its population numbers less than 100 people, but this is cattle country, and the little town and post office serve many people in outlying ranches. Acton began as a station on the Great Northern Railroad. Hang out with the locals at 3 North Bar & Grill. southeastmontana.com/community/acton

Baker first boomed when the Milwaukee Railroad came across Montana in the 1900s. It received its name from A.G. Baker, the construction engineer for the main railroad line. Today, the town is experiencing an energy boom, and the many shops and restaurants buzz with activity. Medicine Rocks State Park lies 25 miles south of Baker and offers unique camping and hiking opportunities. Baker offers a variety of year-round activities, including fishing, boating and water-skiing at Baker Lake; hunting for deer, antelope, pheasant and wild turkeys; and snowmobiling and cross-country skiing.

Billings is “Montana’s Trailhead” and largest city. Many visitors to Southeast Montana enter the state via Billings Logan International Airport, and Billings makes a perfect basecamp for your excursions into Southeast Montana. If you want to experience big-city dining, lodging and shopping, all with the small-town friendliness you’d expect in a visit to Montana, Billings is your place. It’s also home to the state’s only Walkable Brewery District. visitbillings.com

Busby, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, is named for Sheridan Busby, a homesteader who came to the area in 1895 and established the first post office here in 1904. Trader W.P. Moncure erected the Two Moon Monument at Busby in 1936. In 1993, the remains of 10 men, five women and two children who died about 116 years earlier during the Indian Wars were buried in a circle near the Two Moon Monument on U.S. Highway 212 after they were retrieved from various museums across the country. southeastmontana.com/community/busby

Events in Fallon County include a Classic Car Show, Fallon County Fair, Fall Festival, Bump and Run Races and Motocross Races, just to name a few. Baker also boasts the Fallon County Museum and Prairie Rose Antique Car Museum. bakermt.com

Broadus lies along the scenic and historic Warrior Trail near the junction of the Powder and Little Powder rivers. It was named for the Broaddus family, settlers on the Powder River. Broadus is known today for its cattle, oil and outstanding school system. It’s also a great place for history buffs. The Reynolds Battlefield is just a short drive from town. Visitors can also stop by the Powder River Historical Museum and Mac’s Museum to admire the general store, the original county jail and more. The Powder River Taxidermy and Tannery Museum features wildlife mounts, antique guns and local art. prchamberofcomm.com

ALZADA Alzada began as little more than a saloon in 1877. It was located strategically along cattle trails and serviced the thirsty cowboys looking for a break from their long, hard days on the prairie. Mr. M. Stone, who also owned a store and was the town’s first postmaster, built the local saloon. Today Alzada is much as it was then, a great place to stop for gas, a snack or a drink. southeastmontana.com/community/alzada

ASHLAND Ashland is on the Tongue River at the mouth of Otter Creek. The post office was established under this name in 1886. Ashland is division headquarters for the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and it is possible that the name comes from the abundance of ash trees. The town is a trade center for a group of cattle ranchers and for American Indians from the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. The St. Labre Mission and Cheyenne Indian Museum, the St. Labre Indian School and the Ashland Labor Day Powwow are of special interest in the Ashland area. southeastmontana.com/community/ashland 50

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BALLANTINE Ballantine was founded in 1907 in conjunction with the Huntley Irrigation Project just east of Billings. As the Irrigation Project thrived and the sagebrush prairie began to give way to various crops, the area’s population slowly grew. A post office was opened in Ballantine to serve the growing number of homesteaders in the area. huntleyproject.net

BROADUS

BROADVIEW

COLSTRIP Colstrip was founded in 1924 when the Northern Pacific Railroad started mining coal nearby to fuel its steam locomotives. Once the railroads switched from coal to diesel fuel, however, the mine closed, and Colstrip was left nearly abandoned. When the Montana Power Company purchased the mine as well as the town site of Colstrip, they reopened it and just a few years later construction on the Colstrip Power Plant began. Today, Colstrip is a quiet, closely knit community with more than 2,000 citizens and 22 parks. On the edge of town is the picturesque Castle Rock Lake, which is surrounded by bike paths and picnic areas. cityofcolstrip.com

Broadview was established around 1908 when the Great Northern Railway’s Billings and Northern branch line was built. Broadview was incorporated in 1917. In 1934, almost half the town burned in a devastating fire. southeastmontana.com/community/broadview 1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

DIRECTORY OF TOWNS

CROW AGENCY

FALLON

GLENDIVE

HUNTLEY

Crow Agency is the headquarters of the Crow Indian Tribe and is close to the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. Crow Agency becomes the “Teepee Capital of the World” in mid-August during the Crow Fair celebration, when American Indians from across the country come to participate in the festivities. Little Big Horn College, located in the center of Crow Agency, is a great example of modern American Indian architecture. The newly finished Health and Wellness Center incorporated state-of-the-art green technology in its construction. The town also features Veterans Memorial Park. crow-nsn.gov

Fallon is between Miles City and Glendive. It was a station on the Northern Pacific Railway and is one of the oldest towns along the Yellowstone River. The town was named for Benjamin O’Fallon, an Army officer and nephew of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Fallon is now in the middle of rich grain fields near the junction of the Yellowstone River and O’Fallon Creek. southeastmontana.com/community/fallon

Glendive is tucked between the badlands and the Yellowstone River on I-94 and is a major hub for energy and agricultural activities in eastern Montana. Museums in Glendive include the Makoshika Dinosaur Museum, Glendive Dinosaur Museum, and Frontier Gateway Museum, which together house an incredible collection of paleontological artifacts and pieces of regional history. Makoshika State Park is also near Glendive. A self-guided walking tour of Glendive’s downtown historic district leads past many buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the historic Bell Street Bridge. Guide brochures are available at the Glendive Chamber of Commerce. glendivechamber.com

Huntley was named for S.S. Huntley, a pioneer stockman. The area was part of the Crow Indian Reservation from 1874 to 1904, when the government purchased the 35,000 acres, stretching across 27 miles from Huntley east to the Little Bull Mountains. The name Huntley is short for Huntley Irrigation Project, which was the second U.S. Bureau of Reclamation irrigation project. Huntley Project is a valley of lush crops and is actually made up of four small communities: Huntley, Worden, Ballantine and Pompeys Pillar. The Huntley Project Museum of Irrigated Agriculture is located on the site of the early-day town called Osborn. The museum features a collection of more than 5,000 artifacts related to irrigated agriculture on the Montana prairie. huntleyproject.net

CUSTER Custer was named for Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer, who was killed in 1876 at the famous Battle of Little Bighorn. Custer was a freight station for traders bringing supplies to the Crow Indian Reservation. Custer is a friendly town along the Yellowstone River where visitors can enjoy agate hunting. Floating the river allows agate hunters to search the many sand and gravel bars along the shore as well as the gravel islands. Fishing is another popular pastime. Nearby, at the junction of the Bighorn and Yellowstone rivers, is the site of Fort Manuel Lisa, the first building in Montana built by white men. The Manuel Lisa fishing access is about 4.5 miles east of Custer. southeastmontana.com/community/custer

EKALAKA Ekalaka is named for Ijkalaka, the Oglala Sioux niece of Chief Red Cloud and the bride of David Russell, who opened a store and saloon here in 1885. Though small, the community has two motels, a campground with hookups, several restaurants, service station and two city parks. Camp Needmore, a refurbished CCC Camp, lies just outside Ekalaka in the wooded hills. The two large barracks with kitchen and camper hookups can be rented for just a few dollars a day. Medicine Rocks State Park is just 10 miles north of Ekalaka. Ekalaka is also home to the Carter County Museum, Montana’s first county museum. southeastmontana.com/community/ekalaka

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FORSYTH With the abundant growth of cottonwood in the area, steamers often stopped here to refuel their engines. Forsyth was established in 1880 and earned its post office in 1882 when the Northern Pacific Railway arrived. The opulent buildings located along Main Street reflect the wealth of Forsyth’s early years. It’s a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Be sure to see the Rosebud County Courthouse and the Rosebud County Museum, both located along Forsyth’s Main Street. forsythmt.com

FORT SMITH Fort C. F. Smith was established on August 12, 1866, to protect immigrants traveling on the Bozeman Trail from attacks by the Sioux Indians. The Bozeman Trail crossed the Bighorn River 400 yards from the fort. The nearby Bighorn Lake extends approximately 70 miles through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. There is a visitor center in Fort Smith. The Bighorn River below the Afterbay Dam and Campground is a world-class trout fishing area and numerous fishing outfitters are located in the area. southeastmontana.com/community/fort-smith

GARRYOWEN

HARDIN Hardin was named for Samuel H. Hardin, a cattleman who leased tracts of land on the Crow Reservation to range his cattle. The local industry includes farming and ranching, surface coal mining and recreational endeavors. Today, Hardin sits just outside the borders of the Crow Reservation and has several accommodations for visitors including motels, campgrounds, restaurants and shops. Area attractions include the Big Horn County Museum, Little Bighorn Battlefield and Custer National Cemetery as well as the Yellowtail Dam, Bighorn River and Tongue River Reservoir for fishing and water recreation. Each June, Hardin celebrates Little Bighorn Days with a rodeo, parade, street dance, arts and crafts fair, plus other events, such as Custer's Last Race and pancake breakfast. Hardin is also home to two farmers markets in the downtown area, featuring locally-grown food and talented local artists. hardinmtchamber.com

HYSHAM Hysham, the county seat of Treasure County, is an agricultural community consisting of farms and cattle ranches. In 1906, the Crow Nation Reservation boundaries were redrawn, and the area was opened to settlement. Hysham was created as a result of ranching supplies being delivered by the railroad and was incorporated in 1916. The Treasure County ’89ers Museum preserves local history with displays and exhibits. Located across the street from the museum is the 1931 Yucca Theatre, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Local sculptor Bob Schulze created statues of William Clark, Sacagawea with Pomp, and various animals that can be found at the Yucca and other town locations. hysham.org

Tongue River, Alexis Bonogofsky

Garryowen was named by Buffalo Bill Cody in 1896 for the Burlington-Quincy Railroad. Garryowen was the name of the marching song of the old 7th Cavalry. Myles Keogh, one of Custer’s officers, brought the tune and the words from Ireland. The Custer Battlefield Museum is located here on the former site of Sitting Bull’s camp, where some of the first shots of the Battle of Little Bighorn were fired. The museum includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and is where the burying the hatchet ceremony took place. custermuseum.org

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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS

Terry Badlands, Nathan Satran Photography

Waterworks Art Museum, Miles City, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

INGOMAR

LAME DEER

In the early days, Ingomar and Sumatra were the chief trading towns for the homesteaders in western Garfield County. Ingomar has several of its original historic buildings still intact. The original frame school building, the Jersey Lilly Bar and Café—internationally known for its beans and steaks—and the Bookman Store were all placed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. The Historic Jersey Lilly Campground provides a meeting place for locals and visitors with good food and a place to hang your hat, hitch your RV or pitch your tent, and catch a night’s rest. southeastmontana.com/community/ingomar

Lame Deer is between Broadus and Hardin on Deer Creek and is the tribal and government agency headquarters of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. It was named for Lame Deer, an Indian chief. Dull Knife and the Northern Cheyenne returned to Lame Deer following their long march home after being held in Oklahoma. Attractions here include the Chief Dull Knife Cultural Center, the Jesse Mullin Picture Museum, the Arts and Crafts Center and the Charging Horse Casino. Lame Deer also hosts the 4th of July Powwow. cheyennenation.com

ISMAY Ismay began as a Milwaukee station on O’Fallon Creek. It was on the old stage line that ran from Fort Lincoln at Bismarck to Fort Keogh, which is now Miles City. In May 1993, a radio station in Kansas City, Missouri, contacted the town of Ismay with a special request, asking whether the town would consider changing its name to Joe, Montana, for the duration of the football season. The radio station promoter felt that this was a great way to honor NFL quarterback Joe Montana, who had recently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Ismay, population 22, agreed. In celebration, the town organized a ranch rodeo, a parade and a night show for July 3. The events drew more than 2,000 spectators. southeastmontana.com/community/ismay 54

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LAUREL North of Laurel is where the battle between the Nez Perce Indians, led by Chief Joseph, and the U.S. Cavalry, led by Col. Samuel Sturgis, took place. The Chief Joseph Monument on the outskirts of Laurel rests where the famous Nez Perce passed while leading his people toward Canada in 1877. Of local historical significance is Riverside Park, located south of the Yellowstone River bridge, which was the site of a prisoner of war camp during World War II. The prisoners built the structures located in the park. laurelmontana.org

LAVINA

MELSTONE

Working for T.C. Power & Bro., Walter Burke selected Lavina as a stagecoach stop in 1882. It lies at the crossing of the Musselshell River, between Fort Benton and Billings. Audaciously, Burke named the station after a former girlfriend rather than his wife. In 1903, it took 12 hours to travel by stagecoach from Billings, so Lavina was an important stop on the stage line. The town did not experience significant growth until the arrival of the Milwaukee Railroad in 1907. The Musselshell River is noted for its catfish and trout. Hunting and fishing licenses can be purchased at the Lavina Bar. Stop and fish in some of the lakes and streams or hunt the wildlife in the area. co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/lavina.html

Melstone began as a Milwaukee Railroad station and was named for Melvin Stone, an Associated Press reporter who was aboard the train with the railroad’s president, his daughter and a friend, all of whom were naming towns along the line. Dryland farmers followed the railroad, but the surrounding acres proved too dry, and now they are dotted with producing oil wells. southeastmontana.com/community/melstone

LODGE GRASS Lodge Grass, which is on the Little Bighorn River and the Crow Indian Reservation, is the trading center for ranchers whose herds graze the rich, grass-covered uplands where buffalo used to range. In the early days, the Crow made their summer hunting camps here. The town was named for Lodge Grass Creek, which empties nearby into the Little Bighorn River. The Indians called the stream “Greasy Grass” because the grass was so nourishing that it made their animals fat. The words for “grease” and “lodge” are so similar in the Crow language that an interpreter mistakenly translated the phrase as “Lodge Grass.” southeastmontana.com/community/lodge-grass

MILES CITY Miles City was, and sometimes still is, the real frontier. It was at the epicenter of Wild West history and has been immortalized by authors and historic characters alike. The city grew up around Fort Keogh, named after a soldier who fell at the Battle of Little Bighorn. The fort’s commanding officer was Col. Nelson A. Miles, for whom Miles City was named. As the cattle industry became more important, it was fitting that the Montana Stockgrowers Association was formed here in 1884. After the coming of the railroad, Miles City became, and still is, a leading cattle market. The town’s main attractions are the Range Riders Museum, the WaterWorks Art Museum and the annual Bucking Horse Sale event. milescitychamber.com

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DIRECTORY OF TOWNS

POMPEYS PILLAR Pompeys Pillar is on the banks of the Yellowstone River. The town is named for the nearby sandstone pillar, which is today Pompeys Pillar National Monument. After visiting the national monument, be sure to stop by the town for lunch or to find some shade and air conditioning after your climb to the top of the pillar. huntleyproject.net

DIRECTORY OF TOWNS

Mountains, south of Roundup, offer beautiful roadside geology and pine trees. Elk have been known to travel through these mountains en route to or from the Little Snowy Mountains to the west. The Musselshell River, noted for its fine trout and catfish, also offers plentiful spots for relaxing picnics along its lazy banks. roundupchamber.org

ROSEBUD PRYOR Pryor, south of Billings, takes its name from the creek and the mountains, which were named by Lewis and Clark for Sgt. Nathaniel Pryor, a member of the expedition. Pryor is on the Crow Indian Reservation and is the site of the Chief Plenty Coups State Park. Plenty Coups, the last of the great Crow war chiefs, died in 1933 at the age of 84 and represented the Indian Nations at the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C. His short speech on war and peace is regarded as a masterpiece of oratory. southeastmontana.com/community/pryor

RICHEY Richey is between Sidney and Circle, and was named for the first postmaster, Clyde Richey. The station served as a terminus for the Great Northern Railroad when it arrived in 1916. The Shell Oil Company discovered oil nearby on July 13, 1951, in Williston Basin. By the end of that year, oil companies had leased more than 60 million Montana acres. As a lively, small and friendly town, Richey has a variety of businesses to serve visitors. It hosts the annual Richey Rodeo, which takes place on the third Sunday in July, as well as a vintage Car Run every year on the first Saturday in June. The Richey Historical Museum features more than 7,000 items, including a Model A mail car, blacksmith shop, pioneer kitchen, school and church memorabilia, newspaper files and period clothing. richeymt.com

ROUNDUP Roundup is located along the banks of the Musselshell River in an area surrounded by hills. It was so named because ranchers found the valley near the Musselshell River a natural place to “round up” their cattle every fall. One of the many attractions in the area is the Musselshell Valley Historical Museum, which houses a coal tunnel, complete with a wooden car, carbide lamps, lunch pails, maps and photos. The Bull 56

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Rosebud, a name inspired by the wild roses that grow profusely in Montana, is the name of the town, county and river. The region was originally explored and used by the fur traders. Rosebud Creek was popular with the beaver trappers. On July 28, 1806, William Clark and company passed this area. rosebudmontana.com

RYEGATE Ryegate is located between sandstone cliffs and the Musselshell River on Highway 12 and is the county seat for Golden Valley County. Ryegate is the location where the Nez Perce people, under the leadership of Chief Joseph, crossed the Musselshell River on September 17, 1877. They had left their Idaho homeland in a valiant but futile effort to reach Canada. Today, Ryegate is a farming and ranching community. This area is one of the most productive areas in central Montana for waterfowl. The Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge includes a large alkaline lake and surrounding habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds, pronghorns and prairie dogs. co.golden-valley.mt.us/html/ryegate.html

ST. XAVIER St. Xavier is on the Crow Indian Reservation along the Bighorn River. In 1887, Fr. Prando, a Jesuit missionary, and two companions founded a mission here and named it St. Xavier. The church is still in use. The mission’s school, affiliated with the St. Labre Mission School, also continues to operate, but is now called the Pretty Eagle School, after a famous Crow chief. The St. Xavier area is a patchwork of fields of malting barley, alfalfa and sugar beets that are irrigated by the Bighorn River. southeastmontana.com/community/st-xavier

TERRY

WORDEN

The town of Terry is named for Gen. Alfred H. Terry, who commanded an 1876 expedition in connection with Custer’s campaign against the Plains Indians. The town’s main attraction is the Prairie County Museum and Evelyn Cameron Gallery. The museum displays early settler artifacts, and the gallery showcases the incredible photographs taken by Evelyn Cameron in the late 1800s. Terry also sits on the edge of the Terry Badlands. The Calypso Trail, an old bootlegging road, allows high-clearance, all-wheel drive vehicles to explore this beautiful area. The town features many services, including the Kempton Hotel, known to be the haunt of friendly spirits and the oldest continuously operating hotel in Montana. There are also many restaurants and gift shops, including Prairie Unique, where Made in Montana gifts can be purchased. visitterrymontana.com

Worden was named for Sen. Joseph Dixon’s wife, whose maiden name was Worden, and possibly for her father as well, who was a prominent Montanan. The land surrounding Worden has been richly productive ever since the Huntley Irrigation Project brought water to it. Just east of Worden is Pompeys Pillar, a rock outcropping that rises 200 feet above the Yellowstone River. huntleyproject.net

VOLBORG Located between Broadus and Miles City, Volborg is more ranching community than town. Pumpkin Creek originally attracted stockmen to the area of vast, unfenced and unclaimed ranges on both sides. Today the post office and small store are where locals gather, including 2017 Professional Bull Rider Champion Jess Lockwood, who grew up in the area.

WIBAUX Wibaux owes its existence to the railroad’s 1880s arrival. During the days of open-range cattle ranching, it was one of the largest shipping points on the Northern Pacific Railway. During homesteading days, its population grew rapidly. The town is named for Pierre Wibaux, a flamboyant French cattleman who built an empire for himself in eastern Montana. Before it became Wibaux in 1895, it was called Mingusville, a raucous town where cowboys were known to make greenhorns dance to their bullets. Legend has it that even Teddy Roosevelt, who would eventually become president, was forced to defend himself when a drunk cowboy tried to bully him for wearing glasses. southeastmontana.com/community/wibaux

Ranching is a way of life Out Here, Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development

1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

LISTINGS

BUSINESS

CITY

ADDRESS

PHONE

WEBSITE

Billings Logan International Airport

Billings

1901 Terminal Circle

406.247.8609

flybillings.com

The Billings Airport serves a large geographical area covering all of eastern Montana and northern Wyoming, providing direct year-round commercial air service to multiple hubs and communities in eastern Montana.

Elk River Outfitters

Billings

406-860-3699

elkriveradventures.com

Experience Montana's spectacular scenery by horseback. Locations in Billings, Red Lodge and Glacier Park. These rides will give you a real flavor of Western adventure. Check out our website for more information about our adventures.

ZooMontana

Billings

2100 Shiloh Road

406.652.8100

zoomontana.org

Located in Billings, ZooMontana is Montana’s only true nonprofit zoological/botanical garden. The zoo features over 100 rescued animals of 56 species including grizzly bear, Amur tiger, red panda, takin and more. Open 10am daily.

Visit Billings

Billings

815 S. 27th St.

406.245.4111

visitbillings.com

Forge your own path to Montana’s trailhead. Born in the shadows of the Rimrocks, fed on the waters of the Yellowstone River, Billings is where your Montana adventures begin.

Visit Yellowstone Country

Bozeman

800.736.5276

visityellowstonecountry.com

The raw splendor of Yellowstone National Park doesn’t stop at the park boundary—it spills on for miles, encompassing an extraordinary part of Montana we call Yellowstone Country. Discover the Yellowstone you haven't seen yet.

Custer Battlefield Trading Post & Cafe

Crow Agency

347 US-212

406.638.2270

laststand.com

The Custer Battlefield Trading Post & Café is across from the Little Bighorn Battlefield. Enjoy our world-famous Indian taco or try a delicious buffalo burger or steak. Features American Indian jewelry, souvenirs, collectibles and art. Buses welcome!

Visit Glendive

Glendive

808 N. Merrill Ave.

406.377.5601

visitglendive.com

Glendive is the proud home of Makoshika State Park and the Gateway to the Montana Dino Trail.

Frontier Gateway Museum

Glendive

201 State St.

406.377.8168

frontiergatewaymuseum.org

Displays range from prehistoric times to the 20th century. Major displays include fossils, buffalo, American Indian, homesteaders, cattlemen, settlers, railroad, Civil War, and much more. A member of the MT Dinosaur Trail. Free Admission.

Jailhouse Gallery

Hardin

309 N. Center Ave.

406.665.3239

facebook.com/JailhouseGalleryHardinMT/

The JailHouse Gallery & KeyHole Gifts, is a local nonprofit organization. For more than 40 years, the Art center has featured Western and Native arts, jewelry, quilted items and more.

BuyMT.com

Miles City

819 Main St.

406.234.1915

buymt.com

BuyMT.com is your headquarters for Montana Made Food & Gifts! We offer 32 flavors of Wilcoxson's Ice Cream, a delicious lunch counter, a custom t-shirt shop and offer UPS, Fed Ex, and US Postal shipping services.

Econo Lodge Miles City

Miles City

1209 S. Haynes Ave.

406.232.8880

choicehotels.com/montana/ miles-city/econo-lodge-hotels/mt044

2018 Platinum Award Choice Hotel winner. All rooms were newly remodeled in 2018. Within walking distance of restaurants and area shopping. Modern amenities including TV, refrigerators, microwaves, and more. Free continental breakfast and free high-speed internet alongside an indoor pool. Pets allowed.

Girl Ran Away with the Spoon

Miles City

112 N. 7th St.

406.234.1525

girlranaway.com

Girl Ran Away With the Spoon is an artisan boutique and gallery in the heart of downtown Miles City.

La Casa Diamonds

Miles City

23 N. 8th St.

406.234.1224

milescityjewelry.com

Visit the oldest house in Miles City while you browse and shop at La Casa Diamonds. Diamonds, Yogo Montana sapphires, southwest jewelry, and much more! In-house goldsmith available.

MC Jewelry

Miles City

705 Main St.

406.234.4064

mcjewelry.com

MC Jewelry is a family team jewelry store with an on-hand goldsmith. We sell everything from colored stone and diamond jewelry to yogo sapphires and agates. Open 9-5 Monday thru Saturday.

Miles City Chamber

Miles City

511 Pleasant St.

406.234.2890

milescitychamber.com

Founded in 1876, at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Tongue Rivers, Miles City is rich in history. Discover why we are truly a Legendary Western Town!

Sleep Inn & Suites Miles City

Miles City

1006 S. Haynes Ave.

406.232.3000

choicehotels.com/montana/miles-city/ sleep-inn-hotels/mt081

We are centrally located in the heart of Easter Montana. The newest and friendliest hotel in Miles City. Dream Better Here.

Spoon Full

Miles City

115 N. 7th St.

406.234.3855

spoonfullcoffee.com

Spoon Full Inspired Espresso and Bakery Eats serves locally roasted coffee and freshly baked goods made in house. There is a drive-thru and ample seating.

Vintage and Rustics in Montana

Miles City

813 Main St.

406.234.7878

facebook.com/ vintageandRusticsinMontana

Over 120 vendors of antiques, Western, cottage, farmhouse, collectibles, ladies clothing boutique, custom leather. Remember When Café, bakery, and espresso serving breakfast, lunch, donuts, treats and drinks.

Red Lodge Visitors Center

Red Lodge

601 N. Broadway

406.446.1718

redlodge.com

Nestled in Montana’s magnificent Beartooth Mountains, Red Lodge delivers world-class outdoor recreation and access to Yellowstone Park via the Beartooth Highway. A historic downtown features locally owned shops, restaurants and entertainment. Make Red Lodge your Basecamp to the Beartooths.

Hog 'n Jog Café

Terry

Spring St.

406.635.4285

facebook.com/pages/category/Interest/ Hog-n-jog-cafe-990228817813457

We prepare our entrees from scratch using local Prairie County and Montana goods. We believe in the “Farm to Table” philosophy.

Prairie Unique

Terry

114 Logan Ave.

406.635.5598

prairieunique.com

Prairie Unique is scenically located along the Yellowstone River, Below the Terry Badlands & Calypso Trail-we stock hundreds of Montana products created from wood, berry, stone. Montana goods since 1995.

SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM | 1.800.346.1876

DESCRIPTION

1.800.346.1876 | SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM

ONLINE PLANNING RESOURCES Southeast Montana is a big area and there's a lot to explore. Here's a list of essentials to help get you settled. LODGING After a long day in the badlands, you need a rest. Find a place to lay your head here: southeastmontana.com/places-to-stay CAMPING AND RV The best way to see Southeast Montana's beauty is to be in it. Find campgrounds and RV parks here: southeastmontana.com/rv-parks or southeastmontana.com/camping

SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM This is your one-stop shop for everything Southeast Montana. Go here to find detailed information about the attractions and destinations listed in this guide, as well as information on events, new museum exhibits, contact information, and much more. SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM/BLOG Dig up more Southeast Montana adventures by following our blog. VISITMT.COM is an encyclopedic, user-friendly resource for trip ideas and general wanderlust. Here, you’ll find a wealth of varied information— motorcycle route ideas, a compilation of statewide powwows, information on the brewery trail, ghost town rundowns and just about anything else “Montana” you can think of.

SOUTHEASTMONTANA.COM | 1.800.346.1876

WINE AND DINE From buffalo burgers to Rocky Mountain oysters, Southeast Montana has you covered: southeastmontana.com/places-to-eat-drink THINGS TO DO Out here our biggest dilemma is deciding which adventure we want. We highlight our faves at southeastmontana.com, and for a larger array, see: southeastmontana.com/things-to-do BLOG Get the nitty-gritty by following our blog. Use it to create your own adventure. See: southeastmontana.com/blog

Prefer to talk to someone in person? We are happy to help. Just call 1.800.346.1876 to chat.