I-90 and MONTANA

• Missoula
• Deer Lodge
• Butte
• Three Forks
• Bozeman
• Billings

Missoula

Visitors' Center - Just over the railroad track and around the corner from I-90 exit 105 is the Missoula Convention and Visitors' Bureau - always ready to fill you in with interesting stories, tips and directions about this fascinating area. Of course, Lewis and Clark are one of the main topics. Hells Gate is another. What is Hell's Gate. Ah, let them tell it. And make sure the kids can hear the story. You can phone the visitors' center (toll free) at 1-800-526-3465. Website: Missoula.
  Take exit 105, head south on Van Buren, cross the tracks and turn right on US-10. Go 1 block and turn left on Jackson. Another block and turn left again on Front. The Visitors' Center is almost mid-block on your right.

Missoula Carousel & Dragon Hollow - Give the kids a fun break. They can ride the carousel and/or head next door to Dragon Hollow Kids Park. Let them play for about an hour while you sit and watch (snacks available). Even a wooden bench can be welcome after a few hours behind the wheel. For more information, contact the visitors' center or phone 1-406-549-8382.

Smoke Jumpers Center - Watch videos showing how forest fires are tamed with smoke jumpers. This is where they're trained. After one visit many a boy - and girl - has declared, "I'm going to be a smoke jumper!". Located at 5765 West Broadway (at the airport). From I-90 take exit 99 and follow Airway Blvd to Broadway (I-90 Business); turn right and the Center is just 200 yards on the left. For more information, phone 1-406-329-4972. They have an on and off again web site (i.e., it doesn't always respond) at SmokeJumpers.

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Deer Lodge

Grant-Kohrs Ranch - Once a 10-million acre cattle empire, changing times and the shrinking of the cattle industry steadily reduced this icon of the Old West. Now a National Historic Site, the ranch still encompasses 1,500 acres and is very much a working ranch. One big difference: you can come and take a tour and see what a real ranch looks like, talk to the people who run it and attain a better understanding of this rugged lifestyle.
  The ranch is open daily - except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days. Turing the summer season (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend) hours are 8a to 5:30p. The rest of the year the hours are 9a to 4:30p. Admission is FREE.
  For more information phone the Visitors' Center at 1-406-846-2070 ext. 250 - or visit the NPS website at G-K Ranch.

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Butte

Butte is mining - past and present. Of course, there are other industries, too. For example, Butte is considered one of the country's busiest inland ports. Many of the goods originating in Asia and destined for the mid-west are shipped through Butte. But the story in Butte is, still, mining.

Arts Chateau - A replica of a French chateau built by copper baron and Senator w. A. Clark as a wedding present for his son, his 'gift' is now an art museum. Open 10a-5p, Tuesday through Saturday (noon-5p Sundays) during the summer months.
  From I-15/90 take exit 126 and drive north on Montana Avenue. Broadway is the next street following Park Street. Turn left and it is a little more than a block west on Broadway on your right at 321 W. Broadway. For more information, phone 1-406-723-7600 or visit their website at ArtsChateau.

Copper King Mansion - While we're on the subject of Senator Clark, he also had a mansion - a 32 room monster (at least for out West at the time). Now a national historic landmark, you can visit it 9a-4p daily during the summer months.
  From his son's Chateau, turn around and go back to Montana Street. Turn left, go 1 block and it is around the corner to your left at 219 West Granite Street.
  They invite you to visit their web site at: CopperKingMansion.

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Three Forks

Lewis & Clark Caverns - Actually between White Hall and Three forks, the Lewis and Clark Caverns are protected by Montana's first state park. Be prepared to walk about two miles with your guided tour in the caverns. If you're still up to walking after you finish the tour, they have some nice hiking trails on the surface, also. There are picnic areas, improved camp grounds (with RV dump). There also three rental cabins in the park but reservations have to be in early.
  If eastbound on I-90, take exit 256 at White Hall and follow MT-2 eastbound to the park entrance (about 11 miles).
  If westbound on I-90 take exit 274 at Three Forks and follow MT-2 westbound to the park entrance (about 13 miles).
  For more information, phone 1-406-287-3541 or visit the official web site: L&C Caverns.

Missouri Headwaters State Park - In 1805, Lewis and Clark arrived here and found one of the things they were looking for: the headwaters of the Missouri River - the world's longest river system. Four miles from I-90 exit 278 is the Missouri Headwaters State Park, a small, undeveloped park created to mark this famous spot in American history.
  The park has a few picnic areas, a primitive camping area and some easy trails. It also has lots of mosquitoes!
  From I-90 take exit 278 and follow MT 505 (on the north side of the Interstate) east along the Interstate to its junction with MT-286. Turn left and follow 286 right to the park. The park offices are in Bozeman: 1-406-994-4042. The state maintains a web site at MHSP.

Madison Buffalo Jump State Park - This is considered rather gory by some but the spot has been considered worthy of a state park. Here, historians tell us, Native Americans panicked buffalo and encouraged them to run off a high cliff overlooking the Madison River. Then the natives collected the bodies which were used for about everything from food, to clothing, to shelter.
 From I-90 take exit 283 and drive south about 7 miles on the graveled Buffalo Jump Road.
  The offices for this park are in Bozeman: 1-406-994-4042. The states web site for the park is at MBJP.

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Bozeman

Gateway to Yosemite - Bozeman, historically, is a gateway. Bozeman is located in a very fertile valley surrounded by mountains and mountain passes through which humans have journeyed since before recorded history. This is a major access point to the western entrance (via US-191) of Yosemite National Park (just to the south in Wyoming). A few miles east (via US-89) is access to the northern entrance to the Yosemite National Park.

Museum of the Rockies - Bozeman is a university town. Site of the largest campus in the state university system, its Montana State University campus also invites non-students and, yes, non-residents, to utilize many of its many resources.
  The Museum of the Rockies at MSU has an excellent display of dinosaur bones. What seemed to intrigue our young companions much more was the huge display of Native American things including some in depth displays showing how they lived, their social life and tribal interrelationships.
  The Museum also has an excellent - and very modern - planetarium. They have added computerized graphics to the conventional projector and all of us thoroughly enjoyed it.
  The Museum is located opposite the stadium at South 7th Avenue and East Kagy Boulevard in the south end of Bozemen.
  From I-90 take exit 306 and drive south on 7th Avenue. When you get to Main Street, turn right (7th is not a through street south of here). Follow Main westbound to 11th Avenue, turn left and follow 11th to its end at Kagy Boulevard. Turn left and follow Kagy back to 7th Avenue and the museum. (You'll see the stadium before you see the Museum.)
  Note: if you are on your way to Yellowstone National Park, just turn around and go back out Kagy to 11th Avenue. Turn right on 11th and follow it to W. College Street. Turn left and drive westbound on College to US-191 (which takes you to Yellowstone National Park.
  For more information, phone 1-406-994-3466 or visit them on the web at MRMSU.

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Beartooth Scenic Highway - access to Yosemite National Park is also via I-90 exit 434 and US-212, the Beartooth Scenic Highway.

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Billings

Pictograph Cave State Monument - Cave pictographs applied by Native Americans some 2,200 years ago can be viewed in this fairly well preserved 4,500 year old cave.
  From I-90 take exit 452. To the southeast of the exit a county road branches off to the right. Follow this road about 6 miles to the entrance of the park. Just watch for the signs. For more information, phone 1-406-247-2940. The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks now has a web site which is very informative; View it at PictographCave.

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