In the spring of 1863, a party of six prospectors took off from Bannack and headed to the Yellowstone Valley on a mission to find gold. Their trip was long and arduous and resulted in them being captured by the Crow Indians. As legend goes, and as you may hear on the Alder Gulch Shortline … Read more
Like so many Southwest Montana gems, Tizer Gardens and Arboretum is tucked away in the mountains, at the end of a gravel road. Tizer is located in Jefferson City, just off of I-15, about halfway between Helena and Boulder. The gardens and arboretum are a unique combination of botany and whimsy. With over 500 types … Read more
The Helena Walking Mall is a staple in the Helena community. Whether you are looking for live music, a simple stroll, window shopping or a bite to eat, you’ll find a little bit of everything. If you are looking for things to do on your trip through Helena, the Walking Mall won’t disappoint. The Creek … Read more
Like much of the country, Southwest Montana has been experiencing a bit of a heat wave over the last couple of weeks. Luckily for us, there is no shortage of ways to get out of the heat in the region. Whether you are looking for indoor activities (museums, carousels, art galleries, breweries, etc.) or maybe … Read more
This weekend we had the opportunity to take a road trip to the charming town of Philipsburg, Montana. Knowing that Philipsburg is a popular destination for travelers (from both in and out of state), we were curious what may have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and what visitors can expect when visiting Philipsburg at … Read more
Take a look at a map of Helena. It’s a small city surrounded by green. That green means public land, and public land means hiking. The mountains around Helena are absolutely full of extraordinary hiking opportunities. In fact, there’s something like 70+ miles of hiking options within walking distance of downtown. There are a whole … Read more
As Montana begins a phased re-opening following our stay-at-home directive, it finally feels like we can start having a conversation about what we are looking forward to as we move toward a new normal. Don’t get us wrong, we know we aren’t back to the way things were and we have a long way to … Read more
We are all together through the craziness and uncertainty brought by COVID-19. On one hand, what we want more than anything is to share the incredible treasures of Big Sky Country with all of you … on the other hand, the best thing each of us can do right now is to stay put. While … Read more
After last week’s post about birding in Southwest Montana, I’ve spent most of the week thinking about my own favorite birds. Like I said last week, nearly three hundred species of birds pass through Montana, and there’s no way I could begin to talk about them all. What follows is little more than the impressions … Read more
Butte’s annual Montana Folk Festival is one of the highlights of a Southwest Montana summer. This free, three-day, six-stage extravaganza features an eclectic mix of musical genres and vendors. Every July, more than 20 artists come from across the world (not to mention the Montana artists), 30 food vendors, and 50 arts and crafts stalls … Read more