Montana Motorcycle Tour #1: Ennis Loop
Southwest Montana Motorcycle Itinerary
This loop is the perfect addition to a trip through Yellowstone National Park but won’t disappoint as a stand-alone day trip either! As you wind through Montana’s wide-open spaces, you’ll find opportunity for blue-ribbon fishing, historical sites where the Old West lives on, lively communities, and stunning natural features. This itinerary will keep you off the interstate and on some of Montana’s favorite backroads. You’ll find yourself passing through some of our smaller communities, each with a unique charm and welcoming atmosphere. Here’s your chance to Dig Deeper in Southwest Montana.
Ennis Day Trip
- Norris Hot Springs
- Virginia City
- Lewis & Clark Caverns
If you didn’t grab breakfast in Ennis (Yesterday’s, Maples, On the Fly, etc.) Wheat Montana is not a far jaunt off this itinerary and features a wide variety of baked goods – true Made in Montana products. As you take off for the day, you will have the chance to stop at one of the most decorated limestone caverns in the Western United States: Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park. Along this scenic ride, you’ll find two craft breweries (Ruby Valley Brew and Burnt Tree) in addition to Willie’s Distillery, perfect watering holes to quench your thirst. Virginia and Nevada Cities pay tribute to the mining history of our region, featuring living history, live theater, tours, dining and more! As you head back toward Ennis, consider ending your Southwest Montana adventure with a relaxing natural hot springs soak!
The Water of the Gods offers a simple, rustic, yet authentic experience for visitors. With clear and clean hot mineral water bubbling up from the earth at 120 degrees, the historic wooden pool is filled. With a valve installed by miners in the 1880s, the pool is emptied nightly. Food, drink and live music await visitors.
Virginia City offers one of the most fascinating stories of any town in Southwest Montana. At one time the most important city in the Territory and little more than a ghost town at another, today Virginia City provides one of the most well preserved and approachable glimpses into Montana's gold rush days.
The caverns offer tours from May 1 through September 30. The tours take visitors on about a 2-mile hike up to and through the caverns in the cool comfort of the naturally air-conditioned space. These Ranger led tours provide visitors with the history and geological significance of limestone.
