What to Do in Cental Montana?

R

RockyDog

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Joined
Jul 17, 2002
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902
Location
Hamilton MT
So, me and the Ms. and two kids are leaving glamorous western montana next week for car tent camping in exotic Central Montana. Driving up through white suplhur, lewistown and fort peck and then circling back to be reunited with our extremely wealthy McMansion owning neighbors in Hamilton. This will be like leaving New York for Alaska. Do they have electricity over east yet?

We dont know much about being a tour-on in central montana. Some of the attractions we have heard of are giant springs, missouri ferry crossings, custer battlefield, fishing nelson reservoir, mikashika state park and devils tower.

Does anyone have any suggestions that a 8 and 10 year old would like? Where can we find museum quality fossils and arrowheads? How much money should i budget for meth in the Bakken area?

many thanks,

RD
 
Quality fossils would be at the Museum in Malta and the Fort Peck Interpretive Center. If you are fishing as Nelson load up on the deep woods off or Cutter. Find the one with the most DEET.

If you are hitting the Custer Battlefield, Makoshika State Park and Nelson, that is a pretty big loop.

Bring a converter for the electricity, one of those universal plug deals as I don't know if our power is the same as on the west side.

Are you camping at Fort Peck? If you are tent camping you can find a place easy, If you are pulling a camper you may want to call ahead.

Nemont
 
Thanks Nemont those are good tips. We are tent camping. Yes it is a big loop but we are flexible. I assume there will be gourmet coffee shop or barrista no less than every 5 miles, i couldnt survive with less..
 
Crystal Lake Campground S of Lewistown is nice. Plenty of small shell fossils to pick up on some of the day hikes in the area. Lots of smaller ponds with bass, bluegill, pike, etc on the way to Peck or Nelson, but you might need something a little more potent than Cutter or Off for the biting flies in that country. Budget for meth? you should bring some in to pay for your trip...
 
Pompeys Pillar is a fairly neat stop. You could as Merriweather about it when he hits the "west side". Kids should like it to, seriously.
 
Great small museum in Harlowton.Lewistown has one too.I like to check out places like these to understand the area a bit better.I have been dying to see the Evelyn Cameron display in Terry, Mt.She took some incredible photos(early 1900's).Remember, Montana is not just about the glamour areas like Hamilton where the boots shine and the hats don't have sweat stains.
 
Pick some agates on the Yellowstone anywhere below the Bighorn. Lots of petrified wood too. Make sure to take a rod along. There's some great fishing on the lower Yellowstone. Take a hammer and look for some ammonites around Makoshika.
 
Great stuff thanks guys. I agree that Evelyn Cameron display would be very cool. We'll bring a hammer for the ringing rocks and maybe fossils
 
Check your map. Devil's Tower is in Wyoming. Ringing Rocks are west of Bozeman near Pipestone.

Otherwise, you have a very interesting, worthwhile itinerary of Montana highlights ... with many miles to travel.
 
Camp at one of the many campgrounds around Canyon Ferry
Train ride in and around Lewistown area (http://www.montanadinnertrain.com/) and/or camp at Crystal Lake (as someone mentioned)
Museum in Malta (as someone mentioned)
Fort Peck Interpretive Center (again, as someone mentioned)
Range Rider Museum in Miles City
Medora, North Dakota (https://www.facebook.com/MedoraMusical)
Devil's Tower, Wyoming
Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman
Lewis & Clark Caverns south - southwest of Three Forks
Beautiful Butte.

In between towns/cities you should see some beautiful open country. It will be hot and buggy. Good luck, be safe, and have fun.
 
No knapweed or white vinyl fence and lots of open spaces, you may never return.
 
I think you should visit one of the big springs...either Giant Springs at Great Falls or Big Springs at Lewistown. Both have hatcheries with a fish feeding area...heck I still put in a nickle just for fun. Eastern MT can be super hot this time of year. Be aware that there are campgrounds at Fort Peck that don't have a single bit of shade. Don't be shy about bug spray as the mosquitoes in that area can be the size of Pteridactyls.
If you're gonna make the drive all the way to Makoshika, I suggest maybe taking a detour to the Jersey Lily at Ingomar...say for some beans or Sheep Herders hors d'oeuvres (I think they still do that). Your kids can pee in the trough outside.
 
I'm a little surprised no one suggested checking out Havre's underground city. It is definitely something unique. Also keep your eyes open for rattle snakes, central and eastern Montana has no shortage of them!
 
Be aware I don't think you can keep arrowheads or vertebrate fossils from public land. Around Fort peck you can't keep anything. The shores of FP have a ton of neat ammonites with the mother of pearl still on them, but they are probably there because you have to leave them.

We once rented a pontoon boat from Hell's creek for $100/day. It was fun to poke around and let the kids drive.
 
If you are in Malta, a trip around Bowdoin NWR might be interesting. I spend some time there earlier in the year checking out the birds. Pretty hot and buggy this time of year, but a nice little 15 mile tour route.

You mentioned a Missouri River crossing. The McClelland Ferry is pretty neat and you will some cool Missouri River Breaks with world class sheep. Lots of gravel, so have good tires. Catch some of the Bears Paw on the Lloyd Road upto Chinook. You can also get on Hungry Hollow and through Beaver Creek Park into Havre. Beaver Creek Park is the largest county park in the county. World class elk there to boot.

Have fun and give us a report. Hopefully you are not disappointed.
 
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