I happily paid a second visit to the Museum of the Plains Indian on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning, Montana, near Glacier National Park. My husband and I squeezed in a quick tour several years ago when we were in the area. But I really wanted more time to explore this outstanding collection of historic arts created by 11 tribes of the North Plains.

Numerous folks suggested we eat dinner at the rustic Northern Lights Saloon in tiny Polebridge, Montana, by the western border of Glacier National Park. Read the rest of this entry »

My family always enjoys stopping at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls, Montana.

The park is named for the huge spring discovered in 1805 by the Lewis & Clark expedition. Giant Springs is one of the world's largest freshwater springs, with a daily flow of 338 million gallons of water a day! The crystal-clear spring (above right) is beautiful, as is this entire area. Read the rest of this entry »

During a trip through the Rocky Mountains in Montana, my husband and I stumbled onto two of the most exciting ghost towns we'd ever seen–Virginia City and Nevada City.

Located in a remote area of southwest Montana, Virginia City sprang to life after gold was discovered in nearby Alder Gulch in 1863. The gold ran out a few years later, leaving Virginia City frozen in time. It's virtually unchanged since its days as Montana's territorial capital. Read the rest of this entry »

When my family takes a drive through southwestern Montana, we like to eat at Yesterday's Calf-A, located in an old schoolhouse in tiny Dell (population 7 to 19!).

Run by Linda and Richard Marxer, the cafe serves up good home cooking. It's known for its roast beef, but my favorite is the chicken-fried steak. Read the rest of this entry »

While traveling through beautiful southwest Montana, my husband and I came across little-known Parker Homestead State Park, located outside Three Forks in the scenic Jefferson River Valley. Read the rest of this entry »

If you're visiting Glacier National Park, don't miss a scenic side trip to Polebridge and its social hub, the Polebridge Mercantile, a 1914 general store/post office that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Read the rest of this entry »