Southwest Montana is Gold Country. Towering mountains and broad valleys are found throughout the entire region. See maps.

In the early 1860s, prospectors found gold in southwest Montana (then a part of Idaho Territory). In vivid terms, history books describe the gold fever that swept the frontier settlements of Virginia City and Bannack. And plenty of gold was found. In a gulch about 60 miles north of Butte, a placer mine produced, reports say, tens of thousands of dollars in gold in a single year.

Gold mining is still an important activity in this region. West of Whitehall, Montana, a huge gold mine, high on the side of a mountain, can be seen from I-90. Near Clancy, another large gold deposit yields to the massive mining equipment used by modern-day miners.

Filled with the spirit of the early prospectors, individuals still search Montana's sediments for yellow riches. Many folks look for gold the old-fashioned way, with a pan. Sediments are scooped up from a stream bed with a small oval pan and then sloshed around under the flowing water of the stream until the lighter materials are washed away, leaving behind, it's hoped, flakes and nuggets of gold. For others, the search for gold is made easier by metal detectors.

"Panning for Gold"

Source: Danny the Aussie Prospector

Bozeman

Downtown Bozeman, Montana (pop. 30,723) looks like a town out the 50s. Its main street is traditional and vibrant and packed by all kinds of interesting businesses. The Bozeman area is growing fast, with a population increase of 34.4% in the past decade. As Lewistown is about real cowboys, Bozeman is about urban cowboys. Briefcases likely outnumber branding irons in Bozeman.

Bozeman is home to Montana State University and the fighting Bobcats. The Museum of the Rockies, located on campus, features many wonderful paleontology exhibits. Jack Horner, the world's top dinosaur hunter and an adviser to the movie "Jurassic Park," works at the Museum. Occasionally, Museum visitors see Professor Horner inspecting the Museum's latest exhibits.

The Bozeman, Montana area is fishing central. Cool, sparkling streams, rushing down from high mountains, are filled with rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout.

In some parts of the Gallatin River near Bozeman, rainbow trout number over 400 per 1,000 feet of stream, according to data reported by the Montana Rivers Information System. Go to The Bozeman Angler site to find fishing area rivers.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Park's Fish Stocking Plan helps keep fish populations strong in Montana's many streams and rivers. A time for action, rainbow trout fishing in Montana's blue-ribbon trout streams.

Travelers prefer accommodations at the Holiday Inn Bozeman when staying in Bozeman. Guests enjoy an indoor pool, a restaurant, and a view of the nearby Bridger Mountains. The Residence Inn by Marriott is another good choice.

The Gallatin Gateway Inn, a restored railroad hotel, is a very special place to stay in the Bozeman area. The inn has 35 guest rooms and suites. The Dining Room features white linen and candlelight. Less formal dining and a bar are also on site. The inn serves guests an extra good gourmet continental breakfast. This Bozeman, Montana inn is located about 12 miles southwest of Bozeman on U.S. Highway 191. (800) 676-3522.

To find dining in Bozeman, head for Main Street. For breakfast and lunch, common Bozeman folks go to the Western Cafe, downtown on east Main Street. Another favorite dining spot in Bozeman is the Looie's Down Under (Fine Dining and Sushi Bar). The Cafe Internationale offers "exotic food from exotic places" and an intimate dining experience. If a quick tasty bite is what's wanted, the Great Harvest Bread Company is a good choice. Ferraro's fine Italian dining serves great pizza, pasta, seafood and tasty wines. Open daily 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The Garage is another Bozeman tradition know for great burgers.

For special dining and top bars, don't miss the Baxter Hotel. This establishment features Ted's Montana Grille, the Bacchus Pub and the Baxter Wine Bar. Ask for a buffalo burger at Ted's Montana Grille and you'll be plenty satisfied with the great taste and flavor.

Italian cuisine is the regular fare at Johnny Carino's restaurant.

Main Street in Bozeman is tops, even for lodging. For a good night's rest near all the action, check out Flats Above Main.

The Powder Horn Sporting Goods store on Main Street sells all kinds of gear for fishing and hunting, plus a wide selection of outdoor clothing. A great store to buy things or just look! At the Gallatin Valley Mall, located west of the downtown area, shoppers find quality apparel at the Bon Marche department store. The mall has many national chain stores, too.

Travel tip: U.S. Highway 191 between Bozeman and West Yellowstone is not a friendly road for drivers. The highway winds for many miles thorough the narrow Gallatin Valley. Along the sides of the road, white crosses tell a story of tragedy for many motorists. U.S. Highway 287 to the west is a far better highway.

West Yellowstone, Montana

West Yellowstone, Montana (pop. 1,200) is located at the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park, south of Bozeman. The Yellowstone IMAX Theater is one of the top attractions in this small village. IMAX theaters are internationally know for spectacular multi-media presentations. The IMAX experience gives one the sense and feeling of actually being there and involved in the action. IMAXs are very enjoyable for the entire family. 

West Yellowstone, Montana is a tourist's paradise. Merchants sell quality merchandise of all kinds. There's a better selection here than at other gateway cities near Yellowstone. Dining is a treat, too. And, no sales tax.

The Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center near the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park is very popular. The Center is home to several grizzly bears and a pack of gray wolves. Grizzly bears and gray wolves are seldom seen in the wild, so this is a wonderful opportunity to see North America's most magnificent mammals.

After a busy day of activities or sightseeing, travelers often stop at the Yellowstone Lodge or the Gray Wolf Inn and Suites in West Yellowstone for a good night's rest. For an evening of luxury, stay at the Hibernation Station, the west's finest log cabin lodging (nice site at www.HibernationStation.com, but slow download).

Virginia City

Virginia City is a historic mining town. In 1863, miners found gold in Alder Gulch near Virginia City. A boom town ensued. Today Virginia City is a well-preserved ghost town, a place for tourists to relive and experience an important and colorful chapter in Montana's territorial history. During the summer, nightly Carbaret and other exciting entertainment, including live music events, amuze visitors to Virginia City. If you like to reminisce about travel in Montana, Virgina City will long be a part of the conversation.

Three Forks

Three Forks (pop. 1,500) is several miles west of Bozeman on I-90. Three Forks is remembered in history as the place where Hidatsa Indians raided a Shoshone camp and captured the young Indian girl Sacagawea in 1800. Four years later, Lewis & Clark, on their journey west, met Sacagawea at the Hidatsa village hundreds of miles to the east near today's Bismarck, North Dakota. Sacagawea, working as a guide for the Expedition, returned west to her homeland and family in Southwest Montana with Lewis & Clark in 1805. Today, a likeness of Sacagawea and her child is on a U.S. dollar coin.

Near Three Forks, the trout-filled Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers come together and form the Missouri River. Stop by the Headwaters Heritage Museum in Three Forks and see a trophy-sized German Brown Trout, weighing over 29 pounds, caught at nearby Wade Lake. Lewis & Clark Caverns (a state park), about nineteen miles west of Three Forks, is known for its spectacular underground columns, stalagmites, and stalactites, formed over thousands of years.

Many tourists stop at Wheat Montana Farms and Bakery, when visiting Three Forks, Montana. This eatery offers baked goods and a deli. A good choice for lodging is the Fort Three Forks Motel (800) 477-5690. The Fort Three Forks motel has full RV hook-ups. In Three Forks, the Sacajawea Hotel, one of Montana's great historic hotels, offers excellent lodging, dining and a bar. Do not miss the Three Forks Cafe if you want to feast on a breakfast fit for a rancher.

Ennis

Ennis (pop. 1,017) is a picturesque small town located in the Madison Valley. It is a major destination for fly-fishing and other outdoor activities. U.S. Highway 287, the main highway through town, connects with West Yellowstone to the south and points north, including Helena and Glacier National Park. Travelers see an awesome view of the Madison Valley and the majestic peaks of the Madison Range from a turnout on Montana state highway 287 a few miles west of Ennis.

In Ennis, the Hole in the Wall Art Gallery has a great selection of prints and bronze art, many of wildlife. One mile south of Ennis, the El Western Resort (800-831-2773) offers extra nice sleeping cabins and kitchen cabin suites.

Virginia City (pop. 161), one of Montana's top tourist attractions, is located a few miles west of Ennis. Merchants have made this historic gold mining camp a fun place to visit. Northwest of Virginia City, on Montana highway 287, experience small-town, traditional ranching communities, Sheridan and Twin Bridges. When staying overnight in Twin Bridges, try The Old Hotel (406-684-5959).

Butte

Butte (pop. 34,000) is a city lost in time. Once Montana's leading population center, the city has steadily declined over the years due to the demise of mining in the area. On June 8, 1917, disaster hit Butte's Granite Mountain Mine when a bad fire erupted deep below the surface trapping many miners. Days later 168 dead miners were taken from the mine. In 1996 the Granite Mountain Memorial Overlook was dedicated in Butte to honor the memory of the men lost in one of America's worst mining disasters.

Today, Butte, Montana struggles to keep its place in the sun. Still the town offers many interesting attractions. The downtown area has lots of old commercial buildings, many of special historical significance. These buildings were obviously grand in their day.

Montana Tech college in Butte has a splendid Mineral Museum, with a huge collection of mineral specimens from around the world. Don't forget to see the museum's king-size gold nugget, weighing 27.475 troy ounces. Miners running a placer mining operation found the nugget in the Highland Mountains near Butte in 1989.

High on a mountain near Butte is a statue of Our Lady of the Rockies. "Our Lady" stands 90 tall. From the site of the statue, visitors have an awesome view of Butte in the valley below and nearby mountain ranges. By night, "Our Lady" illuminated by artificial lights is a spiritual beacon for motorists traveling on I-15 and I-90.

Butte is a major service center for tourists traveling east or west on I-90 and north or south on I-15. The city has many chain hotels and restaurants. The Holiday Inn Express offers nice Butte, Montana lodging. The inn is near a park and offers a complimentary breakfast and a guest laundry. Uptown Cafe is the best restaurant in Butte for evening dining. Lydia's is another good choice for evening dining. Lydia's is located a short distance south of the main part of the city. For a simple and delicious snack try Matt's Place.

"Gold Nugget" Source: Danny the Aussie Prospector

Travel tips: During the winter, tons of sand are dumped on I-15 between Butte and Helena. Stones in the sand are often picked up by tires of moving vehicles and end up in car windshields.

Boulder

Scenic highways are common in Montana. And I-15, the road between Butte and Helena, is hard to beat. A few miles north of Butte the road passes through a broad intermontane valley. The road winds its way through the mountains and, for part of the way, it follows the beautiful Boulder River Valley. Wildlife can be seen along the highway during certain times of the day.

Deer Lodge

The view of the Flint Mountain Range from Main Street in downtown Deer Lodge is awesome. Deer Lodge (pop. 3,655) is a small town with lots of attractions. At the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site near Deer Lodge, visitors learn about the development of the western cattle industry. The site is still a working cattle ranch. A park ranger is on hand to tell about the experiences of cowboys on early-day cattle drives. The Montana Auto Museum is very popular too. The museum features over 120 vintage automobiles. Interpretative displays, an old blacksmith shop, and a 1930s gas station tell the history of motoring in Montana. The Old Montana Territorial Prison in Deer Lodge is open for public tours. No bad guys here anymore, but still a scary place.

Philipsburg

Montana Highway 1 (U.S. Hwy. 10A before the interstate highway arrived) is another popular scenic drive in western Montana. Called the "Pintlar Scenic Route," the highway connects with I-90 west of Butte and east of Missoula, making the highway an alternate route for travelers heading east or west on I-90. Philipsburg (pop. 971), located at about mid-way on this route, is a historic village with lots of pioneer-days buildings. Many Montana ghost towns are found in the hills near Philipsburg.

Some folks try their luck digging for sapphires in ancient gravel deposits in the Philipsburg area. The Sweet Palace, a candy emporium, is a favorite stop in Philipsburg. Be sure to stock up on chocolate, taffy, and caramel candies. The town's natives offer visitors great hospitality, befitting of an old cowboy and mining town. The Broadway Hotel in Philipsburg offers a glimpse into Montana history and extra nice accommodations. Call 406-859-8000.

Missoula

Missoula, Montana (pop. 58,460) is home to the University of Montana and the mighty Grizzlies. The Grizzlies hang around the University's athletic department and are famous for smashing opponents in the Big Sky Conference, especially in men's football. As might be expected in a college town, many tea sippers populate local hangouts. Away from the university, Missoula is a regular sort of town. Many folks work in forestry and forest products industries.

When in Missoula, Montana beer drinkers stop at the Bayern Brewery for a mug of Bayern Pilsener or Bayern Amber, brewed by the resident Master Brewer. The brewery, the only German microbrewery in the Rockies, is know for its quality lager beers. Before leaving, patrons often pick up a baseball cap, stitched with the nifty Bayern logo.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Visitor Center in Missoula draws many nature lovers and conservationists to Missoula, Montana. Visitors to the Center enjoy educational exhibits, a display of trophy elk mounts, wildlife conservation films, plus a gift shop with clothing, wildlife art, and calendars. The 22-acre site features a delightful Outdoor Walking Trail. Native wildlife can often be viewed on the property. Don't miss this place!

The Historical Museum at Fort Missoula is another top attraction in Missoula. The museum features over 22,000 objects and 13 historical structures. On site are five fort buildings, a homestead cabin and barn (circa 1900), a rural schoolhouse (1907), a church (1863) built by the Jesuits, and a railroad depot (1910). The museum offers a rare opportunity to see how pioneers lived in western Montana.

Shopping is great in Missoula, Montana. Southgate Mall, the main mall in Missoula, with many stores, including major department stores, is located on Highway 93 South. For quick information about Missoula, try the Missoula city guide.

The Hilton Garden Inn (406) 532-5300 is open in Missoula. The hotel offers complimentary HBO and a complimentary USA Today newspaper. On-site breakfast restaurant is open.

The Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown at the Park offers lodging in Missoula, Montana. This hotel is near all the action downtown on Higgins Street.

Missoula, Montana restaurants and bars are tops. Most of he best restuarants and bars are concentrated along a five-block section of Higgins Street, a major north-south artery though the downtown area. The Shack Cafe is a good choice for breakfast, lunch and evening dining. For fresh pastries, breads, and desserts, don't miss Bernice's Bakery. At the El Cazador, the Hernandez family cooks up authentic Mexican cuisine.

The Iron Horse Brew Pub sells every beverage imaginable, plus has good food, especially sandwiches. The Iron Horse Brew Pub rocks even on weekdays. Tasty sandwiches and veggies are served at Worden's Market and Deli. For sushi and traditional Japanese food, Sushi Hana is a favorite of everyone.

The Pearl Cafe is open for upscale dining. "Rabbit with red wine and mushroom sauce" cost a mere $28. The menu at another local favorite, Caffe Dolce, lists house-made pasta, pizza, salmon, lamb burger and more. Wines are from Italy, France, and Spain.

Missoula's events are highlighted by Missoula Downtown.

Southwest Montana is a hiker's paradise.

Hamilton

Traveling south of Missoula on U.S. Highway 93, visitors enter the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. The valley is bounded on the west by the majestic Bitterroot Mountains and on the east by the Sapphire Mountains.

This is a special place for fun in the outdoors. Fishermen catch lots of rainbow trout, brook trout and other game fish in the Bitterroot River. Rafters love floating the Bitterroot. The mountains in this region are great for sightseeing, hiking, and nature photography. Local outfitters guide tourists into the nearby Selway-Bitterroot and Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness areas for the ultimate wilderness experience.

Hamilton, Montana (pop. 4,500), located in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley, is the major trade and recreational center for much of the valley. Hamilton is a slice of the "Old West" rich in traditional western architecture in many of its old buildings up and down main street.

The Marcus Daly Mansion is a popular attraction in Hamilton. Built in 1890, the 50-room Mansion was built by Marcus Daly, Montana's legendary "Copper King." The Mansion is owned by the state of Montana and is open to the public. In Hamilton, the Bitterroot River Inn and Conference Center is a popular with travelers.

Big Creek Pines, a bed and breakfast located a few miles north of Hamilton on U.S. 93, near the town of Stevensville (pop. 1,553), is another good choice. Call (406) 642-6475 for a reservation at Big Creek Pines.

Nap's Grill "prides itself on its exceptional customer service and high quality ingredients." The Coffee Cup Cafe get lots of attention from locals in Hamilton. For a special night out try the Spice of Life.

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