Thomas Cruse Life of a Montana Pioneer Marysville and Helena John H. Sandy Thomas Cruse Born, March 18, 1836, County Cavan, Ireland Died, December 20, 1914, Helena, Montana, U.S.A. Prospector Mine Owner Rancher Banker Philanthropist In 1894, Joaquin Miller described Thomas Cruse as a man who “has the highest confidence and good will…
Category: Attractions
Montana National Forests
RED LODGE POST National Forests are a huge resource in Montana. The state has 16,893,000 acres of national forests. These forests cover 18% of the total land area in Montana. Most of the national forest lands in Montana are in the western mountainous parts of the state. The National Forest Service manages ten (10)…
Saint Mary Lake
RED LODGE POST The glacial landscapes in Glacier National Park were created by large alpine glaciers that covered the region thousands of year ago. As glaciers moved down mountain valleys massive amounts of rock and earth were pushed down slope. Streams flowing from the glaciers carried the sediments to lower elevations. During geologic time, Divide…
Wildlife Refuges
RED LODGE POST Wildlife refuges are areas, lands and waters, set aside to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants. Refuge managers aim to maintain and improve natural habitats. Montana has 24 wildlife refuges/districts, operated and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuges are amazing places to visit if natural environments are of interest….
Montana on my Mind
RED LODGE POST Montana on My Mind is a really cool video with music performed by the Scioto River Band, Columbus, Ohio. Lead singer is “Cat” Leigh. A woman with a wonderful voice for sure. In the video “Cat” yearns for a trip to the West with hopes of experiencing, wildlife, a mountain pass, wild…
Best Museums
RED LODGE POST Montana has many wonderful museums. Collections cover a wide range of “subjects.” There are art museums, paleontology museums, and even a mineral museum and an old car museum. But most of the museums focus on local/regional histories. One museum in Helena does a fine job on covering the history of the whole…
Ghost Towns
RED LODGE POST Adventure and the lure of riches brought thousands of prospectors to Montana (before statehood) in the late 19th century. In 1862, pay dirt was hit at Grasshopper Creek in southwest Montana. In a matter of months, thousands of miners flooded to the region. A town called Bannack City was born. After the…
Trail of the Cedars
RED LODGE POST Trail of the Cedars is a nature trail. It is a short loop trail accessed from Going-to-the-Sun Road near Avalanche Creek Campground northeast of Lake McDonald. The trail is about one-half mile long and passes through old-growth forest of western red cedar and western hemlock. Abundant ferns are mosses add to the…
Going-to-the-Sun Road
RED LODGE POST Okay, so you are going to Glacier National Park. Your journey will take you through the center of the park on Going-to-the-Sun Road, an iconic mountain highway. Going-to-the-Sun Road runs west to east from the town of West Glacier to Saint Mary, Montana, over a distance of about 53 miles. The road…
Snapshot of Livingston
RED LODGE POST Montana’s small towns are not of the cookie-cutter variety so often found in other states. Why is this? Simply put, most small towns in Montana have retained their heritage and historical roots. Urbanization and rapid population growth have not arrived, at least not yet. Livingston (pop. 7,784) fits this picture very nicely….
Yellowstone National Park
RED LODGE POST Millions of people will visit Yellowstone National Park this year. And why not? This park is America’s Wonderland. Most come to see nature in all its glory at Yellowstone. As for wild animals: elk, black bears, grizzly bears, gray wolves, buffalo, moose, mountain goats, and bald eagles live and thrive in Yellowstone’s…
Experience Horse Culture
RED LODGE POST Montana is the West. As you might expect horses and horse culture are found throughout Montana, in both rural and urban areas. Horses by themselves are amazing animals, so beautiful, and horses bring great enjoyment. Broadly speaking “saddlery” is part of the deal. Most people have no idea. But if you are…