Road Trip West of Helena to Grant-Kohrs Ranch

We stepped out yesterday and traveled westbound from our campground and moved deeper into the Rocky Mountains.  Followed Lincoln Road we are camping on to the town of Lincoln.  Very cute, very mountainous, timber galore.  We wonder what's going on with the trees - half of them look dead and I am not inclined to think it is because lack of rain.  Dead.  And, we said that a fire would very quickly destroy so many acres.  Traveled over the Continental Divide at Flesher Pass.  Wondered how far we could see.  Definitely in Big Sky Country - wide open skies and very very blue.  Imagine the stars?

2nd time on trip that we crossed the Divide

How far, do you think?

Notice the trees?

Followed the Little Blackfoot River

Needs some TLC

Stories it could tell

We did not see any deer, elk, birds - only the occasional cows.  Strange.  But, pretty.  Along the way we stopped and read about Beaver Stacks and hay.  Then we started noticing them more and more.  What a different way of storing/keeping hay.

That's how it's done!

We dropped down from the mountains into Deer Lodge and visited the Grant-Kohrs Ranch which is a National Historical Park, donated by the grandson of Conrad Kohrs to preserve the way of life of cattle ranching in the late 1800's.  We have been on working farms before but this farm is something else.  Everything the family owned from the ranch house and all its furnishings, stables, animals, equipment, acreage, carriages, barns, all records, bunk houses - everything - were donated to the Park Service.  At the height of the Grant-Kohrs Ranch era, over 10,000 cattle were shipped each year to Chicago on the railway.  And the brand that the ranch used on the cattle could be seen grazing in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Canada - over 10 million acres of grazing land.  That's huge!

Grant-Kohrs Ranch House

Chuckwagon with cowboy coffee 

Mr. Bashfull Belgian horse

We toured the grounds, I even got to scratch the nuzzles of two Belgian work horses.  Boy - are they big! Second largest horse every bred (the first is the famous Clydesdale's).  They had a chuck wagon setup with a cowboy attending who served us cowboy coffee. Dave loved it, bitter to me.  Lots of grounds on the bottom of our cups.  Took the tour of the ranch house, was not allowed to take pictures inside but it was very well appointed.  Electricity and indoor plumbing was brought into the house in 1893, years and years ahead of the rest of the country, upscale kitchen of that era, hand crafted furniture and imported knickknacks, big home.  2 bedrooms downstairs, 8 upstairs, 2 bathrooms, formal dining room that could seat 40 people, sunroom, music room, office, formal living room that the 3 children were not allowed in. Big.

Our return trip took us up and over the Mullen Road and pass through breathtaking scenery.  Dropped back down into Helena on its northwest side of town. Very pleasant day out and about.

Laying Low in Helena

As we watch the news of the Reynolds Creek Fire inside Glacier National Park, we wonder when we will be back in this area to visit the park.  We were supposed to leave this morning to head up to St. Mary, a small town right outside the east entrance to the park, stay until the 8th to visit Glacier and also cross into Canada to visit Waterton and possibly Banff National Park.  Oh well.  As you can see by this photo, taken yesterday afternoon, we did not want to risk our safety and our health, breathing in the smoke.

Looking west from St Mary Visitor Center of Glacier National Park

We will use this time while in Helena to do some quick repairs/fixes on the rig, look for a new small vacuum - the one we use broke yesterday, and I can do some quilting and Dave photo editing.  Our plans are to be here until Saturday the 1st of August, then head to Fort Benton, Montana.  I looked around for other sights to see and if the weather is right, we will do a day trip here and there.  There is also another wildfire burning south of us, near the town of Townsend which we drove through on our way to Helena.  Montana had very little snow this past winter and very minimal rain this spring.  The state is extremely dry and we may hear of more fires starting soon.

As to the dryness - one of our bucket list things to do this summer - hire a guide and take us by water to the Upper Missouri River Breaks, leaving from Fort Benton.  This area is only accessible by boat/canoe/kayak/ or backpacking in.  I heard from the tour guide company that they are not doing any tours - the river is below acceptable levels for safely motoring to the Breaks area.  Shoot.  The owner of the company said in his 20 years he has NEVER seen the river this low.  And, there were 2 companies that offered this service, the other company has folded due to not being able to run the river.  Who says there is not a global warming going on?  Big climate changes happening.

Gates of the Mountains

One attraction here in Helena, Montana is going on a guided boat tour of the Missouri River, specifically into the Gates of the Mountains area.  Just 9 miles north of us is where Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery 1804 to 1806 traveled along the Missouri.  As they entered the limestone canyon walls, Lewis remarked that they had finally entered the mountains.  But, after traveling the scenic river along the cliffs, they came back out onto flat plains for quite some time before coming to the area as we call today, Three Forks, where the Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers come together. At that point they were near the headwaters of the Missouri.

Upper Holter Lake (Missouri River)

Two boats used - we got on this one, open air

The other tour boat - mostly enclosed

This area is still as pristine as it was back in 1804.  This is perpetual trust land that cannot be developed or sold.  The Hilger family purchased the land back in the mid 1800s and had a ranch at the end of the canyons where we boarded the boat, and since there were no children to pass the ranch down to, they family put it into trust.  Now there is a historical ranch located right at the marina's entrance.

Saw a number of eagles, mature and young

American White Pelican

Lots of fishing going on.  Small marina, a few homes farther south of the marina, and the federal forest land has small primitive campgrounds you can boat to and use.  The winters are pretty harsh here and the tour boat company shuts down by the third week of September.

Entering the canyons

We stopped at Colter campground for potty break

Mann Gulch fire area

Impressive limestone cliffs

Even had some arches

Our trip was 2 hours long, the captain was a retired animal control behaviourist (his term for junior high school teacher) and had captained the tour boats for the last 30 years.  Quite a knowledgeable man, gave insights on rock formations, fauna, birds we saw, and near where we turned around to come back - the history of the Mann Gulch fire which is the worst single incident of lost lives fighting wildfires.  Pretty sad.

The Missouri River is teaming with trout, bass, and many kinds of fish.  Very peaceful day on the river, watching the eagles fly overhead, seeing the fishing folks, stunning scenery.

We were to move Monday to St. Mary, east side of Glacier National Park, but there is a large wildfire and we have changed plans.  We will stay here until the 1st of August, then move to historic Fort Benton which is farther upstream on the Missouri River, more central Montana.

Cooke City to Helena, Montana

Sunday was spent laying low, we did not do anything special, Dave's back was hurting so we sat.  Chilly day, had rain in the afternoon, but good day to get caught up on reading or computer work.  I managed to get a quilt top done, ready to go to the quilter (he does the fancy top stitching for me) while we were in Cooke City.

Monday morning, the 21st, we packed up and ready to go by 9am.  The owner, Bev, came by and said goodbye, nice chat - she told us some inside scoop on the area.  She said that the last couple of nights a bull moose and her calf were hanging out just down the street - shoot!  We never saw them.

All in all, our stay in Cooke City was great.  Got to Yellowstone, Red Lodge, and top of the world by climbing up and over the Beartooth Pass a couple of times.  Saw some beautiful waterfalls, lots of pristine woods and so many wildflowers, I wanted to bottle the color up and save it.

So pretty - and the smell of pine! 

Near entrance to Yellowstone

Eight miles west of Cooke City is the entrance to Yellowstone National Park and stopped at the ranger station to pass through.  Drove for the last time through Lamar Valley - so very pretty - and on through to the north entrance - Mammoth Hot Springs area of Yellowstone.  Did not see any elk - too early for them to be lounging around like the last time we came through.  Not too many people out and about but did see plenty of buffalo again.

Lamar River

Yellowstone River

So many buffalo

When we got to the northern entrance of Yellowstone, at Roosevelt Arch, we were shocked at the amount of cars and campers waiting to get in.  Was disappointed we could not drive through the arch - they had blocked off the road to outgoing traffic.  Gardiner, the town just outside of YNP, had so much construction, their roads were so torn up.  And the people!  Wow.  Followed the Yellowstone River along our route and saw many rafters scooting along.  Traveled another 59 miles to Livingston and gassed up for the rest of the trip.

Traffic lined all the way back to Roosevelt Arch

Arch way back there

Officer's Quarters of Mammoth Springs

Sulphur Springs Terrace at  Mammoth Hot Springs

We switched driving at that point, Dave rested his back and I got in the driver's seat.  Jumped on Interstate 90 and headed westbound for Three Forks, a town about 49 miles away.  Then got off I90 and headed north on Route 287 for Helena.  I grew up thinking Helena is pronounced - Hell - lee - nah.  Nope.  Pronounced Hell - eh - nah.  Many times corrected to pronounce correctly.  Got to our campground, Lincoln Road RV Park, which is 9 miles north of Hell - eh - na, by 3pm.  Not bad driving day, 238 miles - we left Cooke City in 48 degrees and was 92 when we settled in.  Talk about sweating.

Rafters on Yellowstone near Livingston

Will sit here a week, get the car tuned up, RV supplies, grocery shop, laundry, cat food, medicine refilled.  Not sure about any sightseeing - if time allows.

Grace says hello.

Buddy (the Bud Man) says hey, was-up?

Ride to Red Lodge and Bone Daddy's

Friday, July 17th, we stayed inside the RV - rain showers again and thunderstorms were the norm for the day.  Saturday we ventured out.  The 21st Annual Beartooth Rally was going on - July 17th through the 19th - based in Red Lodge, Montana, about 60 miles from us.  We wanted to drive back over the Beartooth Pass before we left and thought it would be a perfect day to do that and, to see Red Lodge.

This trip over the pass we did not stop until we got all the way to Red Lodge.  Beautiful drive!  We had turned around the previous day near where the 45th parallel crosses Montana, right near the Wyoming border, but did not have a clue how different the landscape would change once we dropped down out of the summit.  I think if we lived here we would have to transverse the pass a least once a month - the scenery is breathtaking.  Of course, once the snow flies - that would end since the road is shut down till spring.

Zigzagging down into Red Lodge

Serious Erosion prevention

Dave mentioned that the Beartooth Pass Scenic Byway was by far more challenging than driving the “Going To The Sun” road of Glacier National Park.  You never get that close to glaciers or snow or the summit peaks while in Glacier but driving the Beartooth - you are right up alongside everything.  And the road is so narrow and windy and death drop offs on all sides that to just drive it in the rain - you are challenging death.

A ski lift up on top?

Snow falling - got pretty hairy driving

Pointed rock left center - Beartooth - what the range is named after

Glacier

How different the north side is

Marmot posed for picture

Right at 45th parallel - windy road over summit

We got into Red Lodge and wham!  The motorcycles!  At least 5000 parked with people walking up and down the streets of the town.  I struck up a conversation with a biker who was at the rally from South Dakota and he said this is nothing  - he has been coming to this advent for 3 years now and every year it grows exponentially.  Activities include a poker run to Cooke City, rodeo with barrel racing and stunt driving, races, give aways. I went into BoneDaddy’s store - one of the main sponsors of the event - and was blown away with people buying lots and lots of things.  And the other amazing thing - did not see any drinking going on even though Coors was one of the sponsors.

Lots and lots of bikes

Thousands and thousands of dollars in bikes, equipment, accessories, biker clothing, jewelry.  The town of Red Lodge sure was benefiting from this function.  Scary drive coming back over the pass - it had started to rain and turned into sleet.  We were so glad we got down off the pass before the hard rain/snow hit.  Very treacherous!  On our drive back we stopped at a campground called Crazy Creek and walked the trail to look at the falls.  Very crazy but pretty.

Crazy Creek Falls

Needed to make one last stop back in Cooke City before getting back to RV for some quick groceries and saw over 1000 bikers there.  We lost count of bikers that passed up going to Red Lodge after 390, so we figured at any time there were over 1000 bikers on the road going over the pass.

Cooke City - the bikers are everywhere!!!