People call them all sorts of things, life list, bucket list, to do list. I have lived lots of places and each place I have spent lots of time exploring and learning to appreciate each of the places. I realized after 10 years in Montana, I am not making time to see and do all the things I need to do while living in Montana. Those things in your back yard you need to do, but never make the time to do. Well I am putting them on a list to see if it makes me get a few more done. I am including a few I have already done as well, because if you are new to the state or planning a visit, I want you to know they are worth the trip.
Visit Yellowstone in the fall .-2007- Visit Yellowstone in the winter
- Visit Yellowstone in the spring
Visit Glacier via Red Bus– 2005- Visit Iceberg Lake in Glacier National Park
- Spend a night at Sperry Chalet
- Spend a night at Granite Chalet
- Travel the Beartooth Highway
Travel the Skalkaho pass-2012See the Virginia City Players– 2012Ride in a Red Jammer-2005See the famous BeaverheadRock2015- Take the state capital tour
- Spend a night in a Forest Service Lookout
- Go to the top of Mt. Fleecer.
Visit Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge-2012- Freezeout Lake in the winter when the birds are there
- CM Russel Museum
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center
Little Bighorn Battlefield2014- Pompey’s Pillar National Monument
Big Hole National Battlefield2004Take Historic Walking Tour in Butte– 2005- Hike 10 miles of the Continental Divide.
Spend a night in Gordon Reese Cabin– 2010- Visit Montana State Parks:
- Visit Buffalo Jump State Park
Visit Bannack State Park2004- Visit Makoshika State Park
Lost Creek State Park2013Granite Ghost Town2006Lewis & Clark Caverns-2003
- Visit Hot Springs:
- Lolo Hot Springs – spend a night and x-country ski
Elkhorn Hot Springs2014- Take a dip in Chico Hot Springs.
Take a dip in White Sulphur Springs2015Fairmont Hot Springs2003
Holter Museum2013- Visit Ghost Towns:
Coolidge2003Southern Cross2006
Museum of the Rockies2015
- Visit Ringing Rocks
- Participate in an Audubon bird count in the winter
- Tour the Clark Mansion in Butte
- Gates of the Mountains
State Prison Museum2003Float the Bitterroot River– 2012See Grizzly Bear in the Wild– 2012See Wolf in the wild2008- Miles City Bucking Horse Sale
- Deer Lodge Draft Horse Expo
Drive over the Fort Peck Dam2013Take a boat tour in Glacier National Park2012Visit Gran-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site2009- Visit the Daily Mansion and arboretum in Hamilton
- Drive Highway 2 from edge to edge.
- Attend a Red Ants Pants Music Festival.
- Tour the Historical Society in Helena
- Tour the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, preferably near my wedding anniversary
- Hike in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area
- Hike in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness Area
- Visit the Ross Creek Giant Cedars Grove, near Troy
Red Rocks National Wildlife Refuge2013Visit the Bair Museum in Martindale2015
Wow, lots of interesting things to do in Montana! Who knew?!:o) My sis lives in MT…I’ll have to go visit her and use this list for ideas of things to do. Thanks for sharing!
That is one heck of a list. I was supposed to do Yellowstone this summer when my daughter competed in Tumbling &Trampoline in Spokane. We decided to fly instead of driving there because of other commitments. Instead we drove around Washington. Good luck with the list.
Keep cranking,
Robert the DividendDreamer
Now how have you not done the Bear Tooth living so close to it? We did that road a couple years ago. A lovely piece of real estate to be sure. Just make sure your brakes are good!
I’ve been to the Sperry Chalet too. We were backpacking, and came across it there, in what seemed like the middle of the wilderness. What a treat. Of course I sat down to hot ham and cheese sandwiches and copious cup fulls of lemon aid. I did not want to leave.
OK, time for me to stop being jealous of where you live. Enjoy!
-POTP
I love this to-do list. I was thinking I should make a similar list of hikes I want to take someday.
It is that thing I look at on days when it rains and spoils your plans, you wake up and don’t really know what you want to do, or would rather do nothing at all.
Inspiration indeed! I’m starting my list very soon!
love this idea! Pennsylvania has lots of beautiful places too (although I know it doesn’t hold a candle to Montana – been there once and can’t wait to go back!). I’m going to start my own list. Thanks for the inspiration!
Good for you, there are so many amazing places in our back yard. I once lived in Michigan and was amazed at all the cool things to do and places to visit there, and when we were transferred there all imagine was auto factories.
You need to update your Glacier visits!!