Granite Ghost Town

     ~Montana State Parks

Once a thriving 1890s silver boomtown, Granite Ghost Town State Park, is exactly what its name suggests, the remains of a mining town from the 1800s. In 1865, Hector Horton discovered silver in the area and in the autumn of 1872, the Granite mine was discovered by a prospector named Holland. The mine was relocated in 1875.

This is one of the best ghost camps in all of Montana. At one point the Granite mine was the richest silver mine on the earth, and it might never have been discovered if a telegram from the east hadn't been delayed. The mine's backers thought the venture was hopeless and ordered an end to its operation, but the last blast, on the last shift uncovered a bonanza, which yielded $40,000,000 in silver.

In the silver panic of 1893, word came to shut the mine down. The mine was deserted for three years, never again would it reach the population it once had of over 3,000 miners.

Today there is no one living in the camp. The shell of the Miners' Union Hall still stands. The roof supports have caved to the bottom floor, the third-floor dance hall, second-floor union offices, and ground-floor saloon/cafe are about to collapse together. The company hospital still stands.

Permits are required for some activities.  View Map HERE

Prepare for a steep and windy drive to Granite from Phillipsburg. The road gains 1,280 feet in elevation and you may need to pull over for oncoming traffic, but you’ll have a beautiful view!

Only a few buildings still remain, but the main street of Granite was once bustling with saloons, a newspaper office, rooming houses, and restaurants. The state park preserves the Granite Mine Superintendent’s house and the ruins of the old miners’ Union Hall, both of which are included in the Historic American Buildings Survey. 

Be sure to take some time to hike the web of trails that lead to old homes and other ruins in the area while you’re here!

Did you know?

At its peak, Granite had a both a Chinatown and a red light district. 

Activities at Granite Ghost Town include:

✅ History

✅ Photography

✅ Wildlife Viewing 

✅ Plus more!

Top 10 Fly Fishing Rivers of Montana

   ~Sean Jansen

With the days shortening and the temperature beginning to fall with the sun, the days of summer are showing in the rearview mirror as we continue driving down the road to fall. With the beginning of school starting and the leaves slowly changing their colors, there is one thing that doesn’t seem to change with the switch of the seasons, the fishing. The summer crowds have thinned with the textbooks open and the seasonal job crunch in full effect, the trout continue there chase of the remaining flying insects. Here is a list of the top ten trout streams in our, “Trout Mecca,” of a state.

10. Clark Fork

Known for its darker past of polluted water, the river has since recovered to a vital lifeline for surfers, college students, and anglers alike. Long are the days of a hostile river. Nothing but outdoor recreation and casting dry flies to pods of fish on this river.

9. Jefferson River

One of the mighty tributaries to the longest river in the country, and aptly named after our third U.S. President, the Jefferson braids its way to form the Missouri. Under fished and under the radar, probably just the way it likes it.

8. Gallatin River

Once a river of solitude despite the highway running from Big Sky to Bozeman, the Gallatin still holds the picturesque quality that Robert Redford used in the film, “A River Runs Through It.” A sanctuary from the heat in the late summer and early fall days, the trout are holding even with the traffic lines blazing down the highway.

7. Big Hole River

A tributary to the Jefferson, the Big Hole runs for around 150 miles through some of Montana’s prettiest landscapes. The fishing is as varied as the landscape and with strict regulations keeping this blue ribbon fishery happy and healthy.

6. Missouri River

The longest river in North America begins its life here in Montana. With nutrients coming from Yellowstone National Park, the Continental Divide and the Madison Gallatin Range, making it a hot bed for a healthy river system and trout fishery.  Whether by float or wade fishing, the Missouri is a gem in our state.

5. Beaverhead River

One of the first rivers I fished in Montana, the Beaverhead is lodged in my brain with large and numerous trout. Though it is a relatively short river in Montana standards, what it lacks in length it makes up for in abundance of quality fish.

4. Smith River

As we all know, the Smith River could potentially be the most sought after fishery in the state, but sadly it’s also the most threatened. If you get the chance to score one of the highly prized permits to be able to float and camp on the Smith, take advantage of the situation and its beauty for we don’t know how long it will stay that way with the threat of the mine.

3. Big Horn River

Though the river starts its life in Wyoming, the epic fishing begins in the state of Montana. Flowing through the Bighorn National Recreation Area, the world-class tailwater fishing of the river has a higher fish count than any other river on the list. Nymphing, streamers, and hoppers all making the angler happy for nine months of the year.

2. Yellowstone River

The famous Yellowstone River. Flowing from the first national park of its namesake, this river boasts what seems like an infinite amount of water and some of the greatest fly fishing on the planet. Known around the world, grab your raft, hire a guide, or slap on the waders and fish from shore, the Yellowstone is a must-cast river.

1. Madison River

You can’t think of fly fishing anywhere in the world without the Madison coming to mind. Named after U.S. Secretary of State James Madison by Meriwether Lewis in Three Forks, the river brings in most of the annual revenue of Montana’s fishery. With every variety of fly fishing from swinging streamers to casting midges in winter, it is the ultimate fly fishing river.

Lost Creek State Park

   ~Montana State Parks Foundation & Prairie Populist

Lost Creek State Park is a public recreation area and campground located six miles north of Anaconda, Montana, featuring limestone cliffs and multi-colored rock formations that rise 1,200 feet (370 m) above its canyon floor.

The 502 acre state park features a short walking trail to Lost Creek Falls, which plunges 50 feet. The park is open year-round for hiking, bicycling, fishing, and wildlife viewing with mountain goats and bighorn sheep commonly seen. The park is open seasonally for camping. 

This place is a hidden gem… a lot of people don’t realize it’s here,' said Katie Harding of Butte.

A diamond in the rough of industrial copper country, Lost Creek State Park is a different vista than what is typically associated with the historic mining and smelted landscape around Anaconda.  It is not by any means lost, but to many, it has yet to be found.  A lot of people have no clue that this secluded, paradise of public land hides in one of the many draws of the Pintlers

Wildlife, especially mountain goats, golden eagles, and bighorn sheep are frequently seen on the cliffs above the park.  Pika are often seen and heard in the rocks and talus of the upper portion of the canyon. 

If you prefer a longer hike, US Forest Service trails just north of the falls parking area lead for miles into the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

One such trail winds for several miles along Lost Creek through forests and meadows with great views of the surrounding mountains.

Located in the Flint Creek Mountain Range, Lost Creek State Park is a must for Montanans and visitors alike.

Did you know?

With the significant growth of Aspen throughout the park, the colors are brilliant come fall – so be sure to get this on your list!

Grey limestone cliffs rise high above the canyon along with towering 1,200 foot pink and white granite formations. 

You can also: 

✅ Keep your eye out for wildlife which includes mountain goats, golden eagles, bighorn sheep, pika, and elk!

✅ Fish for native trout in the tumbling creek.

✅ Go mountain biking along a Forest Service trail.

✅ Winter? No problem, you can go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

✅ Plus so much more!

Let’s get outside!

Montana Substance Abuse & Treatment

Substance abuse does not only affect the user mentally and physically, it clouds their perception and makes communicating with them very difficult. Even if not addicted, many people tend to find difficulty communicating and wind up misunderstanding each other, resulting in shouting matches and fights. So imagine what it's like communicating with someone whose actions and words are being controlled by a substance. Being around people who have an addiction isn’t always easy and communicating with them doesn’t usually happen naturally. You may often find yourself walking on eggshells, worried about saying the wrong thing. 

Addiction creates confusion within the addict and those around them. To have better communication with an addict, you might have to go through trial and error several times before you come up with a way that opens the channels of communication. It is advisable that you consult with professionals for advice. In Montana, USA, for example, they provide free rehabilitation services in a number of centers. You’ll find that this is because the number of addicts in Montana in particular has gone up considerably. According to the State Crime Lab in Missoula, the number of people testing positive for heroin and meth has gone over 143 percent in the past 3 years. The problem has escalated to the point where even the number of babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome has risen- meaning these infants are plagued even before they’re given a chance to live. The drug problem in Montana is indicative of how fast the drug scene is growing worldwide and how much of a serious problem it is that is slowly getting out of control. But the silver lining is that the options for rehabilitation are increasing and so are the efforts for effective treatment. This is great because you can consult with the people at the centers or even go there and have a talk with someone who can guide you on how you can proceed in communicating. This could be very useful as they can also guide you on how you can eventually have the addict check themselves into rehab at some point.

Here are a couple of tips on how you can move forward in communication:

Be Kind

People do not choose to become addicts. Probably the biggest problem that people have when dealing with someone with a substance abuse problem is that the symptoms of addiction are everything society rejects; lying, stealing, aggressiveness, etc. Addicted people often expect others to belittle and criticize them. Being kind and compassionate will not necessarily stop their addiction, but it is a means of showing you accept them as they are and are not looking down on them. 

Be A Listener

You will have a better chance for good communication if you listen rather than talk at a person. A person suffering from addiction doesn’t want to be preached to and they might open up when talking to someone who is not criticizing or interrupting them. When you listen, it helps them to put their guard down and you may discover what the core issue is.

Check Your Actions

If you know the person has an addiction, such as alcohol for example, it’s certainly not the best of ideas to talk to them about it over a bottle of wine at dinner. Your actions are just as important, if not more important, than your words. While the addicted person can be very unpredictable in their actions, you need to be the opposite and be consistent in your behavior towards them. Don’t take addicts by surprise by words or actions that may derail them as this will cause them stress. Until they have the coping tools they need to deal with stress or anger and other emotions, you need to keep the upper hand in staying calm and displaying the correct behavior.

Support Change

Usually we tend to believe that it is only the addict that needs to change; but the truth of the matter is, anyone dealing with an addict also needs to change. If you’re not addicted and compare yourself to an addict, you will probably come out with the conclusion that you’re a better person. Truth be told, if you don’t change and support the change a patient with an addiction is trying to make, you will not advance towards recovery. That’s why the best rehab programs to treat alcohol dependency do not only treat the addict, but also offer programs to

help families. Once the addict starts to benefit through counseling and other means offered in these programs, they will have a different view of ‘change’ Their fears will lessen when they see you are willing to make changes, too.

Provide Support

Remember that your main job is to provide support – not fix the problem. There are professional people better equipped to put the substance user on the road to recovery. Your job is to support and encourage when an addict makes proper choices; even if you don’t agree with the means. You might have a different view on how the addict can get better, and that view may differ than the addict’s own strategy. As long as both of you are receiving the desired outcome of getting the addict recovered, then that’s fine. But you should be clear and firm about what is unacceptable in their behavior. It’s important to let them know that you do not condone or support their addiction, and make it clear that you will not be the enabler, only their support in getting through this ordeal.

Directing Anger In The Right Direction

Regardless of how much you love this person, there will be times when your anger gets the better of you. You have to learn how to separate anger towards the behavior of the addict, and the individual themselves. It’s absolutely normal to get angry and frustrated at the behavior, which is different than getting angry at a loved one for being an addict. The person you love is still there, but being completely controlled by drugs. Speaking about love, you might be thinking that if they love you, the addict should be able to quit. The truth is, love has very little to do with the ability to overcome substance abuse. Quitting has a structure to be followed and is about learning new skills to cope with what is going on around you. It’s a process that has a beginning, but doesn’t really have an end as it’s a work in progress. Loving the addict is important, but it’s not a magic cure that will turn everything around.

It is known that substance abuse is a family disease; if only one person is addicted, all family members are affected. You will need to find better ways to communicate. When you understand that their addiction is a disease and it doesn’t mean they don’t love you, and doesn’t mean they have chosen drugs over you, you’ll be better able to communicate. It may never look like it, but it’s true that every addict wants to quit. Your kindness, support, understanding and love are all needed. When paired up with professional help, the ability to lead a drug-free life is very much in reach.

Growing Up in Montana

   ~Tammy Ward

When I was a little girl, I spent every spare minute I could, riding my buckskin mare, Stormy, through the mountains. I knew that area like the back of my hand. I explored every park, every valley, and every mountain within riding distance. Any of the areas I wasn’t familiar with, I set out to find out about them. Learn the landmarks, and which trails to take. Most importantly how to get back to camp before dark! I had a few rules I had to follow so Mom wouldn’t worry. 

I would get up as early as I could, strap on my .22 magnum Ruger, grab that horse, bridle her and sometimes saddle her, pack up my lunch (matches, a royal coachman fly and piece of fishing line) and off I would go. Early on, Smokey, our Malamute/wolf dog and later, Snowy, our sweet little Spitz always following faithfully beside. 

We explored every nook and cranny within riding distance of the cabin. Quite often, I would stop at one of Dads mining claims and do some assessment work. Each claim had to have a certain amount of work done to it every year to stay valid. Dad usually had a shovel and pick stashed somewhere near the claim. Sometimes I would search for sapphires or pan for gold, but my attention span has always been short, so I was more thrilled to find the Calka Pyrite.. it wasn’t worth anything, but I just loved those shiny rocks. 

Over the years I saw deer, elk, Wolverine, badgers, Rock chucks, eagles, hawks, camp robbers, porcupine, brown bear, grizzly bears and all sorts of various other animals and birds. I remember listening for the different sounds of the animals, sometimes a coyote or a far away mountain lion, the assortment of birds, even the flies and bees. But I so enjoyed the soft whisper of the wind whistling through the pines.

I used to love to search for the different flowers, Indian paintbrushes, bear grass, deer tongue, sego lilly’s and was always so excited when I would find the Lady Slippers, so fragile and beautiful, usually hidden close to the creek, in the cooler spots and mostly in the shade. I can still remember the taste of the wild strawberries and raspberries, such a special treat! Occasionally I’d catch a brookie and roast it over a campfire, but I wasn’t very fond of fish.  I loved to catch them though, so I often took a few home for Mom or Dad to cook. And the icey cold spring water, was like heaven on my lips and the smell of the mountain air I can’t even begin to explain. 

Lunch was usually enjoyed sitting in a bear grass patch, with Stormy and my dog close by. Stormy would stay right beside me although I never tied her up. She would graze right near me, eating every single blade of grass around me. Other times she would lay down and I could cuddle between her legs and lay my head on her stomach. She was my constant companion and always such a comfort when I needed friend. 

You know, I remember very few moments of ever feeling lonely or afraid. It was my home, my comfort and the silence of those mountains would come alive.

 Montana's Greatest Through-Hike

   ~Sean Jansen

The Beaten Path is a 26-mile thru-hike, point-to-point trail that climbs its way up and over the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains. The range runs east to west covering nearly one million acres of granite and forest. Boasting over 30 mountain peaks skyrocketing beyond 12,000 feet, cradling Montana’s highest peak. Over 300 alpine lakes, thousands of creeks, numerous specie of trees and plants and the largest unbroken area of land over 10,000 feet outside of Alaska.

The Beaten Path dissects it, following the East Rosebud Creek, now declared Wild and Scenic, up and over the range via East Rosebud Trail and down to Cooke City via the Clarks Fork Trail. The side you choose to start is decided upon you. Although many start on the south side, or Clarks Fork drainage.

The East Rosebud starts at an elevation of 6,280 feet. The trail reaches a height of 9,967 feet. The elevation of the Clarks Fork is around 8,000 feet. So the theory to start on the Clarks Fork side is that you climb less, which may be true. But the Clarks Fork is forested at the start. Where as the East Rosebud bursts into granite, views, and water like a switch from cable to direct TV. The trail instantly climbs and doesn’t hesitate to mellow until the top. But the views around each bend, lake, and stream are far worthy of the struggle to get there. Elk Lake is the first puddle of water stumbled upon.

The trail meanders slowly through patches of rocky outcroppings and direct sunlight, or if you’re unlucky, horrendous thunder and lightening, which come up without warning. But the section south of Elk Lake en route to the next lake, Rimrock, has to be the most spectacular.

You climb for ninety percent of the trail to the pass, but the section before Rimrock Lake will decide the trip. The switchbacks, which can be seen going up the mountainside, question you’re physical ability and the logistics of whom constructed it. But the sheer granite walls on either side with a waterfall cascading from above certainly make for every break on the climb worth the steps. Once to the forested section atop the switchbacks, you wind through the trees until a brief clearing of forest. And like out of a movie, Rimrock Lake appears, with a view of the trail crossing above the waterfall just climbed. Camping along the lake is near impossible, with it being named quite literally. However the next body of water isn’t far, and certainly has options for cozier sleep with previously used tent areas.

Rainbow Lake is the next stop. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away, with of course some more climbing, the trail follows along the lakes western shore where it drops to water lever and meanders around each bay lined with pine and a patch of wildflowers, blending wonderfully to the azure blue hue of the lake. The Forest Service requires a minimum of 200 feet distance when camping from water. Besides Elk Lake, Rainbow is the first to offer such amenities. Patches of dirt areas have mixed large boulders and trees for coverage from weather.

For the most part, the lakes are relatively even in space between each other. With Lake At Falls being the next example. Like Rimrock, out of the trees and into a sweeping view, Lake At Falls might be the most aptly named lake on the entire trail.

Between Lake At Falls and the next lake, Duggan, the battle of the waterfalls is a good one. The waterfall at Lake At Falls is one that breaks the height barrier and beckons what is up where it is cascading, but the trail doesn’t meander in that direction. Where as Duggan breaks the volume barrier and once again hints at more water to come.

There are a few bodies of water in route to Dewey and finally the top, Fossil Lake. However, once a hiker has reached this point, the camping at Dewey and Fossil far exceed those previous. Dewey offers excellent camping and sweeping views of the very peak the lake is named after. Possibly the most popular spot for camping with large areas of grassy patches and forested for protection from the unwarned lightening strikes. Fossil has nothing but space for the hiker to set up camp with not a tree in sight at an elevation of 9,967 feet and the highest point on trail.

The peninsulas and bays of Fossil Lake offer solitude for anyone who wishes to set up a tent. Each one offers casting space for hungry cutthroat in this surprisingly large lake. Grasses and wildflowers blanket the shores inviting at the least, a picnic for the days hiking efforts. Once atop, the views and grandeur of the Beartooth Mountains take in the attention as the granite points skyward to unfathomable heights.

A gradual and soft hike in route to Cooke City now on the Clarks Fork Trail as you follow a creek meandering down from another off trail lake now blanketed with wildflowers even more spectacular than that of the north side of the range.

With the open grasses and wildflowers of altitude now fade slowly to forested, the next two lakes seem like a blink compared to the literal latter of lakes climbed previous. Dropping down further through more forest and old burned areas the highway and picnic area come faster than anticipated.

The trail is little more than a marathon, dissecting one of the largest wilderness areas in the lower 48 states. Some want to backpack it and take days on end to soak it all in, while others  challenge themselves and hike or run it all in a day. Whichever method, length of time, or direction you decide, the Beaten Path is worth every huff and puff and drop of sweat spent to get there.

Christy Hays’ Sense of Place

~Brian D’Ambrosio

Lately, Christy Hays is in a funny, in-between place, that undulating one where she is addressing and confronting the ups and downs of existence.

Those big, musical havens where she formerly resided, Nashville and Austin, have gotten too overwhelming, an unending cycle of relentless self-promotion and cutthroat vanities. Dwelling upon too many feelings about the music business, and her place and position within it, she recently purchased a house in Uptown Butte. After a great deal of wandering, wrangling, lessons learned and enough angst reoccurring, she craves a sense of place – and she might even stay in the Mining City permanently.

Butte is part of the plot but not the whole story.  Her story is the familiar one of an artist who has spent a long period culminating their influences and well-worn road experiences into art. She has successfully followed the formula, releasing records, touring, and riding the summits and ditches of the requisite life.

She’s an introverted, circumspect woman of Midwestern stock, the daughter of a welder and a nurse, who was raised in an agricultural town of about 4,000 in Illinois. While she never aspired to be a working songwriter, she has always held the poet’s sense of perspective: reflecting on her first memories of her youth, she described the dramatic shift from small, family farm agriculture to the advent and proliferation of industrial farming. The bitter reality of identity loss imprinted.  

“I’ve always been hyperaware and maybe that’s been difficult for me,” said Hays. “I feel as if I have a deep, internal sense of justice, in a world that is inherently unjust. It’s been a learning process for me over the years to compartmentalize what I don’t understand. I’m definitely an escapist and I’ve lived different sort of lives. I came to Butte and it’s not a Utopian thing for me. Butte is strange and messed up and yet it’s really awesome.”

As a teenager, there was no intrinsic pressure to play music, but the energy of it eventually prevailed. She ditched Illinois while in her early 20’s, within a few months of graduating college, embarking to Alaska. “Disillusioned,” she said, by some our society’s coarser aspects, she disappeared into the woods.

Songwriting and the act of self-dredging ultimately triumphed over her more isolative instincts. She moved to Nashville in 2007, and after two years relocated again, this time to Austin, Texas, which at first felt “more her speed and her vibe.” She expanded her musical repertoire and found a little solace in the city’s legendarily collaborative spirit.

The past ten years she has worked her medium, delivering quality material, landing radio airtime, and even sharing the stage with other talents such as Sturgill Simpson and Jeffrey Foucault, among others. Hays’ singing voice catches like a briar; it doesn’t tear its audiences, but sticks to them. She plays with precision and without prejudice and without illusion. As a singer-songwriter, she has learned to do it right – and done it. If you want a bit of bittersweet joy from the work of a solid vocalist and lyricist (begin with “Town Underground”), Hays is your girl.

At first, Hays spent a few weeks of summertime in Butte, gigging regionally, writing, and embracing her beloved quietude. While she cherished her relations in Austin, she started to find the sort of mental and material culture there very difficult. And while Nashville, she said, was “way more obsessed with commercial success” than any other place she had lived, Austin’s population ballooned as one of the most explosive growths in the country.

“I don’t have that innate drive to live that way anymore,” said Hays. “There is solace here (in Butte). The residents are mostly elderly and at the beginning I was treated with distrust. What’s this lady doing here with her out-of-state plates? But now it has more of a feeling of going home. I can regroup and not be out on the bar scene or worrying about how successful I could be or won’t be. The writing is conducive here. It’s an exciting new phase.”

From the historian Joseph Kinsey Howard, who called the Mining City “the black heart of Montana” to Butte native Berton Braley, who wrote, “If you’ve got red blood in your veins, you’ll like her,” authors, poets, historians and entertainers have interchangeably complimented and criticized it – sometimes all in the very same paragraph. Food critic Anthony Bourdain tidily described the hilly territory built on copper, crime, and plenty of contrast:  “At first look, you'd think this is the worst place on Earth. A ravaged, toxic, godforsaken hill threatened from above, riddled with darkness from below. But you'd be wrong.”

Hays doesn’t glamorize Butte or trivialize it, she simply accepts that for right now it is a calm and peaceful setting which provides her with the legroom and head space to observe her feelings, perceptions and countless thoughts. She’s at a defining point in her relationship with both Butte and her art.  

Reevaluating her own notion of self, she has formed a non-profit songwriter and writer-in- residence program called Dear Butte, an artistic retreat for like-minded people who need to get away from the cityscape to create.

Perhaps the peace and happiness of forming Dear Butte means no more yearning – or at least a temporary cessation of obsession – for Hays. Thinking of Hays abbreviating her fine career is inassimilable, yet she is at the crossroads of realizing different needs.

“I am at the point where I am not completely sacrificing or pursuing or obsessing over carving out my own career. That’s where Dear Butte came from, the need to live a whole and happy and fulfilled life. Music and notoriety are inheritably not fulfilling. To provide the wherewithal and the support and to open up a lot of artistic doors for others, to me, that is exciting.” 

Yellow Bay State Park

Yellow Bay is in the heart of the famous Montana sweet cherry orchards. Cherry blossoms color the hillsides during spring. In the summer, cherries can be purchased at nearby roadside stands or U-Pick orchards. The park includes Yellow Bay Creek, shaded campsites, a boat ramp, a dock, and a wide, gravelly beach for accessing the lake. 

Click here to access a Map

Among its attractions are boating, lake trout fishing, water skiing, bird watching, swimming, camping, and scuba diving. The park is 15 acres in size at an elevation of 2,907 feet. It offers 5 tent sites. 

There are both flush and vault toilets, a group day-use area, pedestal grills, picnic tables, trash cans, and drinking water. No open fires are allowed, only charcoal. There is a 14-day camping limit during a 30 day period. A Boat ramp and a dock are both available.

A joint state/tribal fishing license is required at this site. The campground is open May 1 through September 30. 

There is a golf course nearby in Polson, as well as three museums. 

Fees are charged for camping and day use.

Don’t forget to grab fresh fruit from roadside stands or go picking at an orchard!

Looking for activities? You could:

✅ Be on the lookout for birds and plentiful wildlife

✅ Spend a day on the open water boating, canoeing, kayaking or water skiing

✅ A joint tribal/state license will allow you to fish for lake trout

✅ Take a dip in the chilly water 

✅ Take a look at what’s under the surface of the water and go scuba diving

✅ Plus so much more!

Regardless of the water level, boaters can typically put their boats in at Yellow Bay due to the steepness of its boat ramp.

There are 5 tent campsites at Yellow Bay, but they are first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early to claim your spot! Yellow Bay Creek flows through the park near the campsites, providing a peaceful sound to fall asleep to. 

Let’s get outside!

Bouncing Down the Boulder

    ~Sean Jansen

Just listen. The wind caresses the ears with a subtle song of possible thunderstorms echoing for the afternoon. Birds sing to each other in harmony much like a duet of a famous power ballad. The river screams down from alpine and bounces down the boulders of its very namesake. The trees dominate the landscape soaking up much of the sound and distributing it like natures version of a radio show. And the mountains stand tall on either side holding in all the beautiful noise like the walls of a sound proof recording studio. These are the stories of the Boulder River.

The Boulder River is a 60-mile watershed from one of the numerous drainages down from the alpine of the Absaroka Mountains. Sitting on the north side of the mountains and in the middle of the range, the Boulder offers the adventurous a playground of solitude. Horseback riding, backpacking, fly fishing, camping, hiking, and 4x4 adventure just to name a few. Even for the religious, a half dozen or so camps to bring the family and heal for a week.

Despite all the activities, caution flags need be raised for this is a wilderness area. Elk, moose, and most importantly black and grizzly bear inhabit the area and call it home. It is a winter ground for elk and can be a popular place for hunters to chase their game. However the real draw to the Boulder is of the river itself, and its trout.

“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” To quote Norman Maclean on his book and eventually film that did have scenes filmed on this very river, the Boulder is one of the tributaries to the mighty Yellowstone River. From the mouth of the river where it meets the Yellowstone to Natural Bridge Falls Picnic Area, the river flows gently and subtly through farmland with a few access points for the general public. A popular section for anglers to float as the access from private land gobbles of most of its banks making fishing from a boat excellent. Both rainbow and brown trout swim up from the Yellowstone and take advantage of the solitude to spawn, all the while enjoying the splendor for themselves waiting for the grasshopper blown in from the farmland or the explosion of an evening hatch.

Natural Bridges is an appropriately named location because it is a giant waterfall naturally carved out of rock that cascades the upper section of river down to the lower, cutting off the large rainbow and brown trout coming up from the Yellowstone. What the upper reaches of the river offer however, are of National Forest and abundance.

The road turns to dirt and with every mile now driven up the bumpy, pot hole ridden path, the forest thickens, mountains sky rocket, and fish get smaller. With rainbows and brook trout on offer behind the small buckets pouring over the larger boulders and cool crystal clear water, the abundance and color of the fish are what draws anglers upward and deeper into the mountains. The average fish size range from 6-10 inches but what they lack in size, they make up for in color. Spots, stripes, and shades of color so vibrant one almost needs polarized sunglasses just handle the glow.

With 22 miles of vacant dirt road scattered with a few campgrounds, picnic areas, bible camps, and cabins, the solitude is often all an angler needs to be happy. While continuing to bounce up the dirt road, the fourth specie of trout inhabiting the waters dominate the pools. The gorgeously colored Montana native, the Yellowstone Cutthroat, thrive in the equally gorgeous and highly oxygenated waters of the upper stretches. With the arrival of the cutthroat and the now louder squeaking sound coming from the under carriage of the vehicle, the road dead-ends at a Forest Service camp and a trailhead where the birds chirping add to the choir of solitude. The mountains stand in the distance with the snowmelt that drain down creating the very waters casted in, making it all worth while to take a couple bounces along a dirt road up the Boulder River.

Does Mining Compromise Montana Tap Water?

There is a long history of copper mining in Montana goes all the way back to the 1880s. Sadly, while the mines have disappeared, the effects are still present. Heavy metals such as lead and salts like arsenic are present in our groundwater, so much so that as late as the 1990s, the water in Butte and the surrounding areas was unsafe to drink. The situation has certainly improved over the last few decades, but as you will see there is still much to be done.

Toxic Water Kills 3,000 Geese

Fortunately, with the improvement of filtration methods and the replacement of old wooden supply pipes, Montana drinking water has improved considerably. However, that doesn’t mean there still aren't many problems with it. The closure of the old Berkeley Pit has been particularly problematic, with a lake being created that is a major health hazard. Only two years ago, the Guardian reported that, “At least 3,000 geese [were] killed by toxic water from former Montana copper mine.”

Groundwater and Berkeley Pit Pool

The concern about the Berkeley Pit is that it is fairly close to the Silver Bow Creek, which is used by the residents of Butte and the surrounding areas as a water source. The residents were told that there is nothing to worry about and that the poisonous water from the Berkeley Pit pool will never trickle into the groundwater. However, considering what happened to those 3,000 geese that had the misfortune to land in the ‘toxic stew’ of the Berkeley Pit, it may not be wise to not take action and simply trust the local government and water companies to keep you safe.

Water Contamination in the Area

While it is true that Silver Bow Creek and the surrounding areas have been transformed over the last 30 years, there is still a long way to go. To quote from the Clark Fork Coalition, “The [mining and smelting] contamination impacted drinking water wells and agricultural soils, and today the river functions at only 1/5 of its fishery potentials. Compounding the problem, the upper river faces additional challenges from drought, sediment loads, and dewatering.”

Contaminants in Our Drinking Water

Is the drinking water in Montana is safe to drink in general?

Let’s have a look at some of the local utilities and the quality of their water. Please note that the figures used here represent health guidelines, not federal guidelines.

On a side note: You may not be surprised to hear that the federal guidelines on what constitutes ‘safe’ drinking water are much more relaxed. Remember Flint, Michigan, where people were protesting that the drinking water was green and smelled ‘funny’? For weeks, the local government was saying that everything was fine. However, it later turned out that it wasn’t.

City of Billings

The water utility company in the city of Billings in southern Montana supplies water to nearly 115,000 people and yet its drinking water contains 10 contaminants whose levels are above health guidelines. These contaminants are:

·   Arsenic

·   Bromodichloromethane

·   Chloroform

·   Chromium (hexavalent)

·   Dibromochloromethane

·   Dichloroacetic acid

·   Nitrate and nitrite

·   Trihalomethanes

·   Trichloroacetic acid

·   Hormones

Source: Environmental Working Group National Tap Water Database

Of course, not all the above can be blamed on mining. For example, hormones come from animal and human wastewater which has entered drinking water sources. However, arsenic and chromium certainly do originate from mining.

City of Butte

The Butte’s water utility company supplies water to the much smaller population of 33,000 people but still has seven contaminants that are above what’s considered healthy:

·   Arsenic

·   Bromodichloromethane

·   Chloroform

·   Dichloroacetic acid

·   Radiological contaminants

·   Trihalomethanes

·   Trichloroacetic acid

Source: Environmental Working Group National Tap Water Database

As you can see, most of the contaminants are similar to Billings (Butte is only a four-hour drive from Billings…). However, one that stands out is ‘radiological contaminants’. These were present in the Billings tests as well, but did not reach the same levels as in Butte water. We'll go into what these contaminants can do to our health in a moment.

City of Kalispell

The city of Kalispell, far to the northwest of Butte, lies on the edge of Glacier National Park. You would imagine that the water here would be cleaner than anywhere else but sadly, contaminants are still present:

·   Bromodichloromethane

·   Chlorate

·   Chromium (hexavalent)

·   Nitrate and nitrite

·   Radiological contaminants

·   Trihalomethanes

Source: Environmental Working Group National Tap Water Database

As you can see, the contaminants are often similar, with the only variations being the different contamination sources. The reason for this is not so much the area where you live. Common contaminants are present because the water purification process is the same throughout America. Ironically, this very process is what causes some of the contamination in the first place.

Why the Above Contaminants Are of Concern

If ingested in large enough quantities, almost all of the above substances can cause cancer or have carcinogenic properties. Arsenic is linked to thousands of cases of cancer alone. Other contaminants, such as bromodichloromethane, may cause problems for mothers-to-be. Finally, radiological contaminants including radium and uranium may affect the development of unborn children.

How Can the Contaminants Be Removed

The fact is that America suffers from drinking water containing a whole range of contaminants that exceed health guidelines. The best way to solve this problem is through filtration. According to BOS, one of the best ways to get access to clean drinking water is to add a reverse osmosis filter system to your home. (Learn more here:   https://www.best-osmosis-systems.com

Although you should do your own research because every situation is different, reverse osmosis is a highly potent water purification method. To quote Simple English Wikipedia, a reverse osmosis filter “is how you can get small particles out of water, even in solution, by forcing it through a filter (a membrane)."

At times when corporations put money before people and the government is influenced by the very companies it should be protecting us from, it might be better to take action now, before it’s too late.

If you want more information on the quality of your drinking water, sight your local utility’s water quality report and act accordingly. This will allow you, your partner and most importantly your kids to sleep safe at night knowing that the water coming out of your taps will not harm them.