Old Montana Prison - Deer Lodge Montana
Creepy, yes. Scary, slightly. Worth the stop, you bet! I had been to the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge about 20 years ago and I still have vivid memories about it. My mom and I were totally spooked as we walked down the cellblock and would not even step foot into the “hole”. On my recent trip to the prison I found things a little bit different. First of all I was not clinging to my mom this time and second I found the entire site fascinating, so my fear had diminshed. Read the rest of Old Montana Prison - Deer Lodge Montana »
Have you every wanted to step back in history and see what it might be like to live or work on a old western ranch? Well your opportunity is located on the edge of town in Deer Lodge at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch. Johnny Grant homesteaded in the Deer Lodge valley in 1862, only to 4 years later sell the home and ranch for $19,200 to Conrad Kohrs. 
One of the key advantages to living in Bozeman is the number of parks scattered throughout town - and the quality and beauty of those parks! My favorite park is Burke Park. Located in the southeast portion of Bozeman at the top of Highland Ridge, Burke Park runs south from Peet’s Hill down to near Kagy Blvd, paralleling both Highland Ridge and Church Street. Burke Park is probably most notable for its trail system, used by walkers, joggers, bikers, skiiers, and many more. Last Saturday, I tried walking Burke Park’s Chris Boyd trail - this particular trail offers scenic views from the top of the ridge. 
Last weekend I found myself spending time with my mother in Helena. Wondering what to do, the two of us decided to try the boat tour up the Missouri River at Gates of the Mountains. The tour takes you down the Missouri River from Holter Lake through the “Gates of the Mountains” - first explored by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and named as such due to the fact that the mountains and cliffs that rise above the edges of the Missouri look like gates from afar. As you ride down the Missouri, your tour guide on the boat fills the experience with various tidbits and stories that we both found incredibly interesting. For example, our tour guide told us about various forest fires that have plagued the area over the years and the firefighters who have perished fighting them. We also heard about the various Native American etchings into the cliffs along the river. As somewhat of a history buff myself, I really enjoyed this. 
Stopping in at the gas station the other day, I about fell out of my (driver’s) seat when I looked at the total. I’m pretty sure it equaled my daughter’s college savings. Wow…with gas prices these days, no wonder people are putting summer vacation plans on hold. My family and I had plans of driving to Yellowstone and beyond, but now I think we’ll just do a staycation and stay local. What’s a staycation, you ask? Instead of leaving home for vacation, you stay at home for vacation. You can take a week off and enjoy the sights and attractions your community offers, or you can just do activities over several weekends. If you’re interested in a staycation, too, take a look at this list of things to do! 
Many Montanans - myself included - don’t realize that Southwest Montana is home to its own botanical gardens. But it is! Located just a few minutes off Interstate 15 near Jefferson CIty lies the Tizer Gardens, home to a variety of plants, flowers, and short walking trails. My mother, being very much into gardening, heard about the place and decided to head down with me (that is, she insisted that I come with her, as I am not usually into these sorts of things!).
The first thing many notice as they drive into Bozeman is the Bridger Mountains, to the town’s north and east. At the far southern end of this chain of mountains is a 250 foot tall letter “M” made from painted-white rocks. The M stands at slightly under 7,000 feet in elevation and is a short hike from the mountain’s base. The trail starts at a parking lot immediately off North Rouse, about four miles north of town - as you get close, signs will point you to the correct parking lot. 
On lazy summer days, sometimes there’s nothing better than a walk around the neighborhood. Earlier today, I took a three mile walk around my own neighborhood, the southern side of Bozeman.
Nearly everyone in Montana has heard of the Bridger Bowl Ski Area, located 16 miles northeast of Bozeman, MT. However, the road to and from the ski area, Montana Highway 86 aka Bridger Canyon Road, is highly underrated for its scenic beauty and gorgeous desolation, in my opinion.
I love to eat, and picking a place to dine for a date night isn’t the toughest choice for me because I’ll love almost anything. Though, there is one joint in downtown Missoula that my fiancé and I seem to choose rather often: Biga Pizza. It does seem a little funny to me that I of all people—a lover of distinct tastes, foreign entrées, and wild flavors—would choose pizza of all things for a date night. But Biga Pizza isn’t just any pizza joint; it is my absolute favorite! 
