Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
But there's much more to this corner of the state than museums and mine shafts. There
are vast open spaces, like the glorious Big Hole, dotted with cattle and lined with blue-rib-
bon trout waters. There are plentiful hot springs, old-school family-oriented ski hills, and
some of the region's most scenic drives. And although the region is developing—a hip con-
temporary art scene in Helena, for example, and a Jack Nicklaus golf course built into the
Old Works smelting site in Anaconda—there are stretches that look and feel untouched. The
ranchers in the Big Hole Valley still use big wooden beaver-slide contraptions during hay-
ing season, and the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest is a vast swath of breathtaking
scenery that encompasses 3.5 million acres and two pristine wilderness areas. Southwest
Montana and its best-known cities offer visitors a unique look into Montana's past and an
authentic view of Montana's most appealing present.
