Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
bath), which is a restaurant, bar, hotel, and unofficial community center, since 1896, all in
one. The menu in the restaurant (8am-10pm daily May 1-Oct. 1, 8am-8pm Sun.-Thurs.,
8am-9pm Fri.-Sat. Oct. 2-Apr. 30) has standard Montana fare, including burgers, steaks,
and chicken-fried steak; Thursday is pasta night, and Friday is always prime rib night. The
bar is open from noon daily. The countless antlers on the ceiling in the club actually came
from a single elk that lived across the street for years. People came from miles around to
visit the bull, and each year when he shed his antlers, someone would bring them to hang
up in the club.
In the nondrinking hours—meaning during fly-fishing time—the best resource in town
is
The Complete Fly Fisher
(66771 Hwy. 43, 866/832-3175), a beautiful facility that caters
to discriminating anglers for five-day, six-night all-inclusive guided fishing stays ($4,800).
The gourmet meals are exquisite (including streamside lunches where your guide will wow
you with linens and a menu), and the accommodations are top-notch. The guides are abso-
lute pros, and everything you could possibly need—from fishing licenses to the latest and
greatest fly—is available on-site.
Another great fishing town in a spectacular setting, Wisdom (population 98, elevation 6,050
feet) is the name that Lewis and Clark initially gave to the Big Hole River. The Beaverhead
and Ruby Rivers were named Philosophy and Philanthropy. Together the three formed the
Jefferson River, and the names were meant to honor the three “cardinal virtues” possessed
by President Thomas Jefferson.
Wisdom has no cell phone coverage but there is a wonderful restaurant, well worth the
drive.
The Crossing Bar & Grill at Fetty's
(327 County Rd., 406/689-3260, 7am-9pm
daily May-Nov., 8am-8pm daily Dec.-Apr., breakfast $5-11, lunch $7.50-11, dinner $11-29)
was established in 1932 as Fetty's and reopened in 2011 by the Havig family, whose own
restaurant and art gallery across the street burned down in 2010. The Havigs spruced the
place up quite a bit and expanded the menu with more gourmet options, but they still keep
true to Fetty's promise of “authentic cowboy cuisine since 1932.” Never mind that the
building dates to 1960; the black-and-white photos tell a treasured history of the area. The
Crossing is as famous for its burgers as for its Rocky Mountain oysters (don't ask, just try
them). From the kitchen you can hear the muffled sound of the local police scanner, and the
snickerdoodles are homemade and always available to go. What could be better than such
old-school goodness?
