BUTTE, HELENA, AND SOUTHWEST MONTANA - Montana and Wyoming - page 349

MM Lewis and Clark Caverns
Among the sights Lewis and Clark missed on their travels through the region is the
Lewis and Clark Caverns (17 miles east of Whitehall on Hwy. 2, 406/287-3541,
www.fwp.mt.gov/parks ) , a phenomenal limestone cave several hundred yards above the
Jefferson River on which the explorers traveled. The caverns are among the largest in the
Northwest and were Montana's first state park. Filled with several rooms and lined with
stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and helictites, the temperature in these colorful caverns
stays at around 50°F year-round, making them the perfect spot to escape the rare blister-
ingly hot days in southwest Montana.
The caves can only be accessed on a two-hour guided tour (daily May 1-Sept. 30, $10
adults, $5 children 6-11) that includes a roughly two-mile hike up to and down from the
caverns. On hot days, the hike can be grueling, but the cool, dark, moist caverns are the
perfect reward. The natural bat nursery inside is daunting to some, but fascinating to others.
A campground at the caves has 40 sites ($15), restrooms with showers, a dump station,
three cabins, and a tipi for rent. Within the 3,000-acre park there are 10 miles of hiking
trails with trailheads at the campground, fishing access, two picnic areas, and a gift shop
and restaurant.
FISHING
With so many fantastic rivers in the region, it's no surprise that southwest Montana is
known as a fishing paradise. Anglers can choose from the Beaverhead, Big Hole, Jefferson,
Ruby, and Red Rock Rivers, all within this corner of the state. The Beaverhead, which is
easily accessed from Dillon, is among the state's most productive and prolific tailwaters,
with dense bug populations and upward of 4,000 fish per mile. The Jefferson River does not
give up its savvy fish easily, but streamer fishing and terrestrial fishing are fantastic. The
Ruby River offers great wading and superb caddis and mayfly hatches. It's a serene river
that offers small stream-like settings. The Red Rock River flows out from Lillian Lake in-
to the Centennial Valley. Its upper portion, known for cutthroat, rainbows, and grayling, is
narrow and ideally suited for wading. There is also great brown and rainbow trout fishing
beneath the Lima Reservoir.
With so many fish, there are numerous outfitters in the region eager to get anglers
on the water. Among them is Justin Hartman of Tight Line Adventures (406/925-1684,
www.tightlinemontana.com , from $475 full-day for 1 person, $500 for 2 people). Another
excellent resource is Frontier Anglers (680 N. Montana St., Dillon, 800/228-5263,
www.frontieranglers.com ) , a full-service fly shop offering everything from boat and gear