Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
inattentive drivers. Wildlife is a concern on any road, particularly at night, and fallen rocks
can be a problem in mountainous areas. For Wyoming road conditions, the
Wyoming De-
partment of Transportation
(888/996-7623,
www.wyoroad.info
)
has a wealth of informa-
tion. Montana information can be found through the
Montana Department of Transport-
ation
(800/226-7623,
www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo
)
.
If you plan on renting a car, it's a good idea to reserve one well in advance. Unless you
will be driving entirely on paved roads, which is doubtful, a high-clearance or all-wheel-
drive vehicle is a good idea. Many Forest Service campgrounds are located along gravel
roads, and any time you venture off the beaten path, you're bound to encounter some type
of gravel or dirt road. In the winter, all-wheel drive is a must. And be aware that rock chips
on the windshield are common occurrences at any time of year. Make sure your insurance
will cover it, or consider paying for added insurance from the car-rental agency.
MONTANA LICENSE PLATES
You wouldn't know it just by driving around, but Montana's license plates provide
an interesting look at the state's population trends since the first plate was produced
in 1914. In the 1930s, the state added a number to the left side of the plate that cor-
responded to county population—the number 1 was for the county with the highest
population, and 56 was for the lowest. If you correlate these with the city that is the
county seat, you get a snapshot of the state's population history—and you can tell
where people are from just by looking at their plates. A fun game Montanans often
play is to see how many plates they can identify while driving around.
When the list for the license plate was created, Silver Bow County was the largest
in the state, as Butte—with a population of just under 40,000 people—was a thriving
city, booming with the economic flush of mining. Great Falls was number 2, Billings
was 3, and Missoula 4. Libby—in northwest Lincoln County—came in last at num-
ber 56. In 1930 the total population of the state was just 537,606; the population of
Billings was a mere 16,280, and the state capital, Helena, had just under 12,000 res-
idents.
Over the past 80-plus years, the state motor vehicle department has left the num-
ber and corresponding counties the same. That is, a car with a number 1 is still from
Butte-Silver Bow County, and a truck with a number 56 is from the Libby area.
However, the population snapshot paints a dramatically different picture these days.
