North End Off Road
Traveling vintage is still relevant
Bitterroot Valley-Montana
Tucked away between the Bitterroot Mountains to the west and the Sapphire Mountains to the east, is one of Crystal’s favorite places in Montana.
Hamilton, Montana was founded by copper king, Marcus Daly. He found his fortune in the mines near Anaconda, MT. Timing was perfect, as Edison had recently developed the light bulb and copper would be in high demand.
Things to do in the Valley
In 1886 Marcus Daly purchased the Chaffin Homestead in the Bitterroot as a summer home for the family. The home has been remodeled three times, with the last remodel finished in 1910. The mansion is 24,000 square feet and houses over 50 rooms.
The mansion holds numerous events through the year, including tours of the Georgia-Revival style home. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and walking the grounds.
Ravalli County Museum & Historical Society
The museum is housed in the former courthouse built in 1900. The museum has numerous permanent exhibits all with a focus on the local history. We enjoyed learning more about how the early industries of the valley, including agriculture and logging.
The rotating exhibit “Illuminating Darkness Montana Cave Exploration” was super interesting to see just how many caves the state has. Most are located in remote wilderness areas… don’t think the Landcruiser would be welcomed there.
The Redsun Labyrinth in Victor, Montana is set at the base of the Bitterroot Mountains. We checked this out as it was near Trappers Peak Outfitters and we were staying there that evening.
The labyrinth was opened in December 1999. The labyrinth is 108′ diameter, making it one of the largest in the United States. 25 tons of field stones were used to make the pattern that can also be found in the Chartres Cathedral in France constructed in 1220. The total walk in and out is 4/5 of a mile. 173 lavender plants are also part of the labyrinth.
It is a tool used for walking meditation, and you are encouraged to bring a trinket to leave. It is stated that there is no right or wrong way to walk a labyrinth, and to do what feels natural for you.
Besides the labyrinth, the grounds have a beautiful natural garden that you are also encouraged to explore.
As Montana’s first permanent white settlement, Fort Owen State Park was an interesting find in Stevensville, MT. Founded by Major John Owen in 1850, the site had Montana’s first Catholic Church, first sawmill, first grist mill, first ag developement, first water right and the first school.
The site is not large, only one acre in size, but the buildings and artifacts are on display. Ginger the border collie was a happy camper at this site as she was welcomed to explore the grounds with us.
Places to eat in the Valley
One morning we grabbed a warm drink and delicious muffins from River Rising We had Ginger the border collie with us, so we sat outside. Plenty of folks walking the main street, which meant lots of head scratches for the dog. They also offer soups and sandwichs.
If you know us, you know that we LOVE pizza.
Higher Ground Brewery definitely hit the spot. The pizza dough is made fresh daily and you can tell! They also offer salads and of course handcrafted beer! Crystal tried a flight and enjoyed the seasonal autumn brew.
We received the tip about Naps Grill from a local (also an FJ40 owner). This burger place gives large portions and is made to order. Andy dove into a mushroom burger, while Crystal had the oriental crispy salad. Both plates were clean by the time the waitress picked them up.
Last place we want to share, was also our favourite of the trip. Bandit Brewing is a micro brewery and the smallest brewery in the state. We loved the atmosphere and took home a growler of the SunDog Kolsch and some canned Juggernaut. They had a Jalapeno Lime Wheat that we tried in our flight… all we can say is that it’s interesting…
Want to learn more about the Bitterroot Valley in Montana?
Click to check out our other posts!
I love this post, I now have so many places I want to visit 🙂 Thank you!!!