 Montana Magic |
|
Dates: (12
days, 11 nights; Sun-Thurs) |
Assembly Point:
Missoula, MT |
Tour
Cost: $3,495 (includes all lodging, breakfasts and dinners, park entrance fees, support van, transfers, leaders, tour maps & narratives) |
When we conceived and ultimately staged Lewis and Clark in Montana as Part II of our 3-year commemoration of the Lewis and Clark bicentennial, our intent for the program was a one-time opportunity and then retirement. As each day of that adventure unfolded, however, it became increasingly clear that it was a “keeper.” Lewis and Clark in Montana, in every sense, was the ultimate articulation of Montana Magic and ever so deserving of its “Montana Magic” title.
Montana Magic assembles in Missoula and we’ll trace the Clark Fork and Blackfoot Rivers east to Lincoln on Day 1. Following an overnight at the restored, historic Hotel Lincoln, we’ll climb to the Continental Divide at Rogers Pass (5610’) on Day 2 and ride the rugged foothill rollers as we descend into the Sun River Valley enroute to Great Falls. While in Great Falls, we’ll visit both the fascinating Lewis and Clark Visitor Center and the Charlie Russell Museum.
We’ll turn south with the Missouri River on Day 3 along Recreation Road, and follow the tortured course of the river as it carves its way through the rugged Rockies to Helena, Montana’s capital and a town with a rich western history. Following an overnight in Helena, we’ll trace the Missouri to Three Forks and visit the monument constructed at the site where the Jefferson, Gallatin and Madison unite to form the Missouri. We’ll spend the evening in Three Forks, enjoy a spectacular dinner at the Headwaters Café and somehow squeeze in a visit to Wheat Montana, one of the great bakeries of the western world.
On Day 5, we’ll begin to trace Clark’s exploration of the Yellowstone Country after he and Lewis separated during the return journey. We’ll visit the Missouri Headwaters Monument near Three Forks, ride through the beautiful rolling countryside of the Gallatin Valley to Bozeman and then climb mellow Bozeman Pass to Livingston, gateway to the Paradise Valley and our overnight at the Yellowstone Inn.
Every day on this tour is exceptional, but Day 6 cries for special mention. We’ll ride south from Livingston and quickly cross the Yellowstone River to ride the quiet, beautiful Eastside Highway as it traces the course of the Yellowstone toward its source in the park. We’ll spend the day cycling the full length of the Paradise Valley, dwarfed by the towering snowclad Absarokas to the east and Gallatins to the west. We’ll enter Yellowstone through Gardiner, ride along the Gardiner River, pause at the 45th Parallel for a soak in the river pools that capture the hot waters pouring from the Mammoth Terrace Hot Springs, and finally climb to Mammoth where we’ll spend the evening at the Mammoth Hotel.
Day 7 begins with a van shuttle to Canyon over roads restricted by the Park Service excluding cyclists. It’s back on the bikes, though, at Canyon for an exploration of the many viewpoints along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We’ll cycle across the park, visit Virginia Cascades, the Norris Geyser Basin, and ultimately ride along the Madison River to the park’s West Entrance and an overnight at the Stagecoach Hotel in West Yellowstone.
Early morning of Day 8, we’ll ride west from Yellowstone along the Madison River through beautiful Madison Canyon. The massive Madison Canyon earthquake of 1959 profoundly altered the appearance of portions of the Yellowstone Country. On our way to Ennis we’ll visit the Earthquake Interpretive Center and ride the shores of Quake Lake, a creation of that cataclysmic event. We’ll climb from Ennis the following morning and then descend into the historic mining town of Virginia City. The downhill continues as we approach the Beaverhead River enroute to our overnight in Dillon.
A “hole” was the term used by early settlers to designate a valley, and much of our next two days belong to the magnificence of Montana’s Big Hole. The Big Hole, ringed by the Pioneer Mountains to the east and the Bitterroots to the west, is the heart of Montana’s cattle country. Two moderate passes, Badger (6,760') and Big Hole (7,360'), mark our journey to Jackson and an overnight at the Jackson Hot Springs Lodge with the promise of a long, leisurely soak in the natural hot springs at the lodge. A side trip to Bannack State Park, site of Montana’s first territorial capital, is a great option on this day.
Day 11 is one of the most extraordinary days in our total program. Following a short ride to Wisdom, we’ll turn west toward the towering Bitterroots. Shortly before entering the Beaverhead Forest, we’ll visit the Big Hole Battlefield National Monument, site in 1877 of one of the major conflicts between the government and Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce. From the battlefield, we’ll begin a long moderate climb to the Continental Divide atop Chief Joseph Pass (7,264'), followed by a rapid descent to Lost Trail Pass astride the Montana/Idaho border. The downhill continues into the Bitterroot Valley to Hamilton, nestled in the heart of the valley in the shadow of the magnificent snowclad Bitterroot peaks.
We’ll spend our final evening in Hamilton and then continue downstream along the Bitterroot River the following morning to Missoula.
Total Mileage — 864
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