Tonelli's Travels

Another 350 miles and another state on the list! After departing Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, we hit the highway for our next destination, the one we’ve all been waiting for – Glacier National Park. Of course, like everything else out west, the distance between the two parks was immense and it would take several days of driving. So, we made a few stops along the way to enjoy different parts of Montana.

Our first break spot was Billings, Montana. We rolled into a Cabela’s parking lot one afternoon to take advantage of their free RV parking. They even had a dump station and water hookups! It was a great find right off the highway. After a quick rest, we piled into the Solis (much easier to drive to a downtown area – we can fit in a normal parking spot) and drove the few miles to the center of Billings.

The downtown area is in the midst of a revival with lots of restaurants and microbreweries popping up on every street. I was in heaven because they had a cider spot, Last Chance Cider Mill. We popped in for a tasting and were not disappointed! Later, to satisfy the beer cravings of my parents, we went to Carter’s Brewing Company. If this is also your jam, I recommend a trip to Billings, MT. We finished the evening with authentic Mexican food at Don Luis and drove back to our “home” for the night to rest up for another big day of driving.

On day two of our trek across Montana, we logged another 350 miles to reach Lincoln, MT and the serene National Forest, Helena. Driving down the two lane highway, rising mountains covered in dark pine trees greeted us on each side. The uninterrupted nature was exactly what my heart had been longing for. Eventually we pulled into Aspen Grove, a national forest campground, and found two spots hidden in the woods. It was peaceful and serene, off the beaten path. A true place for rest and relaxation for the next two nights.

The idyllic setting made it the perfect opportunity to sleep in the pop up top of my RV! It was quiet comfy and cozy, hover in Montana in the summers the temperature drops into the 40s and 50s, so it was a bit chilly! Never the less, I enjoyed the new setting and maybe with the addition of a warm sleeping bag would do it again. Haha.

The next morning we set off for a remote hike recommended by some locals. We found Alice Creek Road and drove down the dirt road, through a few ranches, and into the middle of Helena National Forest. About 10 miles later (a some worry that we were lost), we finally arrived at the Lewis and Clark Trailhead to hike to the pass. This was my type of hike – almost no one around and beautiful scenery the whole way.

A major difference between hiking here, in the West, versus back home is that views from the trail are more scenic. Typically in New England, you have to wait until you reach the summit to have any type of a view. Here, at least so far, the trails are narrow but rarely treelined and you can see mountains and forest in all directions. The sky really does seem bigger here.

The trail we traversed was one of the main routes Lewis and Clark were guided on by first peoples, including Sacagawea, as they explored the newly purchased land from the French. We were hiking to a viewpoint where they could see the next leg of their trip.

As we climbed higher in the mountains, we came upon a large burnt section of the forest, one that had previously been subjected to a forest fire. While it was devastating to see the destruction that had occurred in years past, it was also lovely to see the new life taking shape. Small saplings sprouted up, wildflowers blossomed, grasses grew. Nature is an amazing thing.

This beautiful land once belonged to the people of the Blackfoot, Salish, and Kootenai tribes. The many people of The Blackfeet Nation now reside on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in northern Montana and have since a treaty was signed in 1855, growing many crops including wheat, barley, and hay. It is one of the ten largest tribes in The United States and working hard to protect its sacred lands. Additional information can be found here. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes today also largely reside in Montana on and near the Flathead Indian Reservation. They were forced onto this land, and lost millions of acres, when their chiefs names were forged on a treaty in 1855. The confederation continued to fight and found ways to protect what little land and culture it had left. They created the first Tribal Republic Council in 1934 and have been finding ways to be innovative ever since. Additional information can be found here.

Acknowledge the history of this land, and how it has changed, it important to understanding the work that needs to be done to truly achieve the ideals our country was built upon. Whether we are hiking, having a windy lunch at a peak, or a campfire and night of rest, I am constantly reflecting.