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On their journey west in April of 1805, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the Corps of Discovery, entered what today is Montana and returned through the state again in 1806 on their journey homeward. While in Montana they recorded a number of bird discoveries in their field journals. As many as seventy different bird species were noted during their travels through the state. Many of the species found in Montana and described by Lewis and Clark were new to science. The Sage Grouse and Loggerhead Shrike for instance, were first noted in the vicinity of the Marias River, while Western Meadowlark and Long-billed Curlew were found near what today is Great Falls.

Southwest Montana Birding Trails showcase one National Wildlife Refuge, two National Historic Sites, four Wildlife Management Areas, two State Parks, five campground / recreation areas, and numerous tracts of Bureau of Land Management and National Forest lands. Each area represents a unique combination of habitats, offering a wide variety of bird species. These lands provide important staging and nesting areas for habitat dependent rarities.

Follow the Lewis and Clark trail through our varied habitats from valley wetlands, short grass prairies, and through large tracts of sagebrush, up winding riparian streams to expansive coniferous forests and alpine meadows and to the vistas of our mountain peaks.

Birding ethics: Please observe and enjoy birds from a distance. To avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger, exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording or filming. Keep well back from nest and nesting colonies, roost, display areas and important feeding sites. Stay on roads, trails and paths where they exist and respect private property. Keep habitat disturbance to a minimum. Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike.

Southwest Montana Birding Trails

When you're out following the Lewis & Clark Trail or you find the incredible expedition to be a fascinating part of history, then the Whitehall Lewis and Clark Murals are a special attraction you won't want to miss!

There are 10 murals throughout the town of Whitehall that depict various stages of the historic journey as the expedition passed through the Jefferson Valley and into history.

Mural 5 - depicts an Indian observing the Corps campires.

Mural Locations:

Whitehall has over 10 large murals that depict the various stages of Lewis and Clark's famous voyage west in the early 19th century.

  1. Corner Store
  2. IGA
  3. Star Theatre
  4. Legends
  5. Whitehall Senior Center
  6. Tona's Treasures
  7. Full Circle Tire
  8. Rocky Mountain Bank
  9. Whitehall Community Center
  10. Whitehall Medical Clinic
Mural 6 - depicts Sacajawea overlooking the three forks of the Missouri River.

The Vigilante Trail, originally dedicated in 1924, provides a corridor for Montana tourists from Butte to West Yellowstone. The trail was marked with the vigilante code, 3-7-77, on bright signs to ensure that visitors would not lose their way. This code served as a warning for frontier ruffians and criminals to leave the area immediately – or else. The trail cuts through the heart of Southwest Montana, taking travelers along the road that was frequented by so many of the early Montana settlers. Rich in territorial history, outdoor recreational opportunities, and genuine Montana hospitality, a trip along the Vigilante Trail will provide a memorable experience for all visitors.

An old building found while traveling along the Vigilante Trail

As you travel along the Vigilante Trail, you will find genuine Montana hospitality with every stop. Each of the communities along the trail – Butte, Whitehall, Silver Star, Twin Bridges, Sheridan, Alder, Nevada City, Virginia City, Ennis, Cameron, and West Yellowstone – is unique and offers its own Montana flare.

Things To Do

There are a variety of things to do along the Vigilante Trail. Below are some of the activities available at the Virginia City stop.

Free Activities

The Bovey Visitor Center

Picture in the Bovey Visitor Center in Nevada City, MT.

The Charles A. & Sue Ford Bovey Visitor Center is a tribute to Charles and Sue Ford Bovey located in Nevada City. The Bovey's loved history and in 1944 visited Virginia City and recognized its historic value. They joined others from the Historic Landmark Society of Montana. The Bovey's spent much of their own money to purchase the buildings, property, and even moved several buildings alongside the twelve existing in Nevada City in order to save them from destruction. They are recognized as pioneers in the field of historic preservation.  There is no charge to visit this building when open during summer operating hours.

Self Guided Walking Tours

The towns are considered “open air museums”, that is most of our collections can be viewed outdoors. There are also plaques on the buildings with historical significance. You can peek in the building’s windows for a look into life as it was in the late 1800s.

More information can be found at virginiacitymt.com

Outline of Vigilante Trail across Montana from Glacier Park to Yellowstone Park

Vigilante Pass

For a family or group of 5: $125 (good for 2 days)

Available for purchase from the Virginia City Depot or Nevada City Museum

Pass for Two

Price: $49

Family Season Pass

For a family up to 5: $149

Deer Lodge is the county seat of Powell County, Montana. More museums and historical collections can be found here than in any other town in the Northwest.

Deer Lodge’s 1,500-acre Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site illustrates the development of the northern plains cattle industry from the 1850s to recent times. This was the headquarters of one of the largest and best known 19th-century range ranches in the country.

Deer Lodge was also once an important railroad town, serving as a division headquarters for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (“the Milwaukee Road”) before the railroad’s local abandonment in 1980.

Local Attractions

Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

It's kids and cattle - horses and history and it's a piece of the American frontier! Settled in the 1860s by Johnny Grant, it became the headquarters of cattle baron Conrad Kohr's 10-million-acre empire. The ranch preserves the history of the open range era of the American West and commemorates the role of the cowboy and cattlemen in American history.

Deer Lodge - Powell County, Montana

Things to Do

Ranger Programs

Guided Tours

Ranch House Tour

Get to know the pioneer families who made this house their home. Johnny Grant built the ranch house in 1862 and it was declared by an article in The Montana Post as “by long odds, the finest in Montana.” Conrad Kohrs purchased the house in 1866 and in 1890, he added the brick addition with many innovative amenities.

Tickets Required - Tickets are free & available at the visitor center on the day of your visit. The last tour begins at 3:30 PM.

Wagon Tour

Feel the power of the draft horses as they lean into the harness. Hear the clopping of hooves as the team digs into the hard earth. Smell the sweat off the horses backs on the cool breeze.

Immerse yourself into the ranch, beyond the buildings, as you travel at a slower pace. Most of ranching still takes place out in the open spaces, just like during the Open Range Era. Experience the landscape, see the first irrigation ditch dug to carry water to the crops, and pass by haying equipment from a time when horsepower was the main kind of power on this unique look at Grant-Kohrs Ranch.

Offered Monday afternoons from 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm, June 22nd through September 7th. No tickets or reservations are required.

Explore Historic Buildings

Walk through the bunkhouse and see how the cowboys lived. Breathe in the history, as the distinct smell of hay, horses and leather greet you in the log Draft Horse Barn, that has been in use since 1870. Discover the large collection of horse-drawn vehicles in the Thoroughbred Barn, which was built in 1883 as a stable. These are just a few of the buildings you will see at the ranch.

Old Prison Museum in Deer Lodge, MT
Old Prison Museum - Deer Lodge, MT