Day 1
June 21, 2026 Sunday
Grasshopper Creek Inn Polaris MT to Choteau MT.
We are starting our trip after joining our Spa to Spa friends on their annual bicycle ride around the Pioneers. (See Spa to Spa bike ride in 2025 posts).
We left Grasshopper Creek travelling the Pioneer Wild & Scenic road to Wise River MT. We drove past Butte to Helena. Visited the newly opened Montana Heritage Center.
Helena to Choteau. Backroad north past Marysville and Great Divide Ski area. Headed to Hwy 200 (toward Lincoln) on Flesher Pass road. Beautiful views with switchbacks both up and down.
Highway 200 takes us up to Rogers Pass. Famous for being the coldest point ever in the lower 48. – 70’!! (1954)
5 miles of switchbacks going down toward Great Falls crosses the Dearborn River… popular float in the spring… it flows into the Missouri just downstream from Wolf Creek.
In Montana there are white crosses on the highway for vehicle deaths. This little stretch we’ve driven had several.
Highway 287 headed toward Augusta MT famous for an annual summer rodeo which is coming up next week June 28. I’ve never been but it was wildly popular among some of my college friends from Univ of Montana…go figure. Also has the Sun River flowing a few miles out of town. The Sun River flows into the Missouri at Great Falls.
This highway parallels the Rocky Mountain Front with high mountain peaks. We’re looking at the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness. From Augusta you can access “The Bob” as it is referred to colloquially.
Camped in the Choteau City Park campground. $10. Toilets only. Clean, soap, toilet paper and paper towels. Pretty good. Quiet night with a little rain… perfect.
cinnicrew 