Montana



After leaving Idaho, we stayed in Columbus Montana for a week and visited Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in south central Montana.

After seeing it in many of movies and shows, it is sobering to actually step on the ground where the battle actually took place and see the real site. 

Many people think that the battle was lost due to Lt Col George A. Custer's arrogance, but once you visit the site and hear the story of the battle and its interpretation, you may come to a different opinion.

When you realize that communications along the battle lines were slow and that both of Lt Col Custer's subordinate commanders did not fully follow his orders or provide the support he required, the battle could have turned out differently.

Also when you realize that the native Americans were only defending their way of life and families,  you may feel that the battle ended the way it should have, but in the end they still lost their way of life anyway.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

While there you need to watch the 25 minute orientation video and then listen to one of the rangers tell the story of the battle.  After that you will want to walk up to Last Stand Hill where Custer fell, visit the Indian Memorial, walk the 1/4 mile Ravine Trail, and then drive the 4.5 mile tour road to the Reno-Benteen Battle site.

The path up to Last Stand Hill.



The white headstones mark where 7th Calvary soldiers fell.

LT COL Custer's headstone where he fell in battle.

Headstones marking where Native Americans fell during the battle.

Looking out over where many cavalrymen fell during the battle.

Sculpture at the Indian Memorial.

Indian Memorial.

A fallen 7th Calvary soldier with horses in the background. 

Seeing the horses roaming on the battlefield all alone made us think, are they ancestors to any of the horses that were used in the battle so many years ago?

More horses roaming on the battlefield.

A close up of the some of the horses on the battlefield.

This is one of those places you just have to visit in person to appreciate its greatness.  Even though it represents a bad time in our nation's history, it is a part of history we never want to forget.



What Lt Col Custer may have seen just before his demise from Last Stand Hill.

While in Montana we stayed at the Mountain Range RV Park which was really one of the few RV parks in the area.  It is located just off of I90 in Columbus, MT.

While there we planned to drive over to Red Lodge, MT and take the Beartooth Hyway into Yellowstone, but we were there a week too early and the road was still closed for the winter.  It is called "the most beautiful roadway in America" and climbs to an elevation of 10,947 feet above sea level with mountains peaks over 12,000 feet high.

Maybe next time we come through this area, we can plan to do it when the pass is open.

Never the less, we did make to Yellowstone a couple of time, but that will have to be in another post.

While working on this post, our little girl, Camilyn (Cami) was born, which bumped this post back one so I could do a post on her.  We did an at home (RV) water birth that was a wonderful experience.  What a way to bring a life into the world.  If you have not read it yet, it was the post right before this one, so go to our blog history on the right of this page and read all about it.

Pregnant Misty and kids walking up the Last Stand Hill.

God bless you and your families and America.  We are blessed and happy to share a little part of our travels with you.  If you like our blog please follow us or sign up with your email to receive new blogs as we publish them.

Thanks!
Don, Misty, and Kids...

Twenty three states visited so far.



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