akbeemer
SURVIVOR
Thanks for the update, any other suggestions for a nice 200-400 mile day around Great Falls?
A great ride.....
US 89 S out of GF towards White Sulphur Springs. This stretch takes you thru the Little Belt Mountains. In June you could encounter temps in the 30s or 70s on the same day. After around 93 miles at the T intersection with US 12, head east (option 1: 325 miles) or west into White Sulphur Springs (option2: 265 miles)
Option 1 (325 Miles): East on highway 12 for about 27 miles and turn right on MT 294, then 2 miles to a T intersection and turn left, you are in Martinsdale, go two blocks and take a right on Main Street and look for the Crazy Mountain Inn. Good food. Go back to the T intersection and go straight thru it and stay on MT 294 W for 27 miles, at the intersection turn right on US 89 N, go 8 miles and turn left on US 12 W then 33 miles thru Deep Creek Canyon (twisty) to Townsend. Stay on Hwy 12 W (turn right at the flashing light) for 30 miles to Helena and the intersection with I-15. It is 90 miles to Great Falls on I-15. The ride on I-15 is one of the best you will find on an interstate. It goes thru Wolf Creek Canyon and the Big belt Mountains at Hardy. You can ride much of the way on frontage roads as well. Some of them follow the Missouri as it cuts thru the Big belts and it is a very nice ride. You can get on the frontage (or recreation road) at exit 219, thru Wolf Creek, past the Craig turn off, under I-15, and then it meanders along I-15 and the Missouri. At times you will be a few miles from I-15 but I don't think you will have trouble finding your way, or getting back to the interstate if your fun meter is pegged. You need to get on the interstate at Ulm. Or just stay on the interstate all the way from Helena... it is a good ride much of the way. (If you take option one you may want to go into White Sulpur Springs for fuel before heading to Martinsdale. There will be no fuel until you get to Townsend which is over 100 miles via Martinsdale)
Option 2 (265 Miles): Skip Martinsdale. At the T intersection of US 89 and US 12 go right thru White sulphur Springs to Townsend. Saves 60 miles.
Second ride: GF to Belt, Fort Benton, GF. (150 miles). US 89 S 30 miles to Belt, at Belt take MT 331 (turns into HWY 228 somewhere along the way) thru Highwood and Big Sag about 40 miles to Fort Benton. Return to GF on US 87 S around 42 miles. Look up Fort Benton on Wikipedia. some interesting history to see, including Shep the dog.
Good book that gives insights into the early days of Montana; trapping, guiding, Indian fighting, sheriff and newspaper editor; this guy did it all.
Life and Death on the Upper Missouri: The Frontier Sketches of Johnny Healy
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/0615782...olid=1PIMU7QXTED04&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it