Whirla Whip in Stanley, North Dakota

Just had to stop in Stanley for some world famous, and very rare, Whirla Whip ice cream. The owner of the soda fountain here searched all over and bought all the old Whirl-A-Whip machines he could buy so he could keep one running for us. It allows the blending of hundreds of flavors. Great stuff !

Epping, North Dakota

Twenty miles north of Williston is a community that claims to be the "biggest little town in ND". Epping had a population of 79 at the 2000 census. It is a well preserved little town which even has a decent RV park just off the "main" street, with pull thru sites.

North Dakota Rural Scenes

We're had a great time taking in the rural scenery in North Dakota. The farmers are harvesting crops; the weather is cool; the air is fresh, and the locals are friendly. There are many scenes that beg to be photographed. Here are a few.

Writing Rock State Historical Site - Grenora, North Dakota

These rocks are somewhat of a mystery. The petroglyphs are believed to date somewhere between the year 1000 and 1700. The Plains Indian tribes believe their ancestors carved the symbols on the rocks. Others believe they may have been carved by Norse, Welsh, or Chinese explorers. If so, how did they get to North Dakota ?  Indians believed they could tell the future by how the symbols changed. Some people claim the lines represent maps.  A mystery for sure, but interesting and the drive to the rocks along a rural Montana road is quite scenic and relaxing. The rocks are located on a high hilltop near Grenora, North Dakota.

Fort Buford, North Dakota

Near Williston, ND lies Fort Buford, where in 1881, Sitting Bull surrendered. Aside from that fact, it has a very interesting history. It was attacked many times. The building is still standing and is well preserved. Additional buildings are intact. A barracks containing the furnishings of a 1880s cavalry unit can be toured. It's a good stop if you're in the area.

Location of Sitting Bull's surrender.

Fort Union Trading Post

I have long been fascinated with the old west's mountain man. My father was an avid hunter and collector of antique firearms and I became familiar with the old guns as a youngster. We trapped some when I was a child so perhaps this early peek into a trapper's life is the origin of my fascination. One place I always wanted to visit was Fort Union Trading Post. From 1828 to 1867, this post was the most important trading post on the upper Missouri. Many native American tribes brought their buffalo hides here to trade and the post was frequented by all the famous early mountain men. The Park Service has done an outstanding job with the post. You really get a feel that the post is active today. The trading rooms are stocked with trading goods and it just feels so real.  Part of the grounds are in North Dakota and part are in Montana. It is near Williston, North Dakota.

Fort Peck Dam, Montana

Another dam was on our way so we had to have a look. Fort Peck Dam is near Glasgow, Montana. It is 21,026 feet long and over 250 feet high. The dam is the largest hydraulically filled dam in the U.S. and created Fort Peck Lake, the fifth largest man made lake in the U.S..  We were there at sunset and it was spectacular.

Montana Annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Western Musical Rendezvous

We drove to Lewistown, MT. from Glacier National Park to take in the 25th Annual Montana Poetry Gathering. Red Steagall was the headliner and he and his band put on an outstanding show. There were numerous cowboy and mountain man poets and we were very impressed with the stories, the jokes and the poetry. In addition, there were western music singers and players who were just outstanding. We plan on making this gathering an annual event for us, as we love Montana and the western atmosphere.

Glacier Meadows RV Park

One of the parks we like near Glacier is Glacier Meadows. It's located 16 miles west of the town of East Glacier on Highway 2. It's roomy, very scenic, and has great management.

Hungry Horse Dam - Hungry Horse, Montana

Another interesting day trip when parked near Glacier National Park is the Hungry Horse Dam. It was completed in 1953 and is 564 feet high. It has a visitor's center and tours are available. The wilderness roads around it and the lake are good areas for wildlife sighting. Hungry Horse is also a neat little town.

Prince of Wales Hotel - Waterton-Glacier National Park

Carmel has always wanted to have "afternoon tea" at the Prince of Wales Hotel. So, while parked outside Glacier National Park, we drove up to Waterton in Canada for tea. Just inside the park we had a large grizzly cross the road in front of us. He stopped near us; kept an eye on us, but went ahead looking for food nearby. We were able to watch him up close for five minutes.

Museum of Mountain Flying - Missoula

Another interesting museum in Montana is the Museum of Mountain Flying at the Missoula Airport. It is staffed with volunteers dedicated to preserving historical aircraft. A lot of good work is in progress there. Some very interesting aircraft and vehicles.