Montana Outdoors

Alan Barthelmess

  Whether you are from around here or not everyone can agree Montana is a true outdoorsman’s paradise. All over Montana there are splendid places to go hunting, fishing, camping or whatever your outdoor fancy may be.
Butte especially has some beautiful wilderness around this area that is sure to match your hobby of choice. Be it rock climbing on Dragons back or wakeboarding out on Delmo Lake you’ll find that the surrounding area can accommodate all kinds of recreational activities.
   If you are up for a good hike and feeling fairly ambitious I recommend a hike straight up the face of the Rockies to our beloved Lady of the Rockies statue. Up by Homestake Pass there are plenty of campgrounds that can suit the needs of those that wish to get away for awhile without being more than twenty minutes away. It doesn’t matter what season it is, from the cold chill winter to the sizzling heat of summer (which we kind of skipped this year) there is always something to do.
  When winter rolls around its time to grab your gear and show Mother Nature that a snow covered landscape is just another playground for us to roam. Discovery ski resort is merely a forty-five minute drive away over by Georgetown Lake if you like to ski or snowboard. Georgetown Lake is also a popular ice fishing lake that is not far away by any means and is reachable by any vehicle. Of course when the snow is on the ground that means its hunting season for deer and elk, Montana is fairly abundant in both of these animals and areas to hunt them. Also for those of you who wish to break out the big toys and go four wheeling and snowmobiling, Homestake Pass is loaded with trails to discover.
   Many people do not care much for winter and will probably spend most of their days inside or soaking out at Fairmont. That’s ok because when summer rolls around the fun doesn’t stop. With multiple lakes across Montana water sports such as waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing are a go for sure. You can always find an easy going stream and spend your day floating carelessly with a couple of friends in the sun. For a more intense float grab your friends, a raft, and I seriously stress a guide who knows the river well and look for a white water rafting adventure. There is always recreational target practice for those who wish to keep their sights accurate and skills tuned. Anyone that wishes to shoot at another person without causing serious injury or spend time in jail, paintball is the sport for you and with butte being land locked by all these mountains your sure to find an area that is suited for your needs.