Camping at Thain Creek

August 4- 6, 2017
Montana

I had really enjoyed  my visit to Great Falls, several years ago when I tacked it on as a snap decision while visiting Helena  on a one day trip from the National Bison Range. I drove and played over a very long day.  See that story here.  I wanted to experience more of the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. so I decided to put another weekend visit on my bucket list. and started researching a place to camp, because I was about five hours away.

Someone rhapsodized about the relatively tiny area of the Highwood Mountains, a island range that is in the middle of a prairie, east of Great Falls,  and which is managed by the Lewis and Clark Forest. There is one official campground there Thain Creek, as well as lots of dispersed camping nearby.  The advice was golden and the trip from Great Falls to the Campground was lovely and involved lots of stops, even when I was on my third or fourth drive through.

So come and enjoy it with me.

The roads in this area are among the worst I've seen with this high a speed.  It wasn't until I was driving south this fall through Wyoming, that I found their equal.  It may have been the first time I've not been in danger of getting a speeding ticket in my life.

Montana reluctently added speed limits in 1974 . Their history is a source of amusement from a live free or die state. 

At this time of year, the cows are all grazing on public lands, while the ranchers raise hay to fee the cows over the winter

I looked like it was a good year, in spite of the drought, but I'm not sure what a normal year looks like.

Love the shapes and textures

I'm heading towards those 'mountains"

Getting closer and finding the trees starting to grow

And finding rocky outcroppings

Oh, this place

Came across a fast flowing stream

Add caption

Rocky outcropping

Just gotta have this view 

And macro views enchant as well

Hay still growing in the foreground with a delicious view behind

Think the speed limit is still at least 70mph here

Oh the anticipation!

These ranchers have got to feel blessed

A small sign of civilization

One of a few glimpses of a ranch

I arrived at Thain Campground to find it full.  But I found a stream side dispersed camp site less than a mile away and which had access to a outhouse at the foot of a hiking trail.  I was late putting up my tent and decided I would take pictures later.  The next morning it was sprinkling, then I came home after dark then, next morning, forgot and rushed to pack up and leave. But I'd give it 5 stars for a easy place to camp off by yourself.

And of course the point of  journey was to be set up to visit Great Falls. Still coming up. Stay tuned.