Spring Creek Campground Big Timber, MT

 July 9, 2021

Today we drove to Big Timber, Montana

The views driving through Montana were lovely.

We have a campsite on the river with some shade, a bench, picnic table and fire ring on our door side.

The other side is pretty close to our neighbor.  That is disappointing.

But the view of the Boulder River is supreme.

As a late afternoon surprise a flock of sheep grazed across the river.

The noises from the sheep were more guttural than the farmer speak n say.

July 10, 2021

No plans for today so we started off the day with some apple pancakes for breakfast.

I took a walk around the campground area which is an agricultural/ranching area.

A couple of horses were feasting in this meadow.

The views to the south show the hazy Mountains in the distance.

Jim took some time to grease the bearings.

And clean up the tire rims on the trailer.

All shiny looking again.

We later read outside and watched boats with fishermen cast away as their guides steered the boat.

July 11, 2021

After church today we had breakfast at the Grand Hotel.

A town needed a hotel to house visitors and potential future residents.

You know you are out west when you eat under a moose head.

In the afternoon we headed to the Crazy Mountain Museum.  It had very nice displays and covered stories of individuals and families.

I liked the story of Ansel S Hubble. "Born c. 1830, the first white child born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

"Arrived 1867, trapping and prospecting for gold.  One account relates a gold hunting expedition up the Boulder where Hubble came upon a small stream he described as a "hell roarer." Thus Hell Roaring was named. A little further up the canyon was a creek described as "but a slough," and so is still called Slough Creek.  In following years, Hubble's life was devoted to trapping, prospecting, and Indian fighting. One never heard him say he had "killed" an Indian - only that the Indian "stopped," and he, Hubble, walked on. He built a small cabin in the 1880's in a gulch still known as Hubble Gulch. A post office on the East Boulder, since discontinued, was named "Hubble" in his honor. He was not a talkative man or especially sociable, but often dropped in at neighbors for a visit. He always traveled on foot with a walking stick. Later, he established a home at the warm springs which was to become Anderson's Lithia Springs. Mr. Hubble died in 1900."

Okay time to get your cowboy on.  At the Grand a photo showed brands registered in Big Timber.

And then at the museum we learned how to read a brand.  Now you have the information just in case Jeopardy has a category on reading brands.

Of all the brands, I liked this one this best.

Some stylish chaps, quite heavy I will have you know.

"Batwing chaps are cut wide with a flare at the bottom. Generally made of leather with the smooth side out, they have only two or three fasteners around the thigh, thus allowing you great freedom of movement for your lower leg. This is helpful when riding very actively, and makes it easier to mount your horse."

Or are Woolies more your style?

"Angora (or Wooly) chaps also became popular in the late 1800's, but these were designed to protect northern cowboys in colder and wetter regions such as Montana and North Dakota."

Jim was attracted to the display on Leo Cremer, a fellow Domer.

"Leo was born in Wisconsin in 1892. Leo Cremer came to Montana in 1911 from his home in Wisconsin. He had just finished his Junior Year of College at Notre Dame, where he spent the last part of the football season warming the bench with a young Norwegian kid named Knute Rockne."

"Rodeo producer throughout the Rocky Mountain region for 27 years, Leo Cremer established the greatest string of bucking horses ever assembled under a single ownership. So deep was the talent of his horses that many of them never bucked more than once or twice a year. Born in 1891, Cremer got into the rodeo business after moving west to homestead as a young man. He began supplying draft horses to Wisconsin farmers, and with the outlawed horses that couldn’t be trained, he held local impromptu bucking horse contests that started his rodeo business. His most famous broncs were Mexico, Peekaboo, Will James, Madam Queen, Come Apart (inducted in 1979) and Hoochie Coochie. Cremer was killed in a stock-truck accident on Nov. 28, 1953. His business became part of the World Championship Rodeo Company owned by film, radio and television star Gene Autry."

July 12, 2021

Today we headed off to the Crazy Mountains.

We started on highway, then gravel road, then an unimproved road and then a very bumpy, rocky Forest Service Road to get to our trailhead.

Meadows and pine trees at the trailhead for Big Timber Creek Falls.

It was a short but uphill hike to the falls and an undisturbed one as well, we were the only people hiking.  Jim saw one other couple come and go while we were at the lower falls but that was it, quite a change from hiking in a National Park.

Big Creek Timber Falls

Happy to have a private viewing with lots of rocks to climb around and see the falls.

Out flow from the falls cascading over the rocks.

Here is a video of the outflow from the falls.

Wildflowers always catch my eye.

We climbed the trail higher to see Upper Big Timber Falls

So much white water, I love it.

A little pollenating going on with this bright magenta flower.

The Lazy K Bar Ranch butted up against the road in and the National Forest.

"5th generation Montana dude ranch on 8,488± deeded acres, 29 cabins, lodge, 4 miles trout stream, incredible peaks, alpine lakes. Once in a lifetime opportunity to own a true Montana legacy."  Sorry it sold, asking price was $9,000,000 but you could still stay at one of the cabins on the dude ranch.

View of the Crazy Mountains on the way out.

It does not seem all that dry here, but this dried watering hole says it is.

Everything green here is due to irrigation.

Not done with our day yet, we drove south of the campground too.

This mountain is named Lion's Head.  Do you see it?

Here we are at the same Boulder River that flows by our campsite.

It drop downs at what is called Natural Bridge Falls

A photo pre1988 of the Natural Bridge

"Throughout time, erosion has played a major role in shaping and changing the landscape of Main Boulder Canyon. Just a few yards upstream from here, a small natural limestone formation spanned the Main Boulder River. It was "The Natural Bridge," giving this site its name. It collapsed in 1988."

Here is a video of Natural Bridge Falls

It still looks pretty today even without the natural bridge.

Downstream from the falls you barely see a trickle of water.

"If you look downstream into the canyon during low water, the river appears to have dried up. The water is actually flowing underground inside many long solution channels in the limestone. The river surfaces in this area only when there is too much water volume for the underground channels to accommodate."

Okay time to cross the Boulder River and see the Falls from the other side.

The water flow is all in the bottom section when we saw it but it can flow out the hole above it and the ledge above that when water levels are higher earlier in the Spring.

We descended down a narrow dusty path to get to the base of the falls.  Normally I avoid rocks on the trail but here I tried to step on every one to get some sort of grip rather than slipping on the loose dirt.

You can see how forceful the falls are and a small pool to the right then the water goes underground on the far right.

You can see a small space above the water, it appears that some day this may be a Natural Bridge Fall again as water erodes away the rock.

Us at the Natural Bridge Falls

Time to head back along the Big Timber Creek enjoying Montana ranch land.

July 13, 2021

So today we are off to see Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park

It is not much too look at initially, then you see a prairie dog.

"Prairie dogs are constantly alert for danger. Their mounds serve as watching posts and, since a clear line of sight is essential to the security of the town, vegetation is kept short."

"The burrow is the home of the prairie dog and is sometimes as deep as 14 feet. It provides shelter, food storage and safe haven from many predators which feed on prairie dogs."

Prairie dogs actually belong to the ground squirrel group. Early French trappers referred to them as "petite chien" or "little dog". Today they are known as prairie dogs even though they have no relationship to man's best friend." 

"prairie dogs are unique to North America alone"

They sit on two legs perfectly still looking out for any danger.

A chirping prairie dog alerting others of danger.

"Prairie dogs have a highly organized social system. Each town is composed of many "coteries" or neighborhoods. Each coterie is composed of one or two adult males, two to four females and their litters of young."

Not our most amazing stop, but fun just the same.