Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park and Bannack State Park

When we left the Glacier area we drove to the Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park where there is a very large cavern complex. We opted to just take the Paradise Cavern tour which only tours a couple of the rooms because I had pulled a muscle in my calf while we were at Glacier. The longer tours required a lot of stair climbing, crawling, bending, stooping, etc. and I just didn't think that was a good idea.

This was the Bull Snake that was sunning by the trail to the cavern. Bull snakes are not poisonous and they eat a lot of undesirables so off he went. Our guide told us that they had found a baby rattlesnake at the entrance to the cavern that morning and captured and relocated it away from people. Sure enough when we got to the entrance there was another baby snake. She called for someone to come move it but it crawled off harmlessly into the desert before reinforcements arrived!

The next several pictures were taken with my cell phone.

We went from The L& C Caverns Park to Missouri Headwaters State Park which is where the Jefferson, Madison, & Gallatin Rivers meet to form the Missouri River. Not much to see there but here are a few pictures.

Now for our favorite Montana State Park of this trip! Bannack State Park campground has Grasshopper Creek flowing through it. We got lucky enough to get the campground with the best view of the creek. With my bedroom window open I could actually hear the creek as it bubble by the camper and Patrick was finally motivated to go online and get a Montana fishing license so that he could put a hook in the water. He spent the better park of three days fishing but didn't catch anything and I spent the better part of three days reading! It was a very relaxing three days. But we didn't just relax while there. Bannack State Park has a deserted silver mining town located in the Park. The buildings are very well preserved and it made for a great morning of walking through the town. Nearly all of the buildings were open for us to walk through. So here goes enjoy the tour.

We saw a lot of wildlife here. I'm not sure what kind of bird the first one is but the next two are of a robin who spent a lot of time near our campsite. As a matter of fact there were at least three of them.

This is a picture of Grasshopper creek from our campsite. 

Now take a walk with us down the streets of the Bannack silver mining town of the 1800s. It was fascinating. Warren Dismang you would be in heaven with your camera here.

The next several pictures are of the home of the town doctor. It was one of the few homes that was furnished. Notice the curtains still hanging in the windows.

The next three pictures are of the building that served as the school and the Masonic Lodge. The school was on the first floor and the Lodge on the second floor. Notice that the school had a merry-go-round. I actually remember riding on one just like this. 

I loved the rules posted on the board for both students and teachers. I'm afraid we wouldn't have many teachers if these rules still applied!

This is the second floor Masonic Lodge on the second floor of the school building.

Moving on down the street.

My life of crime finally caught up with me! This is the first jail ever built in Montana territory.

The Methodist Church in Bannack was built by a circuit riding Methodist preacher who took the opportunity to get a commitment to build the Church when the entire area was gathered in Bannack in anticipation of an Indian attack which never materialized.

The inside of the Methodist Church.

Now back to the campground.

I always thought that chipmunks were about the same size as squirrels but we have seen several and they are more the size of mice.

Our first day at Bannack, we spotted a mama duck and her 7 ducklings. They swam through the campsite being careful to stay clumped together as they moved. 

The last two days we were there, we saw the baby ducks but not mama. And by the last day the babies had just about tripled in size and had lost their fuzzy look.

The next few pictures were taken driving around the area.

Just because I love old barns.

Well folks, this was a long one but that pretty much catches us up after being without any connectivity for over a week. Stay cool.