DAY 33 - DILLON, MONTANA to MISSOULA, MONTANA 

JUNE 15 , 2014

We left Dillon, Montana for Missoula today.  We circled the wagons at the Big Hole National Battlefield along the way.  

These wagons are a little more comfortable

How would you like to have 24 RV's show up in your drive way?

This site memorializes a battle between the Nez Perce and the U.S. 7th Infantry Regiment on August 9-10, 1877.  The Nez Perce were trying to escape to Canada when scouts spotted their encampment at this site. The Nez Perce escaped, but left many of their dead behind; many of them women and children. The Army also had many casualties including their wounded Commanding General, however, they received replacements.

Big Hole National Battlefield sign

Big Hole National Battlefield Information Center

Young Chief Joseph and Colonel John Gibbon

This is the location of the Big Hole Battlefield, 
where many Indians were massacred

The entire road trip was very scenic, with snow capped Bitterroot Mountains rising above lush green pastures dotted with many thousands of cattle.  We followed the Bitterroot River for many miles as it rushes down the canyon crisscrossing the road.

So lush and green

And yet so much snow on the Bitterroot mountains

We traveled through several small, unique towns along the way. 

Once settled in the campground, some of us toured the Missoula Smokejumpers Base and Visitor Center. It is the largest smokejumper training facility in the nation.  We saw many displays explaining fire fighting procedures, smokejumping history, and other fire related issues.  In addition, there are several short educational videos and an actual fire lookout from 1937 that visitors could enter.

Visitor Center to the Smokejumpers

He's ready to go

And then to complete the wonderful day, we took advantage of the ice cream social offered by the RV camp.

Rig #4 Tom and Tamie