Welcome to Montana

  Let us show you some of the sites and wonders that you will experience during your stay at Black Rabbit R.V. Park. Montana has many wonderful  attractions to see, and the senery is unsurpassed. Click on the links below to share in the beauty of just a few of them. Don't miss out on the memories that will last a lifetime. Come and see for yourself. Please call us toll free 1-866-707-5050.

The Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is located in the beautiful Bitterrot Valley, cradled between the Bitterroot Mountain Range on the west and Sapphire Mountain Range on the east. Bounded on the west by the Bitterroot River, the refuge setting is truly spectacular. Although small by refuge standards, the 2800-acre refuge is managed to crate a variety of habitats that are rich with abundant and diverse plants and animals. Osprey, bald eagles, cormorants and several species of ducks, geese and swans inhabit refuge ponds. The river bottom woodlands have mostly black cottonwood, ponderosa pine, alder, willow and other lowland plants. The Bitterroot River Recreation Area features over 2 miles of nature trails and a picnic area with accessible tables, pavilion, grill and outhouse.

The Lake Como Recreation Area has opportunities for a variety of day, overnight, extended backpacking, motorized and non-motorized use.

Teller Wildlife Refuge offers guests and visitors a vision inspired by the incredible scenic open spaces of western Montana's Bitterroot Valley. Otto Teller, an avid sportsman and lifelong conservationist, and a summer resident of the Bitterroot for over fifty years, created the Teller Wildlife Refuge in 1985-1993, by acquiring 18 smaller properties, and reconsolidating them into what were, in the 1860s, the Chaffin and Slack family homesteads.

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                               Backcountry Trail Etiquette from Hamilton, Montana

                                         Backcountry Trail User's Responsibility

Those using backcountry trails should recognize their responsibility for maintaining safe, beautiful terrain for everyone to enjoy. Some trails are open to a number of different kinds of trail users. No matter what mode of travel you choose, we all have a responsibility to the environment, to the trail tread, to others, and to ourselves. Practise minimum impact trail use. Planning and common sense will improve your backcountry experience. Travel within the ability of your equipment and your fitness to handle changing weather conditions. Use only trails that you know are dry enough to be suitable for travel. By choosing your time to use trails, such as early mornings or weekdays, you can avoid crowds in high-use areas. Common courtesy will go a long way toward insuring a pleasant experience for others as well as yourself. Good practices on the trail and in camp preserve the enviroment and our privilege of continuing to enjoy our backcountry trails.

Hamilton is also home to the Daly Mansion built in the late 1800s for Marcus Daly. Marcus Daly, one of Montana's colorful "Copper Kings," established Anaconda with his smelter and Hamilton with his lumber industry. He built his family a summer home in Hamilton, the heart of the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. The mansion occupies 24,000 square feet on three floors with 24 bedrooms, 15 bathrooms and seven fireplaces. After Mrs. Daly's death in 1941, the mansion was closed until 1987, when it was reopened to the public. It is situated on gorgeous tree-lined grounds along the scenic Bitterroot River and impressive peaks of the Bitterroot Range that run more than 60 miles along the entire length of the valley.

Ravalli County Museum is located in the original Ravalli County Courthouse built in 1900. Saved from the wrecker's ball by a grassroots citizen's movement in 1979, it is now listed in the National Register of Historic Buildings and considered one of the finest museums for a city Hamilton's size. Collections and displays recapture the prehistory of the county. Highlights include the complete Rocky Mountain Laboratory display on tick fever; extensive archives; Native American clothing, implements and art; period rooms of the Victorian era; an old-fashioned kitchen; a trapper's cabin; and a veteran's display.

Stevensville was the first European American settlement in the "Territory of Montana". Originally established as "Saint Mary's Mission" and the nearby "Fort Owen" trading post during the 1840's and 1850's, the town of Stevensville grew up around the original Mission church shown above. The highest peak in this part of the Bitterroot Mountains is named for this Mission, and may be seen in the background behind the original Mission church pictured above.

Fort Owen State Park Built of adobe and logs, Fort Owen is the site of the first permanent while settlement in Montana. Major John Owen established the fort as a regional trade center in 1850 and period furnishings and artifacts are displayed in the restored rooms of the east barracks. This site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For information call: (406)542-5500

Darby's Pioneer Memorial Museum was originally one of the first hand-hewn homestead cabins built in the area. It was crafted by early settler Evelin Matteson in 1886 on his homestead near the mouth of Tin Cup Creek. In 1958 an interested citizen purchased the building and paid to have it moved to its present location, adjacent to the city park on U.S. Highway 93. It became a museum depository for the extensive collection of both home and business artifacts saved by the many pioneer families in the area. A photo of the cabin at its original site is on display at the museum along with a large number of early-day photographs and memorabilia of Darby and its people.

The Battle of the Big Hole on August 9 and 10, 1877, was a turning point of the Nez Perce War, a 5-month war in which U.S. Army forces tried to place one third of the Nez Perce tribe on a reservation. The fighting began in White Bird Canyon in Idaho and had a dramatic ending in the Bear Paw Mountains of Montana. Self-guiding tours take you to many points of the Battlefield. A short drive to the lower parking area connects with foot trails to the Nez Perce Camp, the Siege Area, and the Howitzer Capture site. The walks each take about an hour. Ranger conducted programs are offered in summer; introductory presentations and exhibits are available year-round. The Visitor Center offers basic orientation through an audiovisual program and exhibits, including the original mountain Howitzer from the battle. The Battlefield is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day and from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during the remainder of the year.

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