The Three Main Streets of Big Timber, Montana

On this last Monday off, I drove the loop around the Crazy and Castle Mountains, and I made stops to enjoy some of the small towns along the way. First stop Big Timber.

This small town really has three active streets. West 1st Avenue and Big Timber Loop Road are connect the two interstate on-ramps. Major truck stops greet drivers at both ends including The Fort. Great places for a pit stop. At The Fort, not only can you and your vehicle get refueled, but you can also pick up firearms, ammunition and outdoor gear for any Montana adventure.

Credit: Travis Lee, TSM

Now the third is McLeod Street. This is the same road to get to the underground waterfall I wrote about earlier. This is the business district where you can park your car and stroll the sidewalks for a few blocks of easy shopping. Among the variety, Gusts of Big Timber and Crazy Woman Trading have clothing and special gifts. The Sweet Grass Arts Theater may have just the film to escape the summer heat for a couple hours.

Credit: Travis Lee, TSM

Want to relax with coffee or tea? Thistle Creek has a quaint, shady garden alcove right in front so you can enjoy a cup with friends and watch the town go by.

I realized when seeing the Big Timber Bakery that I hadn't had breakfast. So the best way to support local businesses: buy. I treated myself to a peach scone made with real peaches. Just enough frosted drizzle to provide some sweetness to counter the tart peach. The crumble gave some cinnamon topping to a hearty scone that fueled me through the rest of the morning.

Credit: Travis Lee, TSM

If leaving town heading west, stop by the Coffee Stop with the antique car (above) and grab a cup for the road.

All the small towns in Montana have little special somethings. Maybe we all need to stop racing down the highway to get wherever and just explore where the off ramp leads. Who knows? Could suddenly become a day well spent.