Bumping Clouds Above the Yellowstone River, Livingston, Montana

“Oh, how the clouds stumbled in and assembled stupidly in the sky.
Great obese clouds.
Dark and plump.
Bumping into each other. Apologizing. Moving on and finding room.“ 
- Markus Zusak, from The Book Thief, p. 79

Iconic, Murray Hotel, Livingston, Montana

Seen here reflected in the old rail depot's window, Livingston’s iconic Murray Hotel has been hosting visitors to Montana’s Yellowstone Country for over a century. 

Find out more of the hotel's history and updated amenities here, at their website; the site also includes a historical video narrated by Margot Kidder.

Settler’s View, Gallatin City Hotel, Three Forks, Montana

With million dollar views from every window of the Gallatin Hotel, it’s no wonder visionary pioneers clung to high hopes of creating a thriving settlement. 

Read more of this settlement's short history here, and then click here to learn why you might visit the Missouri Headwaters State Park. ("Tipi rentals" and "marshmallow roast campfire" rank high on my list of good reasons! Now if I can just talk someone into going with me....)

Vacancy, Missouri Headwaters State Park, Three Forks, Montana

The Missouri Headwaters State Park is a great place to stop and stretch your legs on the drive between Livingston and Missoula, Montana. In addition to vast windswept scenery, the trail provides bonus history lessons. What you see is all that’s left of the ambitious but relatively short-lived Gallatin City Hotel and the Akin Barn (far right). According to a fellow walker who’s been trekking the area for a lot of years, the roof framing only deteriorated in the last five years.

Long Weekend, Livingston, Montana

With the long weekend over, these playground trikes resting at Livingston’s
Montessori Island School will be brushed off and back to work by morning recess. And I’m sure that old kitchen pot in the background will make wonderful snow blocks for an igloo or some such.

Classic Montana Downtown, Livingston, Montana

The crisp grandeur of Livingston’s
mountain air invigorated me, body and soul, and the rounded rumble of her passing trains lulled me to sleep each night.

Waiting, East Missoula, Montana

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.”
-Robert H. Schuller