Montana 2019

By AliciaRV Living
Glendive-Short Pines OHV Area

Plans change all of the time in our life, and this trip was no different. Read on to learn about our journey across the southern portion of Montana.

Glendive-Short Pines OHV Area

We spent our first night in Montana south of the town of Glendive, in a parking/camping area known as the Glendive-Short Pines OHV Area. It’s a fairly popular place for off-roading and there are numerous trails throughout the area. It was busy when we arrived with only one spot for us to park, but by the time the sun was down it had cleared out to only us and one other group of 3 or 4 families.

How to get there

Heading west on I-94, take either the first (Business I-94) or second (MT 16) exit into Glendive. If taking the second exit, turn left onto Business I-94, then right on S Merrill Ave. From the first exit, continue along Business I-94 until it turns into S Merrill Ave. Continue on S Merrill Ave for about 7 miles (S Merrill Ave turns into FAS 335). Shortly after entering the OHV area (you should see a small sign as you enter) you will see a parking area to your right.

Amenities

It’s dry camping only here, but there is a vault toilet available for use. We did not notice any dump stations in the area while driving through Glendive.

What to do

This is a great place to take your dirt bike, quad, four-wheeler, or any other registered off-road vehicle and have a lot of fun. There are trails here for any skill level. The city of Glendive has everything you need, and the Glendive Dinosaur and Fossil Museum is a popular place for families to visit.

Itch-Kep-Pe Park, Columbus, MT
Our next destination was Billings, MT. Since our goal is to keep our expenses as low as possible, we opted to stay at a free city park about 40 miles west of Billings in the town of Columbus, MT. Itch-Kep-Pe Park is located along the Yellowstone River just out of town and has two loops for RV and tent camping. When we arrived there were several other campers there but it was not crowded nor particularly busy. We ended up staying for 8 nights, the week leading up to and including Labor Day weekend.
 
Our original plan was to leave Sunday morning, but Saturday afternoon found us stranded with a truck that wouldn’t start. We were thankful that we were parked at the church we had attended that morning and had all the help we could wish for in attempting to get our truck started. We ended up having it towed back to our campsite 41 miles away and our new friend Eric came out the next morning to hep us replace the starter. Unfortunately that didn’t get our truck running so we made plans to stay until Tuesday and prayed a mechanic could help us out.
 
Monday morning, though, we were able to hotwire the truck and get it started, and since then it has started with no issues. We made a trip into Billings to visit Eric and his family then headed back, hooked up our camper, and set off to our next destination.
 
How to get there
From Billings, head west on I-90 until you get to the town of Columbus. There is only one exit into town so you shouldn’t miss it. Take a left and head into town. When you get to a tee (the railroad tracks will be directly in front of you), turn right then take the next left on Hwy 78 over the railroad tracks. Follow this road until you come to a bridge over the Yellowstone River (don’t cross the bridge) and turn left, heading into the park.
 
Amenities
This is a dry camping only park, run on donations. There are flush toilets and dumpsters available, as well as free firewood. Two water spigots on the side of the restroom building are available for use. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. The nearest dump station is at the small Cenex gas station on Hwy 78 near the park (you should have passed it on the right after you drove over the railroad tracks). They charge $5 to dump during business hours. There is also an option to dump and get water at Mountain Range RV park on the other side of I-90, which also charges $5.
 
What to do
Columbus is friendly small town that has all the basics. There is a museum here that we didn’t have time to visit, and a farmer’s market on Thursdays that we stopped at to buy a few vegetables. There were several vendors there selling everything from fresh veggies to jewelry and handmade blankets.
Look at the huge kohlrabi we found at the farmer's market!
Drummond City Park

Our final stop in Montana was in the city of Drummond, 255 miles west of Columbus, MT on I-90. We arrived at 9pm Monday night and left at 7am the next morning, eager to be on our way to Mount Rainier National Park, the first national park on our journey. The Town of Drummond campground is a small campground with both electric/water sites and dry camping sites. Since we were only staying the night we opted to park in the grass without hookups. Each site has a picnic table and many were able to accommodate larger rigs.

How to get there
Heading west on I-90, take the first exit into town then turn left. Turn right on E Front St, then left on S Main St. Cross over the railroad tracks and drive for about a half mile to the campground, which will be on the left (east) side of the road.
Amenities

Some electric/water hookup sites for RVs and some dry camping tent/RV spots. There is a playground and baseball field for use, and flush toilets were also available. We did not notice any dump stations in the area.

What to do

We only spent 10 hours here, so we didn’t have a chance to explore the area. Fishing, canoeing, and boating are the main activities enjoyed by locals and visitors.

We had a great time in Montana, and even though we faced challenges we were assured that God is with us on our journey. Have you visited or do you live in Montana? What did/do you think? Leave us a comment below! We look forward to hearing from you!

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