Sites to See

Natural Bridge and Falls

Located about 25 miles south of Big Timber on Highway 298 along the Main Boulder River, the Natural Bridge area offers visitors an opportunity to witness breathtaking beauty. The site features unusual geologic formations including a dramatic waterfall during the spring runoff. The Main Boulder River, an A-1 trout stream, tumbles out of the mountains to meander gently through meadows filled with wildlife. When it reaches Natural Bridge it becomes a wild surge of water as it drops 100 feet over the limestone bedrock into a gorge carved out by the river and shaken by earthquakes. In the spring, the water fills the riverbed and two smaller falls can be seen under the main fall. During the rest of the year the entire river disappears into the earth only to surface from a vent at the base of the falls.

A paved walkway will lead you to scenic overlooks and interpretive signs that explain the geological events that helped shape the area, fossils that you can see in the rock along the path, and wildlife of the area. Stand on a large, wooden bridge and watch the tiny Dipper bird hunt for food in the swift water rushing below you. Day hikers may cross the footbridge over the river to access the Green Mountain Trail, constructed by the Montana Conservation Corps.

This moderate hike climbs through the transition area from grassland to heavy timber. Look for limber pine, lodge pole pine, Douglas fir and an abundance of wildflowers. Deer, bear, elk and small animals and birds may be seen along the way. Please respect private property by staying on the trails. The Natural Bridge footbridge is legal access to Tepee Mountain, Contact Mountain, and Green Mountain.

For everyone’s enjoyment and safety, please carefully monitor children and pets. While beautiful, the Natural Bridge area poses potential risks with its steep cliffs and uneven terrain. There is a handicapped accessible toilet and picnic tables, but no water. Parking can accommodate larger vehicles. For more information about the Natural Bridge area, please call the Big Timber Ranger District at 406-932-5155.

Yellowstone River Trout Hatchery

Take a side trip to visit the Fish Hatchery when you are in Big Timber. Located at 17 Fairgrounds Road, this State Trout Hatchery raises the famous Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout and provides planting stock for lakes throughout Montana. Children and adults alike enjoy seeing trout in all stages of maturity ranging from eggs to fingerlings to mature brood fish. Visitors are welcome during normal working hours. There is usually a biologist on hand to give tours and answer questions about the breeding process to interested folks. School children enjoy field trips to the trout hatchery and fishermen enjoy seeing the multitude of many-aged trout swimming about.

For more information, please call the Montana State Fish Hatchery at 406-932-4434.

Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park

Get your camera and hop off Interstate 90 at Greycliff to delight in the playful, curious blacktailed prairie dogs who live here. The blacktailed prairie dog community is protected and preserved through the efforts of the Nature Conservancy, the Montana Departments of Transportation and Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The site is 98-acres in size and became a State Park in 1974. Interpretive displays tell the story of these amusing creatures. A day-use fee is charged at the park entrance. You will see up to 40 dome shaped entrances per acre. Babies are born in April and can be seen eating and playing by June. The prairie dogs communicate constantly to keep the community informed of predators and visitors. Lewis & Clark on their expedition having never seen prairie dogs before called them “barking squirrels”

The Boulder Valley

The Crow Indian Tribe occupied the Boulder area until 1882 when the valley was opened for settlers. During this time gold and silver were discovered and several mining districts were established from the Natural Bridge area to the head of the drainage. With the mining rush came permanent settlers who attempted subsistence farming and remained after the miners moved on. Because of harsh conditions many of these original settlers decided to cater to the influx of recreational travelers who were discovering the Boulder area. Several dude ranches were established which offered pack trips, fishing, hunting and other recreation to their clientele. Some of these guest ranches are still in operation today. Church groups purchased three of the original ranches and now use them as summer camps.

Lions Head

A natural feature of rock outcroppings, the Lions Head is best viewed from the south looking north. Some think the formation resembles the form of a lion crouching ready to leap on a mouse.

Main Boulder Ranger Station

Ranger Harry Kaufman constructed one of the nation is the oldest Ranger Stations and the first building on the “Main Boulder” in 1905. At that time it was headquarters for the Absaroka Division of the Yellowstone Forest Reserve. Forest service summer crews are still housed at this station. The site had been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a Montana Centennial Site in 1989. As part of the Centennial Project in recognition of the 100 year anniversary of the U.S. Forest Service, USFS workers and volunteers converged on the Kaufman cabin in the summer of 2004 to begin restoration on the cabin. Plans are for the restored log building, whose appearance will be returned to the original 1920ís look, to be made into a “house museum” chronicling the life of Kaufman and his family who lived and worked there until 1942. The cabin will also serve as a visitor information center.

Chippy Park

During the heyday of the 1880s and 90s the local miners would make their way to Chippy Park where several enterprising girls established a sort of tent by the side of the road. The name Chippy comes from the tender that the miners were issued called “chips”. Apparently these ladies accepted chips as payment for services rendered.

Independence

Break out your spirit of adventure and make the trip to the mining ghost town of Independence located about 55 miles south of Big Timber on the Boulder Road. About an hour hike beyond Box Canyon is where you will find the abandoned mining town nestled in a breathtaking mountain valley. Prospecting had started in 1869, so by the spring of 1887, the mining operations had attracted considerable attention. A pack trail was cut through the timber and the Independence Mining Company took the first stamp mill up the mountain in 1888. Independence Mine was running full blast in 1892 and 1893, boasting a population of 500 or more persons. One long street with a few cabins, four saloons and two general stores made up the town.

All that remains of Independence and the other mining camps today are a few tumbled down log structures and the glory of this magnificent mountain valley. Hiking trails lead to hidden valleys and lakes where wildlife such as moose, bear, elk and the many small animals make their home. Independence can be reached with a 4X4 vehicle, but it is recommended that you check with the local Forest Service before attempting the drive. The road is very narrow and becomes more and more precarious as you near Independence. Beyond Independence is the old Yeager Mine where dreams of wealth once flourished.