Campfire Tales in Montana's Yellowstone Country

As you might guess, the Fourth of July is a big weekend for camping here in Montana’s Yellowstone Country. With these camping trips come leisurely evenings around a campfire, swapping stories. Our region is full of interesting tales and lore, and if our area were a person, here are a few stories it might tell.

Western Legends and Some Spooky Tales at the Pollard Hotel

The Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge was once a favorite stop for notable Western figures, including the Sundance Kid, Calamity Jane, Liver Eatin’ Johnson, William A. Clark, Marcus Daly and Buffalo Bill Cody. Legend has it that guests even witnessed Sundance Kid, Kid Curry and the Wild Bunch Gang rob the Red Lodge Bank, which was housed in the hotel at the time. The Pollard is also said to have a few resident ghosts. While I can’t personally confirm their presence, you can read more about them (and other local hauntings) here. Today, the beautifully renovated Pollard remains one of our area’s most charming places to stay.

Wild Horses and the Crown Indian Legend

The Pryor Mountains are home to an estimated 200 wild horses, with a higher-than-average proportion of New World “Spanish” ancestry breeds. They live on the Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range, one of four designated wild horse and burro ranges in the country. People come from all over to observe the herd.

According to Crow Indian legend, the Pryor Mountains are also home to the Little People, thought to be the “keepers of the earth.” Legend says these fierce 2-feet-tall warriors who live near the caves have mystical powers and take care of the land. Visitors often leave an offering when visiting the area, tobacco, a shiny object, or a portion of their hunt, to pay their respects.

The Creation of Earthquake Lake

Earthquake Lake (or Quake Lake as it is commonly called) is just up the road from Hebgen Lake.
On August 17, 1959, one of the strongest recorded earthquakes in North America occurred here. Known as “the night of terror,” the earthquake measured 7.3 on the Richter Scale and caused a landslide that brought 80 million tons of rock into the Madison River at 110 mph, killing 28 people who were camping and blocking the river in less than a minute, creating this new lake. Today, trees and stumps still dot the lake, which can be good fishing if you are careful. The Earthquake Lake Visitor Center is open May through September and is a fascinating stop.

Building the Beartooth Highway

The Beartooth Highway, one of the most stunning drives in North America, was built by the brute force of thousands of men during the Depression Era. Those who did the hard labor with picks, pry bars and shovels were paid 50 cents per hour, and skilled laborers who operated drag lines and bulldozers were paid 75 cents per hour, with men lining up for the jobs. It took five years to complete the 68 miles of steep and winding highway, and in June 1936, it opened to the public. Today, it is still one of the state’s top visitor attractions, open Memorial Day through mid-October, weather permitting.

Home to Over Half of the World's Geysers

Yellowstone National Park was designated the world’s first national park on March 1, 1872. Over 2.2 million acres are protected, including over half of the world’s geysers. For more than 11,000 years, Native tribes used this land for food, medicine and spiritual rituals. You can learn more about this history at the Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center, located at Old Faithful.

We hope you enjoy your holiday and can celebrate both our freedom and this beautiful land we get to call home.