Harlowton
Harlowton is in central Montana. About 950 people live there. It is the county seat of Wheatland County.
Understand
[edit]Harlowton is surrounded by the Crazy, Little Belt and Big Snowy Mountains, which are a part of the Lewis and Clark National Forest.
Get in
[edit]Harlowton is located at the intersection of US Highway 12, US Highway 191 and State Highway 3; about an hour-and-a-half northwest of Billings and 2 hours east of Helena.
Get around
[edit]
As a small town, there is no public transportation. Everything in town is within walking distance.
When adventuring outside of town, be sure you plan for fuel and download maps. Wide open country is great to explore, just don't expect to always have service and amenities.
See
[edit]- Harlowton Milwaukee Depot Museum, 307 Central Ave S, ☏ +1 406 632-4443, info@harlomilwdepot.org. Showcases the history of the Harlowton railroad and the growth of the town.
- Judith Gap Wind Farm & Energy Centre (Blade Park), 1030 US Highway 191, Judith Gap (12 miles N of Harlowton on US 191/MT 3), ☏ +1 406 632-4540, jbacon@invenergyllc.com. Spring/Summer: M-F 8AM-5PM. Montana's largest wind farm which is, at times, the highest producing facility in the U.S. Visitor kiosks are located at the Wind Farm entrance called Blade Park.
- Wheatland County Court House, 201 A Ave NW. Of special interest are the pioneer bronze sculpture, entitled "And They Called the Land Montana", and the Veteran's Honor Wall located in front of the court house.
- Upper Musselshell Museum, 11 Central Ave S & 36 Central Ave S, ☏ +1 406-632-5519, museum@mtintouch.net. Local museum featuring local artefacts as well as collections of fossils and bones, a 2000-year-old buffalo skull and a new Plains Indian exhibit. Located in two sandstone buildings, constructed prior to 1909, in downtown Harlowton.
Do
[edit]The National Forest offers plenty of acreage for recreational activities such as camping, sightseeing, hunting, OHV riding, and snowmobiling. Fishing access sites are located along the Musselshell River or at nearby Deadman's Basin or Martinsdale Reservoir. There are three parks located within Harlowton: Chief Joseph Park, Deer Park, and Fischer Park. The old Milwaukee Railroad trackbed has been converted into the "Smoking Boomer" trail.
- 1 Chief Joseph Park (at end of B Ave NW), ☏ +1 406 632-5523, ctyharlo@itstriangle.com. Open during daylight. Basketball court, volleyball court, short disc golf course. Fishing pond. Picnic areas with grills. RV and tent sites also available as first-come, first-serve. Free.
- 2 Smoking Boomer Rail Trail, Central Ave S (trailhead at Milwaukee Depot Museum parking lot). Open during daylight. Easy walking path. Dogs and bikes allowed. Free.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Loco Creek Grill, 1304 Highway St E, ☏ +1 406-632-4103. Daily 11AM-8PM.
- The Graves Hotel, 106 Central Avenue S, ☏ +1 406-632-5798, thegraveshotel@gmail.com.
Drink
[edit]The 3 bars are within a 2 block area.
- 1 Barky's Bar and Casino (Stockmans Bar), 17 Central Ave N, ☏ +1 406 632-4621. 10AM-midnight daily. Small town bar with lunch and dinner menu.
- 2 Gally's Brewing Co, 30 Central Ave S (The Montana Building), ☏ +1 406 632-5838, matt@gallysbrewing.com. M-Th 4-8PM, F 2-9PM, Sa noon-9PM, Su noon-7PM. Handcrafted beer, pool room, live music.
- 3 Oasis Bar, 113 2nd St NE, ☏ +1 406 632-5652. 10AM-2AM daily. Bar with jukebox, pool table. Lunch and dinner menu.
Sleep
[edit]- Corral Motel, 1307 US-12, ☏ +1 406 632-4331.
- Country Side Inn, 309 3rd St NE, ☏ +1 406 632-4119, toll-free: +1-800-632-4120, Stfishingmt@yahoo.com.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Bair Family Museum (25 miles west) is a complex featuring tours of the Bair mansion, an art museum, and ranching memorabilia.
- Deadmans Basin Reservoir (22 miles east) is a popular fishing and boating spot. There is also swimming and camping.
| Routes through Harlowton |
| Helena ← White Sulphur Springs ← | W  E |
→ Forsyth → Miles City |
| Swift Current ← Lewistown ← | N  S |
→ Big Timber → Bozeman |
| END ← Great Falls ← | NW  SE |
→ Billings → END |