Road Trip around Montana – Sculptures in the Wild
 | Author:
Brenda Phillips
Brenda Phillips: MT43 News Office Administrator |
Road Trip around Montana – Sculptures in the Wild
Brenda Phillips
This road trip took us to Lincoln, MT for a family gathering. The drive from Townsend to Lincoln is 90 miles (about 1½hrs). We drove north of Helena and took Lincoln Road west, which turns into Flesher Pass Road, then connects with Highway 200 to get to Lincoln. The drive through farmlands and up this mountain pass really makes you appreciate Montana’s beauty.
Just before you get into Lincoln there is a Ranger Station that is the home of a very big Grizzly bear. We stopped to check him out. The bear was a healthy 12-year-old male, weighing 830 pounds and would have stood approximately eight feet tall before he was killed by a vehicle on Highway 200 five miles west of Lincoln in Oct 2007. He is the third-largest grizzly on record in Montana. He was born in 1995 near Choteau and tagged with a radio collar in July of 1996. He was hit by a car in Oct of 1996 but he survived. The collar tracked his adventures over the years as he roamed from Choteau to Lincoln and the Seeley Lake area. The state considered sending the taxidermy Grizzly to Missoula to be a mascot for the University of MT but after many letters from Residents and Children of Lincoln, the bear was returned to Lincoln Ranger station for all to see.
Across the highway from the Ranger Station is the Sculpture in the Wild Park, “where Art, Education and History walk the same path”. On the highway, you will see the gatepost made of tall twisted willows that represent DNA strains. The sculpture park was started in 2014 when 5 international artists made 6 sculptures on 26 acres of forest land. Now there are 18 sculptures that reflect the environment and the industrial history of the Blackfoot Valley. Brochures at the entrance give you a self-guided tour and the history of each piece. The park is open year-round, from dawn to dusk, so you can experience this art in different seasons. Handicap-accessible public restrooms, picnic areas and walkways make this an adventure for everyone. One focal point is the Historic Delaney Sawmill TeePee Burner that was used in the lumber industry in the Blackfoot Valley. We were lucky enough to be there on a Saturday when they had a Musical Quartet playing in the TeePee Burner, which acts like a large amphitheater. The music carried through the trees as we explored the park. The park hosts events every Saturday throughout the summer to share the musical talents and presentations by some of the artists who contributed to this park. An easy leisurely stroll around the park takes about an hour but there are so many things to see. The sculptures that repurpose things like poles, sticks, carved logs, charred logs from a forest fire area, and even newspapers, will surprise you. You just have to take the time to stop and explore. I see that since we were there they have added a new sculpture.
Lincoln has a lot more to see, like the Historic Lincoln Hotel and Community Center which are 100 years old. Stop by the High Country Beef Jerky store for snacks and gift items. There are several places to eat and have ice cream. Ice cream is a must on all our trips. We even found a roadside store that has really cool chainsaw wood carvings.
After a stop in Lincoln to visit with family we headed for Home on a different road. We went west from Lincoln on Highway 200 and took the road to Helmville and Avon, then to Helena. This way is about 113 miles but passes through some awesome picturesque ranching valleys. I found it interesting that on one section of land, they were putting up hay stacks with the old beaver slide hay stackers and on the next section they were baling hay in the large round bails. Driving around Montana never is disappointing. Brenda and Kurt Phillips are from Townsend and enjoy visiting Montana's scenic and historic sites. Written by Brenda Phillips
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PhotoCredit: Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
Image 1 Caption: Castle in the woods
Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
Image 2 Caption: Large Grizzly on display at Lincoln Ranger station
Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
Image 3 Caption: New art piece. All boards are cut with a two-man crosscut saw.
Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
Image 4 Caption: Preserved and repurposed Teepee Burner amphitheater
Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
Image 5 Caption: Picture frames sculpture using sticks from the woods
Photo Credits: Brenda Phillips
