Russell Auto Tour

CM Russell Auto Tour

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The Montana Legislature has designated Highway 87 between Great Falls and Lewistown as the "Charles M. Russell Trail." The land continues to stir the imagination and spirit today as it did 100 years ago.

An interpretive booklet for the C.M. Russell Auto Tour is available at the US Forest Service Office (406-566-2292) located in Stanford. The booklet depicts paintings of Charlie Russell with many background scenic vistas still visible today as you travel the route. The main route follows Highway 87 for approximately 100 miles between Great Falls and Lewistown. Memorial Loop turns south at either Windham or Hobson, travels to Utica and then south into the Little Belt Mountains. Interpretive signage is located on Memorial Loop.

Highway 87, The Charles M. Russell Trail

How to use the below Guide which can be found in the CM Russell Auto Tour booklet: The Guide uses Russell's art to interpret the history of Judith Basin. Occasionally you will see the actual landmarks Russell used in his painting; other paintings depict events that occured nearby. Interpretive test rounds out this glimpse back into the history of the Basin. As you drive the Russell Trail, you will find specific road-side turnouts for some, but not all of the 25 interpretive sites.

(click on left photo to download map)

#	Painting Title	Theme	Location
1	Romance Makers	The Free Trapper	West of Belt
2	America's First Printers	Indian Rock Art	Raynesford
3	Buffalo In Winter	Buffalo in the Basin	Geyser
4	The Medicine Man	Blackfeet in the Judith Basin	Geyser Rest Area
5	First Furrow	The First Settlers	Stanford
6	In Without Knocking	Old Town Stanford	Stanford
7	Lone Wolf Roping a Wolf	The Legendary Wolves of the Basin	Stanford
8	White Mans Buffalo	The Price of Progress	Windham
9	Paying the Fiddler	The Cattle Rustlers	Benchland
10	The Toll Collectors	The First Cattle Herds	Judith River
11	Trail of the Iron Horse	The Role of the Railroads	Hobson
12	Chief Joseph	The Flight of Nez Perce	Eddie's Corner
13	The Price of His Hide	The Grizzley Encounter	Moore

The Memorial Way-Utica, Yogo and the South Fork of the Judith Basin

Yogo Creek Road and Memorial Way (South Fork Judith) are narrow single-lane gravel roads with turnouts.
Trailers and large recreation vehicles are not recommended.

(click on left photo to download map)

#	Painting Title	Theme	Location
14	Quiet Day In Utica	History of Utica	Utica
15	Cowboy Camp During Roundup	The Cattle Roundups	Utica
16	Waiting For A Chinook	The Hard Winter of 1887	Judith River
17	Doubtful Guest	Russell Meets Jake Hoover	South Fork Judith River
18	When I Was A Kid	Charlie's Early Days	Russell Point
19	Old Hoover Camp On The South Fork Of The Judith River	Jake Hoover and His Cabin	Hoover
20	The Elk	Wildlife Boom and Bust	Judith Game Range
21	Placer Mines Prospecting New Strike	The Yogo Sapphire	Judith Game Range
22		The Tollgate	Tollgate
23		Yogo Town History	Yogo Town
24	Fire Boat The Jerkline	Steamboats & Trails Hauling the Freight	Philbrook Philbrook
25	Stagecoach	Early Transportation	Philbrook

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