Geocaching in and Around Three Forks

 We had some time and opportunity to explore the area around Three Forks during our two day stay. Here are some of the more interesting things we saw and geocache locations. 

We stopped at Logan for a geocache. Interesting how many businesses were here prior to the 1919 fire. It grew because of the railroad, like many other small towns in other states. Ten freight trains and six passenger trains stopped daily. Amtrak had service to Logan until 1979. 

This is Logan today. There were a few inhabited homes. The business seemed to be the grain elevator. We think there was an eating place, whether a cafe or bar called Magic Land, but we did not see another business on our drive throughs.

This church hasn't seen parishioners or a coat of paint in several years!

Read about Colter's Run from this Wikipedia site: John Colter

John Colter and John Potts were two of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Party. Both men returned to the area after the Lewis and Clark Expedition was completed. Both men have an interesting history.

Three Forks keeps the story alive with a Colter's Run each year. 

The 43rd John Colter Run is on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Join us at Missouri Headwaters State Park outside of Three Forks, MT for an awesome trail race re-enacting John Colter’s infamous (naked!) escape from Blackfoot Indians. With a 300 runner cap on participants, don’t miss your chance at partaking in this highly coveted 7.5 mile run! Register online.

A single lane bridge on the outskirts of Old Three Forks. There were two such bridges on the Old Three Forks Road.

The hint for this geocache was "Parsley, Rosemary, and Thyme." I admit the weed smelled very nice and there was a lot of it at this location. The name of the cache was Potts. John Potts was part of the Colter's Run story and where he met his demise.

And a patch of prairie cone flowers, just because. Because what is a blog post from me without a photo of flowers????

A geocache called "Wild Blue Horses" brought us to Kamp Hill along Highway 287. 

Jim Dolan is the artist. He sculpted 39 steel wild horses on donated land as a gift to the people of Montana. The horses were completed in September 2013.

He calls them the Bleu Horses, named after blue roan horses. The horses have been partially painted blue and when the sun hits them they shine. Each weighs between 150 to 350 pounds, are 8 feet tall at the shoulders, and move (slightly) with the wind. Their tails and manes are of polyester rope. Every now and then Dolan comes back to touch up the paint and untangle their manes and tails. 

Dolan was born and raised in California, but since the age of 11 wanted to live in Montana. He went to Montana State University in the 1960s. He is well-known for his western wildlife pieces and has a studio in Belgrade, near Bozeman MT. He has created over 170 large scale public pieces world-wide. (He has a golden eagle with a 36 foot wing span in Osaka Japan.) His work ranges from table top size to the golden eagle. Jim has been working with metal for more than 40 years.

He has a herd of elk placed on the lawn of a bank in Bozeman, and a fly fisherman sculpture in Ennis. The flock of geese in the terminal of Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is also Jim Dolan's work.

It wasn't the price of fuel, although we have been paying $3.18 to $3.24 here in MT. It was the sign for help wanted.

We were at this bakery & deli. It is also a grain elevator and I guess, a mill for grinding wheat. It was a huge operation on the outside and VERY busy on the inside. I took a peek, thinking I would buy rolls, but the line was to the door. I did not wait around. 

A little park in the downtown area of Three Forks, displaying some of its history.

Three Forks bragging rights display: Lewis & Clark, Missouri River Source, Manuel Lisa (founder of the Missouri Fur Company), and Gateway to Yellowstone National Park.