It was late September 2025 when friend John Paulson and I loaded his vehicle, setting off on a one-month journey, rediscovering autumn in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and a bit of Washington, too. We saw that summer and warm temperatures still held a grip on releasing itself to autumn colors until we crossed the Cascade Mountains to Oregon’s east side. Aspens were showing their first change of costume as avocado green was giving way to peach blushes in the quaking leaves. We made our way to Burns, then turned southeast, and traveled to the small hamlet of Crane—home to one of Oregon’s last boarding schools that housed students from as far away as 150 miles—then on to Jordan Valley along Idaho’s border. There, we met longtime friends Mike and Linda Hanley.

MIKE HANLEY, AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR/HISTORIAN

Mike Hanley is the author and illustrator of a dozen books, including Owyhee Trails: The West’s Forgotten Corner. I also consider him one of the American West’s greatest living historians. His family’s roots go deep into the history of Oregon, including securing the second brand in the state during the 1800s. On the National Register of Historic Places is his family's farm. Among his findings was the location of Sacajawea’s (Lewis and Clark Expedition) son’s (Jean Baptiste Charbonneau) grave, now a National Historic Place.

Mike is also a world authority on stagecoaches and wagons. During our stay with Mike, we visited the Owyhee County Museum in Murphy, Idaho. The museum soon will be the depository of Mike and Linda’s entire wagon and stagecoach collection. Several are already displayed prominently at this fascinating museum. Money has been secured to build a large pavilion to house this world class collection. After our museum visit, we went back to Mike’s ranch where he demonstrated the seating of several wagon wheels using fire and water.

SACAJAWEA HOT SPRINGS

We left Jordan Valley and traveled to Banks, following the picturesque Payette River to Garden Valley and Lowman. We made our way along dirt Forest Service roads to Sacajawea Hot Springs near the river, not far from its Sawtooth Mountains source. We both found our own soaking pools where we could exhale and relax. My favorite was a hot pool emptying directly into the river. I placed my back against its soothing flow while my lower torso enjoyed the cool flowing river water. Forty years ago, my late wife and I enjoyed these natural pools before and after backpacking in the nearby Sawtooth Wilderness.

After a soak, John and I made our way to the rustic Sawtooth Lodge in Grandjean where we had fresh huckleberry milkshakes made extra special by the use of freshly picked huckleberries. The best huck shake ever! The unique lodge has rustic cabins for rent as well as a swimming pool and hot water trough tubs or stock tanks.

THE ROAD TO WISDOM

	93-year-old stepdad Don Wise		Bannack Ghost Town

	Elkhorn Hot Springs and Maverick Ski Mountain		Entering Wisdom Montana

	Friends Cynthia and Andy		My room at the Bunk House

Leaving Grandjean and the Sawtooth Lodge, we made our way to Stanley and the Salmon River which we followed to Sacajawea's birthplace country in Salmon. U.S. Route 93 was singing with autumnal colors as we drove north to the Montana border and turned east on Hwy 43 at Chief Joseph Pass and Lost Trail Ski Powder Mountain Ski Area https://losttrail.com/. We made our way to stay with friends Cynthia and Andy Baldauf at their place five miles north of Wisdom, just in time to unpack and have dinner. John and I had separate rooms in the log cabin bunkhouse, situated just above the famous Big Hole River. The cabin was well decorated, mainly with Cynthia’s marvelous photographs.

The next few days were spent exploring the area and enjoying our friends’ company. I was able to visit my 93-year-old stepfather Don Wise and his son Kelly near the town of Dillon.

	Jackson Hot Springs		Jackson

	Papa T's Family Dining, Dillon, Montana		Wise River

We took the mountain road from Wise River south to Elkhorn Hot Springs, Maverick Mountain Ski Area, Polaris, and on to Jackson where we soaked in the Jackson Hot Springs. The $11 soak fee was well spent. Check out this place in this charming small town. You will not regret it.

Near Jackson is Bannack State Park, a well-preserved ghost town that is certainly worth one’s time. John and I strolled both sides of the street and explored inside several of the buildings that hearkened back to earlier days when life was simpler.

ANACONDA, MISSOURI RIVER BIRTH, AND WINIFRED

	Anaconda		Anaconda Road to Anaconda

	Anaconda		Anaconda-Montana Autumn

Autumn had the vibrato operatic voice of Maria Callas when we left Wisdom and traveled to Anaconda via Road 569. The aspen colors were nothing short of spectacular and the rich palette would be the finest of our autumnal pilgrimage. We intentionally veered off course to view the mountain colors as a backdrop to Anaconda, an attractive mining town with some fascinating architecture. We drove up to the cemetery overlooking the small city and took our morning walk.

The first freeway of our trip that we encountered was Interstate 90. We took it to our Hwy 287 exit at Three Forks where the famous Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers come together to form the Missouri River. Soon we were on the Lewis and Clark Highway 12 which eventually led us to Lewistown, where we stopped for groceries. Just outside Winifred, Montana,—our eventual destination—was the Stulc Ranch on the Judith River. John had been taking an autumnal journey to the ranch for twenty-some years. This visit would be my first.

LEWIS AND CLARK, CHARLES M RUSSELL, PLAINS INDIANS

	Stulc Ranch Judith River		Arriving at the Judith River Cabin

TJ, Mary Lou, Luke and Jerry Stulc greeted us heartily, welcoming us to their ranch. It felt like I had known them forever. I would have a memorable 10 days at the ranch. The following two days, I photographed them gathering cattle during their annual fall roundup which led to their once-a-year shipping date which I also documented.

During our stay, their brother Rudy was my tour guide—a walking, talking historic encyclopedia, who filled me with knowledge of the Lewis and Clark Expeditioners, famous western painter Charles M Russell, and the Plains Indians. These historical figures had all spent time along the Judith River which was now part of their ranch.

	Judith River		Lewistown, Montana

	Missouri River ferry crossing		The ferry

	Stulc Ranch		TJ Stulc

	Stulc Ranch		Rudy Stulc Inside His Cabin

One day Rudy took me to the Missouri Breaks Backcountry Byway. We crossed the Missouri River on the McClelland Ferry which is demarcated on Montana’s State Map with the phone number 406-462-5513. Tom, the ferry operator, loaned me his fishing rod and reel and I caught my first sauger fish, similar to a walleye.

Judith River (named for Julia Hancock, William Clark’s sweetheart) and the nearby Missouri River were ablaze with reflective color coming from the abundant native creek cottonwood. I took daily strolls along the river, always in the presence of wild turkeys and whitetail and mule deer. I photographed wood ducks and pintails. A grizzly had been sighted in the Judith Basin but I was thankful not to have seen it.

Rudy took me to Judith Landing and Camp Cook, Montana’s first military fort, and to Cow Island where Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce raided a US Army supply depot prior to their unfortunate capture several days later just 40 miles shy of refuge in Canada.

Accommodations in this heartland of Montana are slim pickings, but in Winifred there are these oddly named suites. Their website says: “Norm Asbjornson, owner, who grew up in Winifred, saw a need for a multi-use facility offering comfortable accommodations. Norm along with JLW Architects designed a unique facility that includes offices, a restaurant, bowling alley and eight themed motel rooms based on different cities from around the world.” Asbjornson’s philanthropy is abundant in Winifred. As of this writing, Winifred’s side streets are finally being paved, as a result of Asbjornson’s generosity

Stop by the Winifred Museum to enjoy the world’s largest collection of Tonka Toys along with a one-of-a-kind dinosaur described thus: “The Winifred Museum is home to the one and only Spiclypeus Shipporum dinosaur! A new dinosaur species identified 8 miles from Winifred Montana May 2016. We call her Judith and she is still the only one that has ever been found to date.”

FORT BENTON

	Fort Benton Chamber of Commerce		Fort Benton Waterfront

	Fort Benton Pedestrian Bridge		Missouri River

We left the Stulc Ranch on October 9, and drove 45 miles on dirt road before we hit pavement, then stopped for a walkabout in Fort Benton (the birthplace of Montana), one of the biggest travel surprises of our autumn trek. It was a perfect autumn day. Old downtown Fort Benton was quiet and stunning. Located on the Missouri River, it is steeped in history (good and bad) and in physical beauty.

	Grand Union Hotel		Lewis and Clark Memorial

	Old Shep Memorial Fort Benton		Wake Cup Coffee Cafe

Considered the world’s ‘innermost port,’ Fort Benton was the terminus of the steam and cargo boats traveling up the Missouri. The walk along the river is filled with historic signage. The Fort Benton Chamber of Commerce building is the best located Chamber building that I’ve ever seen—right on the water with benches, tables and chairs for visitors to enjoy the special autumn views. The waterfront area is a designated National Historic Landmark. The Grand Union Hotel is a must- see and -stay if possible. The Wake Cup Coffee House is a great stop for java, pastries and sandwiches.

CHOTEAU, MANY GLACIER, GOING TO THE SUN

	Charles M. Russell summer cabin		Another view of the cabin

	Downtown Choteau		Stag Stop Inn

We drove north toward Glacier National Park and spent a night in Choteau at the Stage Stop Inn, a highly recommended place to stay. The swimming pool and hot tub were especially satisfying. It would be the only motel stay-over of our trip. We walked around Choteau, enjoying the small town atmosphere. Retired late night host David Letterman spends a good share of his year at his 2,700 acre ranch outside Choteau. My Whitefish Review (full disclosure: I did the first cover for this publication) friend Brian Schott interviewed Letterman ten years ago. You can read it here.

	Glacier National Park Moon		View Above Many Glacier Lodge

	Many Glacier, Glacier National Park		Pronghorn Antelope Outside Choteau

The following day we drove to Many Glacier in Glacier National Park. It was an epic day steeped in autumnal beauty. Though the Many Glacier Hotel was closed for the season, John made a point to place it on his ‘to stay’ bucket list. At St. Mary, we took the world-famous Going to the Sun Road across to West Glacier and to my friends Peter and Jessica’s place in Columbia Falls where we would stay while they toured Greece for two weeks. Going to the Sun Road closed two days later for the season because of deep snows.

	Glacier National Park east side		St. Mary Lake, Glacier NP

Before ending our Montana stay, I had the pleasure of going to Charles M. Russell’s private summer cabin on McDonald Lake where he and his wife spent twenty-plus summers. Some of his most famous paintings (some worth millions) were painted there in his studio.

For more information:

https://visitchoteau.com/
https://www.fortbentonchamber.org/
https://fortbentonmuseums.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Larry Turner is a productive, respected regional, national and international photographer/writer. His work has appeared in countless magazines and books, including Browntrout and Avalanche Publishers' calendars and books, American Heritage, National Geographic Traveler, Travel and Leisure, Sunset, Range Magazine (29 covers), The Atlantic and many others. He is the co-author of the book Mount Shasta Reflections, and his photographs have appeared on covers of many books and magazines. He is an active skier, gardener, fly fisherman, and adventurer. His greatest love is spending time with his son Steen, Chef de Cuisine at Buchanan's Chop House (Whitefish). Click for Larry's Facebook page.