Mission Canyon

While staying at Antelope Creek Campground in seemingly blazing hot temperatures, we debated many times on going to the Little Rocky Mountains, hoping to get a glimpse of the former mining towns of Zortmann and Landusky. I am glad that we postponed the trip as it led us to dig around online for more things to do in that direction, and as both are considered Ghost Towns, they are still habitated by many residents. While we did not get to Zortman, we did drive through Landusky, however the mining operations had ceased years ago, and due to cyanide contamination, the grounds have been fully rehabilitated.

During my research, I looked to Google Maps. While very few roads lit up, a few little blue dots appeared when I clicked on Street View. A little tip I have been using is to click those dots to see what photosphere images have been posted. It may lead you to a beautiful or interesting place that very few know. In this case, it led us to check out Mission Canyon on the Belknap Indian Reservation near Hays, Montana.

We read that Mission Canyon has many arches, caves, windows and natural bridges. We loaded up the dogs and drove the 25 miles to the canyon to see what we could find.

Hays has mostly dirt and gravel roads with a 15mph speed limit. We took our time as we had the entire day available. At about 3 miles from Highway 66, the flat land gives way to a very deep cut through the mountain. The vertical limestone walls must be a few hundred feet tall, likely cut by the creek paralleling the road. The cut is short, maybe an eighth of a mile long, with the road continuing beyond around four miles to a locked gate.

Soon after the cut, we started noticing several picnic areas, each adorned with many trash cans, and many signs along the roadway. Some signs are informative, describing some of the Gros Venture and Assiniboine people of significance, but the ones stating things like “If you leave trash, you are trash” hit us pretty hard. Sadly, there was a lot of careless littering along the canyon road. At that point, I grabbed a trash bag from the back seat, and our mission became cleaining it up, all four miles to the gate and back again.

Halfway to the top, I spotted a large snake crossing the road. While I’m not sure, I think it was a bullsnake. Either way, I didn’t disturb him as he passed, even though I wanted to grab those empty beer cans in his direction. I remembered to get them on our return trip. Another stop had us discovering a rather large wasp nest. Al went to get pics, fortunately they didn’t detect his presence even though the hive was quite active.

As usual, when we see wildflowers, we have to stop and take far too many pictures, but that’s us, and it’s what we enjoy doing. While the butterflies and bumble bees are on their mission gathering nectar and pollen, even if they don’t know it, they are also providing our entertainment. They appear cheery, peaceful, and brighten my miserable cantankerousness.

While no one was around, we observed what we think was the powwow grounds. There was a wooden structure made of a log pole frame with piles of branches below. I can imagine it was likely going to be burned during the upcoming powwow, or maybe it would be used as a sweat lodge. Out of respect, sharing no picture. We encountered a truck carrying more branches as we continued downhill and stopped to inquire if there was a place to dispose of the trash we had collected. The driver thanked us and said any of the barrels along the road or the dumpster farther down, to which we made the deposits as we continued picking up more litter. Overall, we probably picked up enough to almost fill the box of my truck. Hopefully it stayed tidy long enough for their festivities to commence.

Back near the canyon, Al hiked up a trail that appeared too steep for my aching foot. Up there, he discovered an arch, and while he did not take the other path that had split off, he did confirm that the trail only got steeper and I would have been miserable had I traversed it. While he hiked with Suki, I tended to Cassie down by the stream, noticing a large school of trout swimming from end to end in their captive pool between rapids. Near the cut at the bottom, Al climbed a tribal ladder to get a peek inside the cave above, then we both followed the very short trail underneath the natural bridge. This really would be a great place for a picnic.

We had been gone about five or six hours and had both forgotten breakfast. Our rumbling bellies declared we needed to eat soon, but the snack-stash in the truck was empty. We headed back to the campground for sammiches, lots of water, and a well deserved nap! We felt good about our accomplishments, were pleased with our discoveries, and it turned out to be a very exhausting, but good day.

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