Lewistown,
MT : Overview & Guide.gif)
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| Lewistown,
Montana |
Lewistown
is a town in that most people who visit Montana never see.
Lying out in the middle of Central Montana, Lewistown is
quite the distance from all the major tourist destinations
in the state. And this is too bad, since Lewistown
is a surprisingly nice town. The downtown is clean and
historic, the streets are tree-lined and the location of
Lewistown is excellent for anyone who enjoys outdoor activities.
Lewistown
is located pretty much in the dead-center of Montana, and
is about 100 miles to the east of Great
Falls on US Highway
200. Billings, the only other nearby major city, is located
about 120 miles to the south, on US Highway 87. Although
Lewistown is located in Central Montana (which everyone often
thinks of as being “flat”), the town sits in
a very scenic setting. The Judith Mountains, which are a
small mountain range, are located just to the north and east
of town. The Big Snowy Mountains, which are a very scenic
mountain range and rise well above timberline, are located
just 20 miles south of town. And, about 40 miles southwest
of town, the Little Belt Mountains rise up off the valley
floor.
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| Downtown
Lewistown |
Lewistown
is part of Fergus County, Montana. The whole county has
a population of about 12,000 people. Lewistown
itself has a population of 6300 people. Fergus County, like
most other counties in eastern Montana, has been losing population
over the years as agricultural consolidation has required
fewer people to live and work on the farms and ranches. However,
Lewistown has avoided the fate of the other small towns in
the county in that it has managed to avoid losing population.
While Lewistown is still an agricultural community, the city
has developed a diversified enough of economy that has allowed
it to whether the storm of the shrinkage of the agricultural
economy that has been occurring in many areas of Montana.
Downtown
Lewistown is very nice, tree-lined and clean. While there
are a number of empty store-fronts here and there,
by and large, downtown Lewistown isn’t like many other
eastern and central Montana towns that are frequently half-empty.
Moreover, downtown Lewistown is a busy place – especially
during the summer months. US Highway 200 – while not
heavily used by out-of-state visitors – is frequently
used by people who live in-state and by truck drivers going
between Great Falls and Billings.
Lewistown
is a very functional town. By this I mean that Lewistown
hasn’t developed as a tourist town. Thus,
people passing through won’t find much in the way of
specialty shops or tourist traps. Additionally, you also
won’t find much in the way of fast-food restaurants
nor will you find a Wal-Mart.
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| The
Courthouse in Lewistown, Montana |
While
Lewistown is a nice town on its own, one of the biggest
draws to the area is the excellent outdoor recreation that
exists just outside of town. The angler will find excellent
fishing in Big
Spring Creek, an absolutely gorgeous and restored
little river that also supplies Lewistown with its entire
water supply. Other nearby fishing holes includes the Judith
River, Ackley
Lake and Crystal
Lake. The hunter will find
excellent habitat around Lewistown for mule deer, whitetail
deer, elk and game birds. The only thing the city really
lacks in the outdoor activity department is a close ski area.
Showdown Ski Area is the nearest ski hill, but is located
a rather long 2 hour drive away.
Overall,
Lewistown is a nice little town that is well worth visiting.
Lewistown sits in a very scenic area of Montana
and is located within an easy drive of many excellent outdoor
activities. For the visitor to Montana who wants to see an
area of the state that not many people form out of state
ever see, and who also wants to avoid the typical tourist
areas, be sure to take a drive down Highway 200 and check
out Lewistown and the surrounding area.
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