An excellent must-have book for Montana is the "Guide to the Milwaukee Road in Montana" by Steve Carter pub 1992 by the Montana Historical Society Press, Helena, MT. ISBN 0-917298-27-6. Now only available at ridiculous prices on eBay and some book stores.

The "Delorme Atlas for Montana" is invaluable.(available at map stores and many big truck stops, some gas stations and Denny's) 

Turn off I-90 at Forsyth on US 12. This follows the Milwaukee Road grade for some distance. I am not familiar with this stretch having traveled it only once at night. Check out Matt Anderson's submissions for details east of Harlowton.

Harlowton has the depot, repainted a few years ago (and then again in 1999), the Deer Lodge shop goat, the roundhouse which is in poor repair and the Graves hotel. Motor E-57B, last electric to drop its pans is parked near the main highway in a mini-park along with a signal, in good cosmetic condition. Another piece is the snowplow, which for years was parked just east of Ringling. Harlowton is also noted for its beautiful sandstone buildings.

Nothing at Twodot, but at Martinsdale, which looks like a town from the Old West, you can still find the station along with a signal. This is now on private property (Bear Ranch) but there is a sign in front telling about the Jawbone Railroad.

Turn off on a side road (well worth it) Hwy 294. This is also where the grade starts for the Castle Mountains, the first of five ranges to conquer for the Milwaukee Road. It is easy to follow the grade. I was especially taken with the stark signals in a field near Lennep. At the top of the grade is Loweth., where you will find one of the remaining substation No. 2. The grade veers south here, but you get to it again at Ringling. The station in Ringling is in bad repair. A narrow dangerous highway overpass crosses over non-existent tracks.

Ringling was the junction with the White Sulphur Springs & Yellowstone Park Railway Co. The snow plow which was parked to the east of Ringling is now located on the Harlowton depot/museum site.

In White Sulphur Springs, about 25 Miles to the north, 4 cars are parked on some remaining tracks. They include a Milwaukee Road ballast hopper, a stock car of unknown origin, a NP coach and a GTW coach. The Milwaukee Road general manager's car that had been there has been moved to a Livingston ranch, trucks removed and is used as a storage shed. Cle Elum has expressed interest in this car, but the owner's price is too high. Harlowton would also like to obtain the Milwaukee Road hopper that is still one of four cars left there.

From Ringling, and with the help of the Delorme Atlas you can find your way to Sixteen, nothing there other than the grade. The grade between Sixteen and Maudlow is owned by 3 separate ranchers, is gated, and you cannot get through. This of course is where Eagle's Nest tunnel and Viaduct were located.

Back up to Ringling and by using rough back roads you can get to Francis and Maudlow, very little to see there. Of note is a bridge that was a BN flat car crossing a creek on the way there. Again you cannot proceed west of Maudlow because this is Ted Turner country, necessitating a drive south to Belgrade. Driving west on I-90 to Three Forks, north to Toston on Hwy US 287, and crossing the river and on rough back roads you can get to Lombard, where you can see the large curved viaduct across the Missouri.

Between Lombard and Three Forks was the Substation of Eustis (about 10 miles north of Three Forks). According to Mark Minckler, this has been torn down, apparently sometimes in the Spring of 2001. Just a pile of scrap and a few bricks remain. I will post the pictures of this as soon as I have definite confirmation.
Also south of Three Forks is the Gallatin Gateway Inn, which was a Milwaukee Road owned hotel as a starting point to Yellowstone Park. It is now in private hands, serves as a convention center and boasts some excellent food. Direct link to the Gallatin Gateway Inn.

Back in Three Forks, the western half of the station is still standing along with a rib-side caboose used as a tourist information center. The Sacajawea Inn, an original Milwaukee Road hotel, is resplendent. It was also the center for our MilWest convention in 1996. Take Hwy 2 out of Three Forks, soon you'll be along the Jefferson River, with the MRL track (was NP) with the Milwaukee grade on the other side. You can make it out easily with the old catenary poles, but it is all private property. During our MilWest convention in 1996 we had the opportunity to drive that portion with the rancher's permission between Willow Creek and Jefferson Island.

Just west of this is Piedmont and start of the second major climb, this one the assault on the Rocky Mountains and Pipestone Pass. The most you can see here is the grade, much of it on private lands, but by following back roads and some hiking you can get to Fish Creek Tunnel and the now dismantled Viaduct (the rancher scrapped it for $1500.00). In 1998 we traveled this portion with a large tour bus as part of one of our MilWest convention trips. Cedric and the Vendome Loop are easy to find.

Joining up with Hwy 2 again you'll arrive at the top of the grade, Pipestone Pass. The highway in this particular location is right over the tunnel, both portals are on private land, but I've gotten to them quite easily.

Blacktail Viaduct is just down Hwy 2, and just a Mile south on a side road. Back on Hwy 2 you can drive up to Janney but there is little to see there.

At Butte the main terminal is now used as a TV studio. (There is talk of them removing the TV Station logo and refurbishing the Milwaukee Road logo which still remains underneath) Also the newer Amtrak station can be easily reached, now used as a forestry training and storage center. The Mining Museum at Butte is not to be missed. There is an old BA&P box-cab electric on display.

The grade west of Butte ducks into Silver Bow Canyon. I've driven on it all the way, but there was a gravel operation starting right in the middle of the canyon. I had trouble getting across it 2 years ago, this may not be possible at all anymore. There is talk of also turning this into a hiking/biking trail.

The two other rights of way in Silver Bow Canyon are still active, the Northern Pacific now as the Montana Western and the BA&P now the Rarus Railroad. It is well worth a drive into Anaconda and check out the yards, shops and so on.

From here on in, the Milwaukee Road grade is visible most of the time from I-90.

The E-70 is prominently displayed at Deer Lodge, and though the paint may be fading (Pictures in August 2002) it is still a wonderful sight. In 2003, the "Golden Spike" was added to the E-70 display. There is a Milwaukee Road caboose here as well, but there appears to be some difficulty in getting anything organized about displaying it. (Local politics I understand). The caboose is west of E-70, on property owned by a lumber company. It is sitting on timbers, with the two trucks near by. Also while in Deer Lodge be sure to visit the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, a great museum in its own right. Located there is a Milwaukee Road stock car. Latest information (Aug 2003) is the at Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation (direct link), after a sizeable grant is now somewhat interested in restoring the caboose and looking after E-70 in a more fitting manner than has been the case, this in view with the 30th Anniversary of de-electrification happening next year (2004).

The Drummond Depot is now part of the Fort Missoula Museum where it was moved to some years ago and is now in the process of being restored. It houses a couple of HO layouts, an N Scale layout as well as a history of all railroads in the Missoula area, both past and present.

Substation #8 at Gold Creek is easily accessible off I-90 at Exit 166, and apparently in quite good condition. It is my understanding it is also for sale.

Drop down to the MRL Garrison Depot. Just west at about Mile 135, across the MRL tracks and the river you can see the Ravenna Substation No 9.

Turn off I-90 at Bonner (use the Hwy 200 exit) for a look at an ex BN wide vision caboose, but painted in true Milw Rd colours in the International scheme. It is fully restored and painted as #992303. It looks like it will be used as an information center.

The Missoula Depot is beautiful, now occupied by the Boone & Crockett Society, who use it as their national headquarters. There is an original signal mast beside it. The MilWest Convention was held in Missoula in 2000. (Year of the fires)

Driving on Hwy 263 you can access Primrose Substation No 10, it is in good physical condition. West of here, the grade again sticks mostly close to I-90.

At Alberton, the depot is used as Senior's Center and Library owned by the town. It is well preserved. Just west of the station and on the old right of way are a rib-side caboose (ex 992097) and a baggage car now housing a Milwaukee Road museum being curated by Darrel Dewald . The museum contains items mainly from the Missoula Seniority District including numerous photos, stove heaters, whistles from a box cab, trolley wire, a Wylie Controller off E-21 Little Joe, and train orders as well as numerous other items. Hours of operation: Thur, Fri, Sat from 1300k to 1630k. Special arrangements can be made upon contact with Darrel. Alberton was a crew change point and close to the assault on the Bitterroots.(Third to conquer)

At Haugen the operator's houses are apparently still standing, but in rough shape.

The Saltese Viaduct is easily seen from I-90.

Turn off Taft Exit 5 and using a USFS Road backing up along I-90 and then using Dominion Creek Forestry Road you can access Dominion Creek Trestle. Difficult to get a good photo account all the trees.

Back up and turn up the valley to get to East Portal. As of summer 2002 everything Milwaukee Road has been removed and it is now a large parking lot and trailhead for one end of the "Hiawatha Trail". Since June 2001 you can hike or bike through St. Paul's Pass (Taft) Tunnel and emerge in Idaho on the other side. You can bike from East Portal all the way to Pearson, a day pass, helmet and lights are required. You can rent bikes in Kellogg (access via Wallace to Pearson) or Lookout Pass (for access to East Portal). Click for Ski Lookout's Website for more information and on recreational activities in this area.. There is a shuttle running from Pearson back to the Moss Creek trailhead to get you back up the hill.

You can also use the USFS road over Roland Pass and come down at Roland, ID. a distance of about 5 Miles.