Montana
Montana’s Unsung State Park By Idaho’s Border Is A Remote Camping And Water Sport Retreat With Colorful Cliffs – Islands
The Bitterroot Mountains, with all their jagged peaks, alpine lakes, and sprawling forests, sweep along the border between Montana and Idaho for more than 160 miles. As you can imagine, the vistas around this stretch of the Rockies are incredible. Tucked into the “nose” of western Montana, right in the heart of the rugged range, Painted Rocks State Park is a prime spot to take it all in. This patch of wilds is on the smaller side — only about 23 acres – and a bit off the beaten path to dodge the foot traffic that some of the region’s more popular state parks get. That isolation is part of the appeal, along with all the colorful rocky cliffs that give the park its name.
The state park is full of granite and rhyolite outcroppings that are “painted” by vibrant swaths of lichens. The organisms – formed by symbiotic relationships between fungi and algae — coat the lofty cliffs in varying shades of orange, yellow, and green, adding a little pop of color to the craggy mountainscape. With virtually no cell service in the area, Painted Rocks State Park is an ideal place to unplug. Several remote campsites perched along the banks of its namesake watering hole, Painted Rocks Reservoir (also known as Painted Rocks Lake), make for a splashing water sport retreat.
Tackle the waters of Painted Rocks State Park
Painted Rocks State Park opened in the early 1960s, roughly 10 miles away from the Idaho border, as the crow flies, near Montana’s mountain town of Darby. But its accompanying reservoir was built a couple of decades before that. The lake was made by damming a portion of the West Fork of the Bitterroot River. Spanning more than 560 surface acres, the reservoir was initially intended to provide water to the surrounding farmlands. Although it’s used for irrigation and household purposes today, it’s also favored for its water-based recreational pursuits.
The lake has a boat launch and dock, so you can take your watercraft out for a relaxing cruise along the waters. You can also paddle the ripples in a kayak or canoe, or hop in for a little swim. Just be sure to read up on all of Montana’s boating regulations and other water safety rules before you head out. It’s also worth noting that the reservoir’s water levels can fluctuate, with Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks recommending that you hard-launch your vessels to prevent any damage.
Do a bit of wildlife watching as you coast along. The state park is home to a variety of native and migratory birds, from mountain bluebirds and pileated woodpeckers to sandhill cranes and yellow warblers. You may even be able to catch a glimpse of the rare harlequin duck, too. An array of larger animals roam the lands, including moose, elk, white-tailed deer, and bears. Bighorn sheep have also been known to roam around, as the mountain crawlers were reintroduced to the region in the 1980s after nearly going extinct due to unchecked hunting and disease. Cameras are worth keeping close at hand.
Get some shut eye along the banks of Painted Rocks Reservoir
Painted Rocks State Park sits at the southern end of the reservoir, where you’ll find the recreation area’s little campground, if you want to stay the night. There are about two dozen campsites hidden among the pine trees along the water near the boat launch. The camp spots can accommodate RVs, with back-in and pull-through sites available. Amenities are pretty limited – you’ll have to bring your own water, but there are on-site restrooms, picnic tables, and grills.
Since Big Sky Country doubles as big bear country — and we’re talking both grizzlies and black bears — be sure to properly bear-proof your campsite. There are lockers on hand if you don’t have a safe space to store your food, as well as bear-proof dumpsters for any garbage. The campground is open year-round, with the peak season usually ranging from late spring to the end of summer. If you opt to set up camp during the colder months, just keep in mind that the area gets quite a bit of snow in the winter. If you’d prefer a more luxurious lodging abode, Triple Creek Ranch, one of America’s best resorts, is only about a 30-minute drive away.
Governor’s Office
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana ranks in the top ten states with the highest year-over-year job growth rates.
“Montana continues to rank as one of the best states to start or grow a business, earn a competitive wage, and secure a good-paying job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As we continue to reform our regulatory environment to support job creators and cut taxes to give money back to the hardworking Montanans who earned it, we see the results of conservative policies at work as the Treasure State ranks in the top ten states with the strongest job growth.”
According to a report by Stat Ranker, which compared all 50 states based on year-over-year growth in total nonfarm payroll employment between February 2025 and February 2026, Montana ranked ninth in the nation for both jobs added and overall job growth adding more than 2,100 jobs over the year, representing a 0.4 percent job growth rate.
Last week, the governor attended the groundbreaking for Janicki Industries in Great Falls to celebrate the aerospace manufacturers’ investment expected to create more than 2,000 jobs over the next ten years and the ribbon cutting for Amazon’s sixth delivery station in Montana that brings the company’s total employment in the state to over 800.
Last month, the governor announced Montana was ranked in the top five states with the fastest-growing economies since 2021. The report from Visual Capitalist found that between 2021 and 2025, Montana’s GDP grew 16.1 percent while the national average in the same time period was 10.8 percent. When it comes to wage growth, Montana ranks third in the nation for fastest wage growth and is only one of two states in the nation where wage growth has outpaced inflation since 2020. The average wage earned by Montana workers reached $60,037 in 2024.
Earlier this year, Gov. Gianforte also announced Montana’s fiscal health surged into the top ten states nationally under his leadership, rising from 22nd in 2021 to 8th in 2025. Since taking office, the governor has paid off the state’s general obligation debt, making Montana debt-free in 2023 and saving Montanans $40 million over a period of two years.
Montana also consistently ranks in the top fifteen states with the lowest unemployment rates. Last month, the governor announced Montana’s unemployment rate ticked down to 3.4 percent in May, lower than the national unemployment rate which remained at 4.3 percent.
The full Stat Ranker report can be read here.
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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing
02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 14 drawing
15-20-26-27, Bonus: 02
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 14 drawing
12-13-15-16-41, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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