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Montana’s Unsung State Park By Idaho’s Border Is A Remote Camping And Water Sport Retreat With Colorful Cliffs – Islands

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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. 

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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.

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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. 

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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. 





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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for May 23, 2026

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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 23, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from May 23 drawing

04-16-41-48-66, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from May 23 drawing

05-16-24-32-41, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 23 drawing

04-07-17-18, Bonus: 05

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 23 drawing

36-42-53-57-63, Powerball: 17

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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 23 drawing

08-09-10-19-32

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 23 drawing

15-20-30-45-49, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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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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Montana Fishing Reports May 23rd

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Montana Fishing Reports May 23rd


On May 31st, Fort Peck, MT, will host the Trace’s Tacklebox Kids Fishing Clinic, a free event honoring Trace Louis. Starting at 10:00 AM, children will learn fishing skills, safety, and receive supplies, while enjoying outdoor activities. Community support aims to establish this as an annual tradition for families.



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Montana Plan hurts Montana business

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Montana Plan hurts Montana business



According to the New York Times, 300 individual billionaires spent more than $3 billion during the 2024 election cycle. Keep those figures in mind as you consider Initiative 194 and its potential impact on Montana values.

The Montana Chamber of Commerce, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and the Billings Chamber of Commerce have taken a clear and united stand against I-194. We believe Montanans deserve a full and transparent explanation of why.

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No doubt, I-194 would prohibit Montana businesses and nonprofits from participating in the political process. Under this initiative, family-owned businesses including farms, ranches, restaurants and retail stores could not respond publicly to a ballot initiative targeting them. A Main Street restaurant could not support a local levy to improve public safety. A small business coalition could not push back against misleading claims that threaten their livelihoods and their employees’ jobs. These are not hypothetical concerns; they are the everyday realities of how Montana businesses engage in the civic life of our communities.

But make no mistake, I-194 does not remove big money from our politics.

While cleverly named “The Montana Plan,” I-194 should be called the “California Plan” since California is home to more than 200 individual billionaires and places no restrictions whatsoever on out-of-state wealthy individuals. Under I-194, a single well-funded outsider could bankroll a campaign to devastate a Montana agricultural practice, a logging operation or a ranching family, while the Montana businesses under attack would be legally silenced. That is not campaign finance reform. That is a one-sided disarmament of Montana’s own voices.

The supporters of I-194 like to reference the Copper King’s influence that occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. And while this initiative would have prohibited the Anaconda Copper Company from supporting candidates, the actual individual Kings of copper — the millionaires that owned those companies ­— would have still been free to bankroll their preferred candidates, while the rest of Montana’s small business community sat in silence. They would have loved this proposal.

Montana has a proud history of fighting outside influence in our politics, from the battles against the Copper Kings to the Corrupt Practices Act of 1912. But that Act targeted corruption and covert control of government, not the right of businesses and community organizations to have an open voice in the state they call home. There is a meaningful difference between a corporation secretly buying a legislator and a chamber of commerce publicly advocating for its members.

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We raised constitutional and legal questions about I-194’s scope before the Montana Supreme Court because those questions deserved an answer. We respect the court’s ruling. And now we are doing exactly what any organization or individual is entitled to do: making our case openly, with our names attached and letting Montanans decide.

That is what chambers of commerce do. We advocate for Montana’s businesses and workers — the coffee shops, hardware stores, family farms, and yes, the larger employers whose presence helps keep smaller businesses alive. We are Montanans representing Montana’s economic engine.

We agree that Montanans deserve a political system where their voices matter more than outside money. Silencing Montana businesses while leaving out-of-state billionaires free to spend without restriction does not achieve that goal. It simply changes who gets silenced.

We urge every Montanan to read I-194 carefully — all of it — and ask: Does this make our democracy stronger, or does it make some voices louder by making others disappear?

Montana Chamber of Commerce, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and Billings Chamber of Commerce.

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