Montana

Five Ways to Enjoy Fall in Montana

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2022

Cultural, culinary and outside adventures abound

HELENA, Mont., Aug. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Montana presents a wonderous mix of exhilarating experiences, pure magnificence, and western allure. And when the air turns crisp and the autumn colours take the stage, it is much more enchanting. Expertise the magic of fall in Montana with these 5 epic adventures:

Bike Via the Fall Colours
There is no higher manner to absorb the fantastic thing about the autumn colours than by biking via Montana’s unmatched trails and undiscovered nation. Mountain bikers of all ranges ought to take a look at Legacy Bike Park in Lakeside, which opened in 2021. The park presents 13 mountain biking trails that embrace singletracks, jumps, and berms that may maintain even the perfect mountain bikers jamming all day. Do not miss the Legacy Liftoff Sept. 23-24, 2022, which can function a motorbike competitors for 4 completely different rider lessons (from professional to 14-and-under riders), music, meals, and tenting.

Or, head to Butte and hit the South Continental Divide to Black Tail Ridge Mountain Bike Path. This reasonable path is 11.8 miles lengthy and presents a bit little bit of the whole lot to get your thrills, together with various grades of ascents and descents, switchbacks and pure rock formations. When you begin to attain the summit of the southern portion of the path, you’ll be able to count on some spectacular views from all instructions.

Casting Traces in Paradise
Fly-fishing is the proper outside exercise to unplug, unwind, and take within the surrounding magnificence. And there’s no higher place to solid than Montana. The state boasts among the greatest fly-fishing rivers within the U.S., together with the Blackfoot River, Yellowstone River, and lots of others. What some do not understand is that Montana presents fly-fishing year-round. Fly-fishing in fall – and even winter – gives a singular expertise underscored with stunning surroundings and solitude. Casting traces and floating the regular river present underneath the countless blue sky will really feel like paradise discovered.

Montana climate within the fall could be unpredictable, so having the precise gear and an professional information are key. Montana Angling Firm can lead fishermen and girls to waterways just like the Gallatin River, Paradise Valley Springs Creeks, the Madison River, and the Missouri River and assist guarantee they’ve an unforgettable fly-fishing tour.

Fall Flavors and Festivals
Between every Montana journey, you will discover world-class delicacies. The state has a shocking quantity of four-star eating choices that spotlight native culinary flavors and incorporate the bounty of the autumn harvest season. Locals and guests from everywhere in the world are drawn to those extremely acclaimed eating places:

Walker’s in Billings has reinvented Montana’s eating scene. Patrons expertise a meals journey crammed with regionally farmed elements in a cool area. Lucca’s in Helena melds high-quality Italian meals with impeccable service offering an unforgettable eating occasion. The menu modifications seasonally, however the Shrimp Fra Diavolo is so in style, it is out there year-round. Scotty’s Desk, positioned within the coronary heart of Missoula, is dedicated to providing sustainable and environmentally pleasant elements. Diners will likely be handled to a scrumptious meal in a contemporary setting.

Loosen up after a fun-filled day by grabbing a brew at one of many greater than 90 breweries working throughout the state. Head to the Billings Brew Path to search out Montana’s solely walkable brewery path. The self-guided tour proper within the coronary heart of downtown is made up of six breweries, two distilleries, and one cider home, all inside simple strolling distance. Take this 1.5-mile brewery route and luxuriate in historic websites and delightful fall landscapes alongside the best way. Whereas on the path, you should definitely cease at Indignant Hank’s Microbrewery and benefit from the flavors of autumn with a frosty mug of Oktoberfest beer.

Billings can be an important place to rejoice the bounty of Montana’s fall harvest. HarvestFest, held on Oct. 8, 2022, is a group competition that marks the finale of the summer season farmer’s market and is crammed with produce, pumpkins, baked items, and meals truck fare. It additionally options dwell music, an Oktoberfest beer backyard and stein holding contest, an interactive kids’s space, face portray, and extra.

Get Immersed in Indigenous Tradition
Have fun Native tradition and traditions on the Poplar Indian Days Pow Wow Sept. 2-4, 2022, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Get pleasure from conventional Native American dancing, meals distributors, a group feed breakfast, teepee races, and two enjoyable run/walks. All ages are welcome to attend.

Be taught extra in regards to the Indigenous Folks of the Nice Plains on the Indigenous Peoples Driving Tour. Cease at one of many 15 areas on the tour to listen to tales about Indigenous life with the Fort Belknap Indian Neighborhood, Fort Peck Assiniboine, Sioux Tribes, and Chippewa Cree Rocky Boy Tribes.

Pay tribute to Native American Heritage Month in November with a go to to Little Bighorn Battlefield Nationwide Monument on the Crow Reservation in southeast Montana. The positioning memorializes the Battle of the Little Bighorn, which passed off June 25-26, 1876, between the Sioux and Cheyenne and america Seventh Cavalry Regiment led by Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. Little Bighorn features a customer middle, museum, and a strolling tour with interpretive markers.

Get Spooky
For these trying to flip up the spook issue this fall, Montana is filled with haunted points of interest that may ship chills down your backbone. With various well-preserved ghost cities and traditionally haunted hotspots, historical past lovers and households alike are positive to get within the Halloween spirit. For guests who dare to be actually scared, the Previous Montana Jail in Deer Lodge presents eerie ghost excursions all through the month of October.

For a deeper dive into historical past, go to Montana’s residing ghost cities, Virginia Metropolis and Nevada Metropolis. These cities mark the location of the richest placer gold strike within the Rocky Mountains. Guests can pan for gold, trip the rails, view historic reenactments and discover two of the state’s most historic cities.

“As we head into the autumn season, we might wish to remind everybody to make use of up these trip days,” stated Scott Osterman, Director for the Montana Division of Commerce. “Fall is a gorgeous time to go to Montana. The temps calm down, the crowds dissipate, and Mom Nature places on a spectacular present offering the proper backdrop for an awe-inspiring journey of a lifetime.”

About Go to Montana
Go to Montana markets Montana’s spectacular unspoiled nature, vibrant and charming small cities, breathtaking experiences, and stress-free hospitality to advertise the state as an unforgettable place to go to. For extra data, go to VISITMT.COM.

SOURCE Go to Montana

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Montana

Real Madrid's Coach Visits Montana

Published

3 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

Montana — After another successful season for Los Blancos, Carlo Ancelotti is spending some time in The Treasure State.

Over the past few days, Real Madrid Coach Carlo Ancelotti has shared some photos from a vacation with his spouse, Mariann Barrena McClay, in Montana. They have spent some time horseback riding and checking out the Sawmill Saloon in Darby.

This vacation follows a trophy-filled season at Real Madrid, during which they won La Liga, the Champions League, and the Spanish Super Cup. They probably feel alright about their chances next season, considering that Mbappe is joining the squad.

The small town of Darby, situated on Montana Highway 93, recorded a population of 783 in the 2020 census. The town is home to logging and rodeo events, along with a farmer’s market. In July, they host a Bluegrass and Strawberry Festivals. The closest ski area to Darby is Lost Trail Powder Mountain, which is in Idaho and Montana.

Image Credits: Carlo Ancelotti, Visit Darby (Image above)

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Montana

There is a way for Montana residential property taxes to go down

Published

10 hours ago

June 30, 2024

Press Room

There is a way for Montana residential property taxes to go down

The upcoming property tax year could be a little easier on homeowners and renters than last year.

The operative word in that sentence is could. Here’s why this year could be easier, not a slam-dunk “will be easier.”

Three policy-generated numbers mathematically merge in a complex equation to determine what you pay in property taxes: 1) the state’s assessed value of your property; 2) the state’s tax rate applied to your property; and 3) every city and county’s total ask in taxes for the year (for the sake of simplicity, schools won’t be part of this particular explanation).

Cities and counties determine the size of the property tax pie (No. 3); state policy determines the size of your slice (Nos. 1 and 2). State law already caps how much cities and counties can increase the size of the pie, with a few exceptions falling outside of that cap, including voted bonds and levies and new properties that have come online in the last year.

2024 is not a reappraisal year, so the value of your home will not go up, for tax purposes. The Legislature also won’t meet this year, so the residential property rate will remain at 1.35%. So, for many jurisdictions across the state, if there are no voted bonds or levies, residential property taxes should only increase by the statutorily mandated one-half of the 3-year average of inflation. That should be the case, but it won’t be. Given that the tax pie is finite, if one piece gets smaller, another must get bigger.

There are 16 classifications of property, each with a different appraisal method and tax rate. The centrally assessed tax classification (telecoms, railroads, pipelines, airlines and NorthWestern Energy) appeal their valuations every year, regardless of where we are in the re-appraisal cycle. This process is underway, and they had until June 20 to submit their protests. These industries have deployed fleets of attorneys to Helena to contest their valuations. These negotiations happen behind closed doors and are always successful in reducing values for these industries.

This dramatically affects residential property taxpayers. When corporations in these industries successfully argue for a reduction in their value, they reduce the taxes they pay and increase yours. When the national telecoms, railroads, airlines, pipelines and NorthWestern Energy get a tax break in Montana, the size of their piece of the property tax pie gets smaller. That means someone else’s piece necessarily gets bigger – yours. When these corporations’ property taxes go down, yours go up. Residential taxpayers cover the costs of tax breaks for the centrally assessed industries. Even if cities’ and counties’ total tax levies remain the same this year, the state granting a reduction in value for centrally assessed property will make residential property taxes go up.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

If the centrally assessed industries were to acknowledge the massive property tax gut punch for homeowners and renters in 2023 and just sit out this round of appeals, that could really help your 2024 property taxes. For many of these national corporations, Montana is a tiny piece of their market. These reductions won’t matter much for them, but the property tax increases for Montanans sure will.

National telecoms, railroads, pipelines, airlines and NorthWestern Energy should just say no when it comes to appealing their respective valuations. The Montana employees and customers who need to afford to live here deserve your consideration more than your shareholders.

That’s not the only way to avoid this situation, though. If the Department of Revenue, at the direction of the governor, didn’t cave during these negotiations but instead stood tall for homeowners and renters and didn’t reduce these valuations, that could keep your property taxes down.

The state’s Property Tax Task Force is meeting now. Productive property tax conversations are happening in interim legislative committees and across the state. But 2025 is a long way off in terms of relief. Things could be better this year. National telecoms, railroads, airlines, pipelines and NorthWestern Energy should not appeal their valuations. And if they do, the Department of Revenue should make the negotiations public.

That actually would help.

Missoula County Commissioners Dave Strohmaier, Juanita Vero and Josh Slotnick.

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Montana

Crews battle Montana Creek Fire along Parks Highway south of Talkeetna

Published

18 hours ago

June 29, 2024

Press Room

Crews battle Montana Creek Fire along Parks Highway south of Talkeetna

By Anchorage Daily News

Updated: 40 seconds ago Published: 1 hour ago

Firefighters on Saturday were battling a rapidly growing fire about 2 miles northeast of the community of Montana Creek — near Mile 95 of the Parks Highway — as warm, dry conditions in much of the state fueled additional fire activity.

The Montana Creek Fire, which was reported around 3:15 p.m. Saturday, grew quickly from a quarter acre to about 20 acres, Alaska Division of Forestry and Fire Protection officials wrote in an update. By 6:30 p.m. Saturday, the fire was estimated between 70 and 100 acres, KTNA reported, based on information from state fire officials.

At least three wildland fire engines, two helicopters, two scoopers, a fire retardant aircraft and a load of smokejumpers were responding, among other resources, fire officials wrote in their post. Flames up to 5 feet were observed and trees were torched as the blaze burns in an area with black spruce, fire officials wrote.

Crews were making progress Saturday evening, a public information officer told KTNA.

The Parks Highway remained open Saturday evening, but drivers were asked to slow down and use caution in the fire area as crews continued to fight the blaze and work between Mile 94 and 98, fire officials said. Alaska State Troopers said around 5:30 p.m. Saturday that residential roads between Mile 94 and 98 were “only open to residential traffic.”

The Upper Susitna Community & Senior Center said on Facebook that it was open for anyone needing shelter as a result of the Montana Creek Fire.

State fire officials said that burn suspensions continue to remain in effect for the Matanuska-Susitna, Valdez/Copper River, Fairbanks, Delta and Tok areas until conditions improve.

On the Kenai Peninsula, a wildfire near Tustumena Lake in the Kasilof area forced evacuations of the nearby Tustumena Lake Campground, borough officials wrote in a social media post.

Personnel from Central Emergency Services and the state Division of Forestry and Fire Protection were responding to the fire, and more air and ground resources were on the way, Kenai Peninsula Borough officials wrote.

The borough said its Office of Emergency Management has activated a call center at 907-262-4636 for non-emergency calls about the Tustumena fire management operations.

In Interior Alaska, crews are monitoring and responding to multiple wildfires, including some that have been burning for several days.

Additional information about wildfire response in Alaska is available at akfireinfo.com.

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