Near Jackson in Beaverhead County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

Welcome to Hamilton Ranch

Historic Landscapes Endure

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, May 12, 2018

1. Welcome to Hamilton Ranch Marker

Captions: (lower left) The ranch here was a rest stop for stagecoaches going to and from nearby Bannack, once Montana's territorial capital. You can see remains of former pathways, precursors to today's highway - in face, you crossed one when walking from the parking lot. Can you imagine climbing or descending this pass as a passenger in a stagecoach!; (lower right) During May and June, it's easy to spot camas plants blooming on meadows in this area. At first sight, early explorers though fields of camas were lakes. The roots of these lilies, which the Lemhi Shoshoni introduced to Lewis and Clark as a food source, helped save the Corps of Discovery from starvation during the arduous trip across the Bitterroot Mountains.

Inscription. On a clear day, the sweeping views from here take in more than 400 square miles. Most of these lands look much as they have for centuries. Human travel routes haven't changed much either. Highway 278 mirrors very closely that Captain Clark and his crew look on their eastward trip in 1806 - an "excellent road." in his words that native Americans had worn into the land over generations. At 7,460 feet above sea level, this mountain pass is one of the highest elevations traveled by members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Amid this natural scenery, you stand in the heartland of western Montana's cattle country. Since the mid-1800s, Beaverhead County has been home to more cattle than most any other place in America. Headquarters at the foot of the slope before you, the Hamilton Ranch contains portions of a homestead established here in the late 1800s. Today, with the help of a program called Undaunted Stewardship®, the ranch preserves its historic sites and takes actions designed to maintain the landscape's body and soul. Welcome to a glimpse of the area's ghosts, its life and its future - enjoy your visit!

Erected by Montana State University (Bozeman), Bureau of Land Management, Montana Stockgrowers Association.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic

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lists: Agriculture • Exploration • Natural Resources. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list.

Location. 45° 19.842′ N, 113° 14.646′ W. Marker is near Jackson, Montana, in Beaverhead County. Marker is on State Highway 278 near Bull Creek Road, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jackson MT 59736, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 7 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. A Soul-Searching Birthday (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); "Hot Spring Valley" (about 300 feet away); "The Carroll Ranch" (about 300 feet away); Naturally Sustained Productivity (about 400 feet away); Undaunted Stewardship (about 400 feet away); "I now take my leave..." (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Way It Used To Be... Way Back (approx. 6.8 miles away).

More about this marker. The marker is located at an overlook at the end of a short path, southwest of Idaho State Highway 278.

Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, May 12, 2018

2. Welcome to Hamilton Ranch Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2018. It was originally submitted on October 4, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 578 times since then and 62 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 4, 2018, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.