Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 85 M ANY DEVOTED OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS are keenly aware of the captivating tranquility that exists only in the absence of the human species. It is a rare enlightenment akin to passing through a secret gateway, hidden in plain sight, unnoticed by many in the midst of the hustle and bustle of modern life. But every so often, Mother Nature pulls one of us in, dropping the veil between her world and ours, and pushes us to recognize the innate, primal sense of spiritual connectivity that flourishes only in her realm. The six-mile roundtrip hike to Crow Creek Falls, a 60-foot cascade tucked away in a se- cluded area of the Elkhorn Mountains near the historic mining boom town of Radersburg, is one such potential portal. After teetering on obliter- ation for years due to human pursuit of the al- mighty dollar, Crow Creek Falls has been returned to its natural splendor, much to the appreciation of fu- ture generations. These crossroads with nature are an invitation to step back into an existence humankind abandoned long ago, enkin- dling unparalleled levels of awareness, appreciation and awe, as well as an insatiable yearning for more. They are the serendipitous moments that beck- on us back into the wilderness time after time. RADERSBURG: GATEWAY TO CROW CREEK FALLS The easiest route to the Crow Creek Falls takes visitors di- rectly through the tiny community of Rad- ersburg, one of the Montana Territory's earliest boom towns. Located roughly 55 miles southeast of Helena off of U.S. High- way 287, the former stage stop and shipping mecca is currently home to approximately 75 residents, as well as several well-preserved historic buildings. Founder and namesake Reuben Rader do- nated 40 acres of his land to establish the orig- inal townsite in 1866 as rich mines were being established in the surrounding mountains. By 1869, Radersburg boasted a population of 1,000 residents and had become the seat of Jefferson County due in no small part to the wealth of the mines and the prospectors and businessmen they attracted. An $18,000 courthouse was soon built in the center of town, as well as a $6,000 local jail facility. A two-story "first-class hotel," the Freemont, was erected in 1871. The Crow Creek Valley's rich agricultural resources added to the community's self-reliance, as well as its ties to one of the largest mining districts in the Montana Territory. Radersburg seemed destined for greatness. article and photos by HOLLY MATKIN

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