Distinctly Montana Magazine

31 w w w. d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m W HAT COULD BE BETTER THAN DRIVING ALONG ONE OF MONTANA'S SCENIC HIGHWAYS, marveling at the spectacular mountains and cliffs, meandering through the dense pine forests, or following a road along one of Mon- tana's waterways, maybe even driving along the Missouri Riv- er on the same route used by Lewis and Clark? Thousands of miles of waterways lace the landscape across Montana, and any road trip will probably take you by some of them. From the massive flow of the Mighty Mo to the gurgling, clear trout streams like the Black- foot River to the quiet, serpentine belts of water that slip through the farmlands on both sides of the Divide, watersheds are everywhere. All that water. Flowing. Rushing. It can really evoke some urges in a traveler. And then you see it, flashing by on the roadside like a shining savior, a royal blue answer to your highway prayers: Rest Area 2 Miles. They're the unsung heroes of Montana road travel, these 63 benefactors of bladder and bowel. And as any road warrior knows, they're much more than just a place to, um, lighten your load. A rest area is a welcome opportunity to get off the road for a bit to stretch your legs, give your pet a potty break, change your baby's diaper, do some deep dives on your cell phone (Montana's spotty service notwith- standing), unfold and scrutinize your highway map, refill your water bottles, enjoy a picnic lunch, hook up your RV for a dump, and yes, visit the bathroom. At many of these facilities you can also bone up on some history by checking out the interpretive mark- ers that share the fascinating, sometimes surprising stories from the surrounding area. If it seems that highway rest areas have always been there, you're pretty much right. Montana's rest areas have been around almost as long as paved roads. When the federal government pumped about 10 million dollars into Montana's highway program in the early 1930s, the state's Dept. of Transporta- tion started building rudimentary roadside picnic areas to serve the burgeoning automobile culture. By the time the Interstate Highway System began construction in 1956, the State High- way Commission had drawn up standardized plans for rest area sites and the amenities they offered travelers. In 2009 the MDT kicked off an ambitious new rest area plan with dedicated fund- ing, and the plan is periodically updated, most recently in 2014. Most are open year- round, but it's a good idea to check ahead to avoid any panic and possibly a ruined seat cover. www.montanar- estareas.com/ The newest up- dated rest areas can be found in every cor- ner of the state. These sleek, modern build- ings are so well-ap- pointed they're only about one chili dog short of a truck stop. The Hysham rest area on I-94 just east of the I-90 junction near mile marker 64, for ex- ample, features all the latest amenities a traveler could expect from a state-of-the-art rest area. The sleek new building houses three women's rooms, three men's rooms and two family rooms, all with running water and baby changing stations. The roomy, ADA accessible vestibule entry opens into a clean interior with lots of natural light, gleaming concrete floors, lacquered wooden benches and a water fountain complete with water bottle fill sta- Hysham! Hysham! Ismay! Ismay! Apple trees at this inviting rest area near Ismay on Hwy 12 provide some inviting shade on a nice summer day. Take a moment and look around, and you might be surprised to find yourself surrounded by geologic wonders, like the cliffs looming over this rest area near Hysham. article and photos by EDNOR THERRIAULT

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