)IL Branding Info
Chris and Gabby will return to their home in Lodge Grass after the Brunch on Friday to prepare for Saturday morning's Gather, Branding and Ranch Feed on June 8.
Because Billings is about 1.5 hours from the ranch in Lodge Grass, it is possible to visit Lodge Grass for the day and keep your lodging in Billings. However, some may prefer to keep moving south after the branding or to remain close to their horses, so here are some accommodation options.
Lodge Grass lodging options
Dry Camping at the House
Chris and Gabby have plenty of room to park horse or travel trailers or to set up a good ol' tent. If you're bringing your horses, let us know so we can adjust the corrals as needed.
Fair warning, there is more road noise than you'd expect, so ear plugs are recommended for light sleepers. Also, the Sandhill Crane are quite vocal in the mornings if they're still around in June!
Chris: 307-757-0447
Gabby: 970-485-9782 (text is best)
email: noplacetoofarthing@gmail.com
Our Neighbors' B&B
Our neighbors operate the Wald Ranch Bed & Breakfast, maybe just a mile from our house. They offer rooms in the house or a cabin or airstream. Please visit their page for contact information!
7th Ranch RV Park
Less than 10 miles from Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a lovely, developed campground that offers RV sites, hot showers and even a coffee shop! The campground is about 20 miles/25 minutes from Chris and Gabby's place.
About Lodge Grass
Welcome to Crow Country
Lodge Grass, population 440±, is located on the Crow Indian Reservation, Montana's largest reservation at 2.2 million acres. Town boasts a high school, post office, grocery store, gas station and many chruches, most of which you will see if you travel to Chris and Gabby's place.
Gabby would like to make everyone aware that it is not at all uncommon to encounter dogs in the road (also, sometimes people, horses, cows, cats, etc. ... you really never know) and to encourage anyone getting off the highway and traveling through the area to take your time on the road through town.
Similarly, if you are joining us at the ranch for the branding, the road travels through open pasture and, since springtime means babies, please give critters (especially the lambs and calves) on the road the space they need to make good decisions.
Some truths
As is common in many small, rural towns and probably exacerbated by the economic realities of "rez life," drugs definitely play a role in the community here, with meth appearing to have had the most impact (as evidenced by the many "stop meth" messages spraypainted throughout town). Thankfully, it's not a reality that impacts our day-to-day lives.
We live and work far enough from town that we're not privy to its regular goings-on. When we are in town, visiting with the staff at the post office, grocery store and gas station has always proved pleasurable. But it has been impressed upon us by friends and strangers alike that we do not give rides; ever.
Mostly, we haven't been here long enough to really understand our community's workings. But, to date, moving through town with kindness and respect for its inhabitants has worked out quite well.
Local discoveries
For a true taste of culture, we recommend stopping at the Custer Battlefield Trading Post, literally across the street from the entrance to Little Bighorn National Monument in Crow Agency, the seat of the Reservation.
First, grab a table in the cafe. The menu includes cultural favorites like Fry Bread and Indian Tacos—basically a taco built on Fry Bread—and you can't go wrong with either.
Then, amble through the Trading Post. There's something for everyone, but we've really developed an appreciation for its well-curated book inventory, the museum-quality artifacts on display and for sale, and—to Gabby's particular delight—the authentic, Native-American-made jewelry collection. In fact, Gabby is planning to wear two pieces she purchased from the Trading Post for the wedding!
We also really enjoy the staff at the Trading Post. They're lovely, always.
Last summer, we mosied across the Rez to visit Chief Plenty Coups State Park and really enjoyed it. It's not terribly big or fancy, but their visitor center—and the agent managing the park—was so informative. If you ever find yourself trying to imagine what life must have been like 100 years ago, this is a great place to do it.
Last but not least, we haven't actually had an opportunity to explore it yet, but Gabby is jonesing to get out on the water in the Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area. The Montana access is within an hour of the house, but the bulk of the canyon is really only accessible by boat—no roads travel around it and, even if they did, the land belongs to the Crow Tribe, making the Montana side inaccessible to the public, regardless. (The reservoir is also accessible from the Wyoming side, about three hours drive from here.)
There is a marina at the Fort Smith, Montana, side of the reservoir that rents standup paddle boards and pontoon boats. If the weather looks good and y'all have a day, we really think we might live within striking distance of one of the coolest waterways in the West!