During the winter of 1892, Tom Williams and Burt Pannell saw smoke rising from the side of a hill while hunting. After trudging up to the point they discovered a large hole and that the smoke was actually steam. The men dropped a stone down the hole and listened. After finally hearing the stone clatter to a stop sometime later they decided it was too deep and would come back. Six years later Tom Williams returned with rope, candles, and six of his friends.

This was the start of the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, the first state park in Montana and one of the state’s most beautiful cave systems. While Lewis and Clark never actually explored the caves they did pass through a majority of the 3,000-acre state park. They had journey along the Jefferson River and camped at Antelope Creek, only a few miles from the entrance to the cave. This week the Creative Content team at Montana Gift Corral followed in Lewis and Clark’s footsteps all the way to Whitehall, Montana. We journeyed from Bozeman all the way to the Jefferson River in Three Forks before hopping onto Tom William’s path up to the caverns in Whitehall. 

Breakfast at Wheat Montana

Our first stop along the way was a local favorite for breakfast. The Wheat Montana Farms and Bakery in Three Forks Montana is a delicious store and the best one around to get local wheat products. The Folkvord family owns a 15,000-acre wheat farm and they make all of their baked goods daily with their wheat at the bakery. When we walked inside the first thing we noticed was the mouthwatering scent of fresh baked goodies. Tables full of customers fill the main space while shelves with row after row of fresh bread line the walls. In the center of it all is the deli counter. The counter is a series of glass display cases showing off their latest baked creations. Cooling racks let their delicious scents fill the air and all we could think about is getting our hands on one of those massive cinnamon rolls!

We spent a bit of time deciding what kind of breakfast we would want. It was a difficult decision considering we all wanted to taste every single pastry.  Everything looked so amazing, and tasted even better!

Jefferson River Photography

After grabbing our pastries we head out onto Route 287. As we drove we laughed and talked about different things while admiring the scenery. The Jefferson River runs alongside Route 287 and creates a breathtaking scene. We had brought some extra product with us to get some product photography done along the way so we began searching for a pullout. 

When we arrived at the pullout we wanted to explore, our videographer, Luke, decided that it would be the perfect location to grab some stunning footage of the river with his drone. Boy, oh boy, did this footage not disappoint. How stunning is this!

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Visiting Our Gift Shop at the Caverns!

After grabbing some footage of the Jefferson river, we headed up to Lewis & Clark Caverns. Once we arrived, we popped into Montana Gift Corral to say hi to some of our friends and pose for a few beautiful store photos, captured by our talented in-house photography team!

From post cards to stuffed animals, and even our popular line of Bearfoots Figurines, crafted by Jeff Fleming, our Montana Gift Corral location at the Lewis & Clark Caverns has exactly what you need to fondly reminisce on your adventure through this one-of-a-kind state park! Our team was particular excited to see our line of stones and crystals from Western Woods Distributing on full display! Shaped in Utah, each stone, crystal, agate, and geode from this company is extremely unique. In fact, no two are alike! 

Lunch at the Updated MGC Café!

After peeking at our adorable souvenirs, we had worked up quite the appetite! Luckily, Montana Gift Corral now offers a delicious menu of both cold AND warm dishes that are sure to satisfy your midday cravings.

As hungry as we were, we were unable to choose a single meal off of the yummy menu, and decided to get several dishes that we would share. Our team decided on he Classic Breakfast, Cheeseburger, BLT, and the Cobb Salad! Served up in only a couple minutes, we were overjoyed to grab a few photos of our meals, and taste test each recipe. Yum, yum, yum!

Montana Gift Corral T-Shirt Photoshoot!

Once our bellies were full, and our hearts were happy, we headed off on our next adventure. As Montana Gift Corral's Creative Content Team, we are in charge of producing any and all promotional materials for the company. After realizing that we could use a few shots of our fun and funky t-shirts, we threw some in the car with the intentions of capturing some enjoyable moments in our Montana-inspired apparel. 

Whether you are searching for a long-sleeve t-shirt to keep you warm and cozy on a windy day, or are looking for a short sleeve top to keep you cool during the hot Montana summer months, we are proud to offer a vast selection of t-shirts and apparel that will keep you looking fresh! Check out our online selection of Montana T-Shirts, or head to any of our locations to see some designs that are offered exclusively in-store!

Sightseeing at Vista Point!

Once we finished up our t-shirt photoshoot, we packed up our things, and started heading down the mountain. At this point, we had assumed that our adventure had ended, however, we were excited to spot a pullout as we were headed out of the state park. Once we stopped, we saw that there was an awesome lookout, with a view of the entire pass. 

With such an awesome view, we simply stared off into the distance, captivated by the beauty of Montana's natural landscapes. Our stop at Vista Point was the perfect and most peaceful ending to our Lewis & Clark Caverns adventure, and reminded us how truly lucky we are to live in the big sky state, and how grateful we are to spend time with people that are near and dear to our hearts. We've said it once, and we'll say it again, our Creative Content Team is truly like a little family!

By Issa Rabideaux, Kree Gullings, Alexa Jorgenson

Edited by: Alexa Jorgenson, MGC Content Creator

Photo & Video: Haven Windsor, Luke Clark MGC Photography Team

Blog Cover Designed by: Averi Thompson, MGC Graphic Designer