Take a Trip to Ennis, Montana

If you are planning a trip next summer and you are looking for something really special, let me make a suggestion. Head to western Montana if you are the kind who likes mountains, rivers, small towns, fishing, viewing wildlife, riding horses across endless valleys, or sightseeing. Stay away from western Montana if you are the urban kind, there is little or nothing there for you.
Flowing out of the northwestern side of Yellowstone Park is the Madison River. It flows north and, with a couple of other rivers, forms the great Missouri River. Its trek takes it through one of those big valleys that makes western Montana so beautiful. About half way up that valley is a small town named Ennis.
The best place to stay in Ennis is the El Western Resort. It is run by the cousins of a Union County resident, Brad Guerin. Its URL is www.elwestern.com and you can visit their website, get all the information you need, and book a stay there.
Just across the ridge from Ennis is the home of most of the stories of the Old West, Virginia City. It has been somewhat preserved from its goldrush days, and is a great place to learn about the West of those years.
You will fall in love with Ennis, however. It is the ideal small town. If you want to fish, then the Madison River may be the best trout stream in the country. If you get there on July 4th, you will be treated to one of the great 4th of July parades in the nation. Ennis Lake, just north of town is a relatively shallow lake that is a great place for camping, boating, fishing or swimming.
If you want to take day trips from Ennis, then Yellowstone Park is a couple of hours away as is Helena, the capital of Montana. A visit to the Montana Capital Building is a must. It is one of the more beautiful in the country.
My own favorite day trip is the one that takes me through Yellowstone, out the northeast entrance and across the Beartooth Highway. Traveling the Beartooth is an experience of a lifetime.
I can promise you that your time in and around Ennis will be some of the best memories of your life. It is so beautiful that there are no words to describe the experience. Put on your jeans and head west.