On day 104 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive from Billings to Miles City, Montana. The fastest route to Miles City is via the Interstate I-94, but we do not take that, we drive via the Old US 87 and the Old US 10. These two beautiful highways that meander through the vast landscape of Montana treat you to beautiful panoramic views. panoramas with meadows, forests, mountains and rivers. US 10 partly follows the course of the Yellowstone River.

There are a few small villages along the route where you can stop for something to drink and eat. In Hardin we stop for a short coffee break and to visit the Big Horn County Historical Museum. The gallery exhibits and historic structures tell the history of Fort Custer on the Big Horn River, built during the Indian Wars and named for General George Armstrong Custer who died in the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The rich culture of the Plains Indians is colorfully represented, along with artifacts from missionaries on the reservations. Exhibitions by famed cowboy writer Will James bring the American West to life.

The lunch stop is planned in Forsyth, also known as the “City of Trees”, located in a valley along the banks of the Yellowstone River. The community of approximately 1,900 residents is diverse in terms of employment, activities, services and attractions. Economic benefits come from tourism, agriculture, railways, mining and various small businesses. While in town we visit the Rosebud County Pioneer Museum, which houses collections from the founding families of Forsyth and Rosebud County. Included in these collections are everyday objects from the turn of the century, vintage clothing, barbed wire displays, restored steam engines and various agricultural implements. This free museum is an invitation to anyone interested in daily life at the turn of the century.

Forsyth is named after General James W. Forsyth, who landed here from a river steamboat before there was a town. Due to the abundant growth of cottonwood trees in the area, steamboats often stopped to refuel their engines. The city was founded in 1880 and got its post office in 1882 when the North Pacific arrived. The opulent buildings along Main Street reflect the wealth of Forsyth's early years. In 1910, the Milwaukee Railroad expanded north into the Judith Basin, opening a new area for settlement and establishing Forsyth as a trading center. The economy today is still driven by the railroad.

We drive further east via Old Highway US 10 to exit 117 at Hathaway where we take Interstate I 94 towards Miles City, today's final destination. In Miles City we visit the Waterworks Art Museum, they have impressive contemporary and historical collections, including vintage photographs from 1878 by Robert C. Morrison, LA Huffman, Christian Barthelmess, "Lady" Evelyn Cameron and Edward S. Curtis. The museum's founder and director, Mark Browning, acquired numerous important works by photographers and artists from the area. In 1999, the “Home to Montana Fund” was established to expand the collection of photographs, paintings and works of art important to this area.

Before checking into our hotel in Miles City, we visit Range Riders Museum, founded in 1939. Over the past 70 years, the museum has grown to include 13 buildings totaling more than 38,000 square feet of exhibit space. The museum's 13 hectares also presents numerous historical buildings.
The exhibits include: dinosaurs; the history of the Indians who lived in this area for a millennium; the soldiers and pioneers who took over this barren land. Take the time to explore the 13-hectare open-air museum, which gives a good idea of what life was like in the “Old Wild West”.