Belgrade To Miles City: Simple Pleasures In Scenic Montana

The cozy Belgrade home of Robin's longtime friends, Adam and Nikki, makes for a slow start. Exhaustion from this trip (not to mention last night's beer) is dragging us down. We demolish a light breakfast, painstakingly get our gear packed and wish a fond farewell before heading to Bozeman. There, we investigate Nova Café, a delightful location along the bustling yet open environment that is Main Street. Robin and I both crush protein shakes to keep us in motion all the way to today's stopping point: Miles City, Montana.

Planning a route to keep off the I-90 slab, we head north out of town and catch HWY-86, Bridger Canyon Road. Offering up sweepers, twisties, and scenic views, HWY-86 winds its way between Baldy Mountain, Ross Peak and Grassy Mountain along the various creeks coming down off the hills. It's a great stretch of road and just what we need to build energy for the rest of today's ride.

HWY-86 lands us on US-89, where we stop to take pictures. The scenic Montana landscape features grasslands that settle into mountains on the horizon. Continuing north on US-89 up to HWY-294, we see signs for construction that warn motorcyclists to take another route. We choose to "not understand" (disregard) these signs and continue on.

The road turns out to be fine. It's well paved and full of fun corners that wind east through the rolling, rocky terrain. Not once do we encounter any construction until we hit US-12, where we queue up single file on loose gravel. Flaggers route traffic around the construction in small packs. We gingerly negotiate the half mile of "road" before reaching tarmac and blazing east.

Our basic plan is to take US-12 all the way home, if not at least to Minneapolis. The further east we go, the flatter and less interesting things become. An ever-flattening grassland along the plains replaces this morning's canyon twisties. We stop and visit a few quaint towns for gas and a much-needed stretch. The opportunity to enjoy licorice-flavored ice cream in Harlowton (don't judge) excites me. The town of Roundup is also pleasant and appropriately cowboy themed. Otherwise, the stretch is uneventful. We do battle some winds along the way but nothing too bad, especially after what we met in southern Idaho. Today is all about the steady push from Belgrade to Miles City.

As the sun begins to set, we arrive at Forsyth, Montana where US-12 blends into I-90. We abandon our hopes of skirting the slab via Cartersville Road when we find out it becomes dirt just outside of town. We decide to jump onto the expressway and continue to Miles City.

We originally plan to stay at Big Sky Campground on the edge of Miles City. Upon arrival, however, we find that it's more of an RV destination with limited accommodations. A quick smartphone search reveals a nearby KOA. They offer numerous amenities: store, fire pits/wood, showers, pool ... even old-school phone booths. We reserve our plot and set up, happy to have wrapped the day from Belgrade to Miles City without drama.

Despite Robin's initial hesitation to camp, the evening goes really well. We buy a six pack of banquet beer from the camp store (the best they have, trust me) and order pizza delivery (is this what they call "glamping"?). A nice young lady, pregnant, traveling solo, stays in one of the cabins nearby. The company's nice but she soon retreats to bed for an early start.

We settle down to a peaceful and quiet night. The only disturbance settles quickly (two friends rolling in after hours set up next to us). Robin doesn't wake up. It's a great ending to an adventurous day of fun and spirited riding. Here's hoping tomorrow brings more of the same.

Ready for more? Day Fourteen: Miles City To Lemmon

What's Your Favorite Sport Touring Motorcycle Route From Belgrade To Miles City?

There are limited twisty, scenic travel options connecting the two. Which roads do you prefer and why? Where do you like to stop along the way? Your input is invited. Leave a comment and/or write an article!