Southwest Montana

1westyellowstoneandgardinerarea.gifTRAVEL_MT2004-12-22T11:43:04106YVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://www.southwestmt.comSouthwest MontanaYVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://www.ennischamber.comEnnis Chamber10001080<DIV class="cityaspfont"><ul class= "fotocolumn"><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Ennis_overview.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Scenic OverviewPhoto courtesy: MTOT</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Ennis_localbusiness.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>Local BusinessesPhoto courtesy: John Ansotegui</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Ennis_McCallisterChurch.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=117 HEIGHT=187 ALIGN=BASELINE>McCallister ChurchPhoto courtesy: Bill Kuney</li></ul> Ennis, on the Madison River, was named for William Ennis, who was one of the first three men to locate in the Madison Valley. Ennis was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1828. He came to the United States when he was fourteen and to Montana in 1863. For awhile he lived in <a href="/categories/City.asp?CityID=379">Bannack</a>, then came to the Madison, where in 1879 he built a store. He became the first postmaster when the office opened in 1881, and for the next eight-six years Ennis postal service was in the hands of his family; his daughter, Jennie Ennis Chowning was postmaster 1898-1940. In 1873, Ennis took his family through <a href="/national_parks/yellowstone/">Yellowstone National Park</a>. These were the first white children to see the Park. William Ennis was shot on June 18, 1898 while standing in front of the Madison House in <a href="/categories/City.asp?CityID=345">Virginia City</a> by a neighbor who was angry because of an unfounded rumor that Mr. Ennis had maligned his character. He died of his wounds on July 4th. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)Ennis is surrounded by three beautiful mountain ranges: the Madison Range, the Gravelly Range, and the Tobacco Root Mountains. In addition to its majestic mountain view, Ennis also offers access to some of the finest river locations in the state by way of the picturesque Madison River. Also, just west of Ennis lie the famed western towns of Virginia City and <a href="/categories/City.asp?CityID=236">Nevada City</a>. Wander the boardwalks, take in a play or experience first-hand the 'West' doing a living history weekend.Ennis is a good-time western town and is full of cowboys, anglers and outdoor recreationists. The western flavor is real and there's plenty of action along the boardwalk on weekends. Visitors will find nearly 3 million acres of publicly accessible National Forest lands surrounding Ennis. Ennis is the center for activities on the Madison River, which is renowned for its first-rate trout fishing.The town is also the home of the <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?IDRRecordId=727&SiteId=1">Ennis National Fish Hatchery</a>. The Fish Hatchery propagates six strains of rainbow trout that produce 23 million eggs a year for stocking throughout the United States.The <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=9546">Madison Canyon Earthquake Lake Visitor Center</a> is just south of Ennis on US Highway 287. On August 17, 1959, an earthquake slid half a mountain into a canyon, creating a giant dam and <a href="/categories/moreinfo.asp?SiteID=1&IDRRecordID=14323">Quake Lake</a>, an eerie reminder of nature's violence.<map name="nearbycities"><area shape="rect" alt="West Yellowstone, Montana" coords="10,129,146,160" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=350"><area shape="rect" alt="Gardiner, Montana" coords="146,80,201,98" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=133"><area shape="rect" alt="Corwin Springs, Montana" coords="185,64,249,77" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=77"><area shape="rect" alt="Pray, Montana" coords="199,19,224,35" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=265"><area shape="rect" alt="Big Sky, Montana" coords="94,26,136,53" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=25"><area shape="rect" alt="Virginia City, Montana" coords="15,27,53,61" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=345"><area shape="rect" alt="Nevada City" coords="19,4,53,25" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=236"><area shape="rect" alt="Emigrant, Montana" coords="146,17,194,40" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=105"><area shape="rect" alt="Cameron, Montana" coords="63,49,93,63" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=51"><area shape="rect" alt="Ennis, Montana" coords="58,4,93,21" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=106"><area shape="default" nohref></map>509703ENNISGOLD WEST410Randy Brown's Madison Flyfisher1482T Lazy B Ranch1645Beardsley Outfitting Inc.1727Ennis National Fish Hatchery11143El Western Cabins & Lodges11145Rainbow Valley Lodge11147Sportsman's Lodge11642Saunders Floating12114Madison Meadows Golf Course12173Branham Lakes Campground12193Mill Creek Campground12198Potosi Campground12280Cliff Point Campground12346Madison River Campground12408Hilltop Campground12410Wade Lake Campground12756Red Bear Inn12882Centennial Guest Ranch12997The Tackle Shop-Fly Shop and Outfitter13056West Fork Madison Campground16013Black Butte/Lobo Mesa Loop Snowmobile Trail16014North Meadow Creek Trail16273Black Butte Cabin16274Bear Creek Cabin16275Antone Cabin16334Madison Ranger District16457Wolfpack Outfitters Inc19934Continental Divide110549Longbranch Saloon and 20 Below111724Ennis NRA Rodeo & 4th of July Parade111872Spirit of the North Sled Dog Adventures111917Madison Valley Ranch112195Ennis RV Village112549Cliff and Wade Lakes113020Xpress Rent-A-Car/R&M Rentals Inc.113325Moose Springs Ranch113331The Blue Heron113875Bear Creek Bunkhouse113877West Fork Cabin113878Wall Creek Cabin113880Vigilante114482North Willow Creek Trail114483Potosi Trail114484Albro Lake Trail114485Twin Lakes Trail114487Bell Lake Trail114488Gold Butte Trail114489Elk River Trail114491Cliff and Wade Lakes Interpretive Trail114493Hyde Creek Loop Trail114502Branham Peaks/Bridge Canyon Loop Trail114503Mill Gulch to South Mill Creek114530Bear Creek Loop Trail116146Historic Thextondale Homestead on the Madison116336Yesterday's Soda Fountain116360Cold Creek Cabin, LLC117601Bear Creek Campground117602Riverview Campground117803Adventures Outfitting LLC118419Cottonwood Campground118655Wade Lake Ski Trails118661Clover Meadows Primitive Dispersed Campsites118905The Jewel of the Jeffers118935Lure Me Inn119611Trout Stalkers - Outfitter & Fly Shop119763Riverside Motel and RV Park119882A Stay on Madison River119885Madison River Angler's Rest and Retreat120064Willie's Distillery120744McAllister Inn & Lodging121307Juniper House121670Burnt Tree Brewing121980Madison Valley Campground122295Montana Way Property Management122489Sure Shot Coffee Co.122490Ennis Sunrise Cafe1MT59729