Southwest Montana

1widsom_and_wiseriver_area.gifTRAVEL_MT2004-12-22T11:43:04365YVISITOR INFORMATIONhttp://www.southwestmt.comSouthwest MontanaYLOCAL INFORMATIONhttp://bigholevalley.comBig Hole Valley Information10003760<DIV class="cityaspfont"><ul class= "fotocolumn"><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Wisdom_Winter.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>WinterPhoto courtesy: MTOT</li><li class="brewfoto"><IMG SRC="/Pictures/Cities/Wisdom_Battlefield.JPG" BORDER=0 WIDTH=222 HEIGHT=140 ALIGN=BASELINE>BattlefieldPhoto courtesy: MTOT</li></ul> Wisdom was named for the Wisdom (now the Big Hole) River that flows through the town. In 1805 Lewis and Clark, at the confluence of the tributaries of the Jefferson River near the present site of Twin Bridges, decided to name the three streams for the three "cardinal virtues" of the President and benefactor, Thomas Jefferson. But Philosophy, Philanthropy, and Wisdom proved to be too much for later settlers, who changed the names to the Big Hole, Beaverhead, and Ruby. But the town kept the name Wisdom and later a nearby waterway was named the Wise River. The other two virtues seem to have been lost entirely in the renaming process. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)The Big Hole Valley is often called the "Valley of 10,000 Haystacks." It's quite a sight to watch the ranchers put up hay during late July and early August. They still use the beaverslide, an early-day haying invention originating right here in Beaverhead County.<map name="nearbycities"><area shape="rect" alt="Warmsprings, Montana" coords="155,5,211,23" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=349"><area shape="rect" alt="Butte, Montana" coords="182,26,249,59" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=49"><area shape="rect" alt="Whitehall, Montana" coords="200,71,245,84" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=354"><area shape="rect" alt="Alder, Montana" coords="222,168,248,180" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=4"><area shape="rect" alt="Silver Star, Montana" coords="221,101,249,120" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=310"><area shape="rect" alt="Sheridan, Montana" coords="224,135,249,150" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=306"><area shape="rect" alt="Dillon, Montana" coords="128,159,178,184" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=92"><area shape="rect" alt="Bannack Ghost Town" coords="43,163,112,195" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=379"><area shape="rect" alt="Jackson, Montana" coords="69,129,113,143" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=180"><area shape="rect" alt="Wisdom, Montana" coords="66,91,125,115" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=365"><area shape="rect" alt="Melrose, Montana" coords="138,113,176,129" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=221"><area shape="rect" alt="Wise River, Montana" coords="135,65,167,86" href="/categories/city.asp?CityID=366"><area shape="rect" alt="Sula, Montana" coor292639WISDOMGOLD WEST34Big Hole National Battlefield11490Nez Perce Motel12413May Creek Campground12414Miner Lake Campground12415Twin Lakes Campground15725Hell Roaring Trail15730Continental Divide Trail15734May Creek Ski Trail15736Butler Creek Trail #5615740Twin Lakes Trail15744Rock Island Lake Trail15754Slagamelt Trail16002Big Hole/Bitterroot Road Snowmobile Trail16005Skinner Meadows/Bloody Dick Trail Snowmobile16008Gibbonsville Snowmobile Trail16151Cabinet Creek Ski Trail16153Shoofly Ski Trail16154Richardson Creek Ski Trail16155Anderson Mountain Road Ski Trail16156Gibbons Pass Road Ski Trail16159Ruby-May Creek Trail16246Seige Area Trail16247Howitzer Capture Site Trail16270Hogan Cabin16271May Creek Cabin16272Twin Lakes Cabin16333Wisdom Ranger District19264Commemoration of the Battle of the Big Hole113976Chief Joseph Cross Country Ski Trail113978Scooter Creek Ski Trail113979Anderrick Ski Trail114154Twin Lakes/Ajax Lakes Snowmobile Trail114155Shultz - Johnson Snowmobile Trail114156Miner Lake Snowmobile Trail114469Wisdom Cabin114528Sand Lake - Lilly Lake Trail114529Steel Creek Campground115502Hook and Horn Trading Post116605Pioneer Mountain Lodge117648Mussigbrod Campground117934Big Hole Valley Winterfest Ski Joring118191North Van Houten Campground118192South Van Houten Campground118543Big Hole River RV Park118686Nez Perce Camp Trail120920Big Hole Valley Winterfest121595Big Hole River121820The Wisdom House Vacation Rental1MT59761