In this chapter, we’ll be heading northwest and up to the town of Plains, Montana.

Plains is a town in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,106 at the 2020 census. It was founded as Horse Plains and sometimes called Wild Horse Plains, as the local Native Americans would winter their horses here to feed on the grasses in the valley.

We continued on our way along the Clark Fork River along Highway 135.

We saw these interesting rock formations, too.

And here’s our turnoff; we’ll be turning left towards Thompson Falls and Plains.

Now we’re on Highway 200.

Oh wow, check out this beautiful old barn!

We cross the Clark Fork River just before the town of Paradise.

Paradise is a census-designated place in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 166 at the 2020 census. The community began in 1883, when the Northern Pacific Railroad chose the site as a division point.

Try look! A tree tunnel as we’re coming into Paradise.

Paradise is a pretty small town, yeah? This building is now an antique shop. Mahalo, GoogleMaps!

Sometimes technology drives me crazy, but in this instance, it drove me back to Paradise!

Back out on the highway again.

We saw some more beautiful rock formations.

And here’s the Clark Fork River again!

The Clark Fork River is approximately 310 to 360 miles long. It begins near Butte, Montana, and flows northwest before terminating at Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho. The exact length of the river can vary slightly depending on the specific headwater tributaries measured. About 280 of those miles are within Montana, where it serves as the largest river by volume.

Next, we headed northeast on Highway 28. That’s the town of Plains on the left. Can you guess where we’re going next?