A Smokey Road to Rollins.
It’s travel day again — time to say goodbye to Butte, MT and head northwest to Rollins, MT, about 214 miles (3.5 hours) up the road. We picked Rollins for its spot near Flathead Lake, easy access to Glacier National Park, and proximity to Kalispell for supplies.
Lynn was up just past 5am, and Kirk followed at 8am. We skipped breakfast, and while Kirk was packing up, he noticed the stabilizers leaking — never a great sign. That mystery will have to wait until our next stop. We hit the road by 9:40am, right on schedule.
The drive was another beautiful one — scenic, like every route through Wyoming and Montana — though wildfire haze muted the photos a bit. Along the way we spotted the usual cows and goats, plus a few roadside curiosities: signs in an Indigenous language with some fun translations, and one unforgettable warning sign that read, “Taking the Meth Trail Doesn’t End Well.” Message received. The closer we got to Rollins, the smokier the skies became. You could barely see the mountains near Glacier — just faint silhouettes hiding behind a wall of haze. Too bad it wasn’t clear; on a non‑smoky day, you can tell the views would’ve been absolutely spectacular.
We made a quick rest‑area stop around 11am and continued on. As the miles rolled by and the boredom set in, Lynn started noticing all the roadside crosses — somber reminders scattered along the highway. She counted (and took photos of) 38 in just two hours!
By 1:30pm we pulled into the campground. The hosts had called earlier to remind us to park at the bottom of the hill since our rig is a beast, and to phone them when we arrived. Naturally, the moment we got there… zero cell service. Thankfully they spotted us and came down to escort us to Site #7 — a roomy, grassy spot with a peek‑a‑boo view of Flathead Lake. Although it was so smokey out, you could barely see anyways.
The campground has a private beach for RV guests across the highway. Walking is possible, but only if you’re in the mood to play Frogger with traffic, so driving is the smarter move. There’s also a restaurant on site — except during the time we’re here! After decades of operation, they couldn’t find anyone to run it this year. Luckily, M&S Meats (onsite) is still open, offering jerky, sausage, and other goodies. We grabbed a few frozen brats for future taste‑testing.
Around 8:30pm we headed to Polson, a small town about 30 minutes away that we passed on the drive in. We wandered the streets, strolled along the lake, and enjoyed the calm before the weekend rush. With the Flathead Cherry Festival gearing up this weekend, it seemed wise to explore now… before the cherry‑powered chaos arrives.
Our evening showers revealed a new surprise: extremely low water pressure — basically a polite trickle. Kirk will have to investigate tomorrow. We also learned that Kirk’s brother Brian won’t be able to visit after all. Something came up at home and he needed to stay and take care of things, so his trip is cancelled for now.
Because of Lynn’s medication schedule, she has to wake up at 1:30am for the next four days. Despite setting an alarm, snooze won the battle, and she didn’t realize until 2:15am that it was pill time. The alarms kept Kirk up most of the night — though let’s be honest, he was probably awake anyway. Four more days… just four more days of interrupted sleep and hopefully pain‑free nights.
Weather – (Rollins, MT) – High 89*, Low 67*. Winds 0-9/15 mph. No rain, no humidity.
Traffic – None.
Food – Nothing to report.
Notable – Travel to Rollins. Very hazy/smokey skies due to wildfires.
