If you are visiting Montana in September, head on up to Hobson and enjoy their hay art and fair! Quirky straw sculptures made by kids for kids are on display!
Spending time in Billings in September, I was looking for fun and quirky things to do. I loved Pictograph State Park and going sapphire hunting, and now I was heading out on the quirkiest of all. Hay art?
I wanted to explore the area, so rented a car and took a day drive. I headed off to Hobson first thing in the morning, because I’d heard about the quirky hay bales sculptures the town is famous for.
Hobson is about a two hour drive from Billings, and the day temps were warm, not hot. The roads are mostly flat, but the scenery along the way was varied and interesting.
Drive to Hobson
I stopped in a few “one horse” towns as I drove up. Towns with names such as: Comanche, Shawgut, and Judith Gap. There weren’t many buildings, and the streets looks windswept and somewhat deserted. I felt like I was in an old western movie.
I did stop for gas at the intersection of Route 3 and Route 12, in Lavina where I met a couple from Iowa at the pump. Just like me, they’d been traveling around the state discovering how much there was to do in Montana. I was half sorry I couldn’t entice them to go to Hobson with me, but alas they turned right when I turned left, and that was the extent of our short acquaintance.
Arriving in Hobson, the first thing you notice is the big grain elevators along the railroad tracks and a well-designed iron relief sign. As most of the other towns I’d driven through, there wasn’t much there to entice anyone to stop but I was on a mission, to find these whimsical hay sculptures.
What is the Montana Bale Trail?
According to the official website, the bale trail started in 1990 between two farming neighbors. It immediately started gaining in popularity and by 2003 was named Montana’s Tourism Event of the Year. These are pretty big accolades.
Today, the Hobson School runs the program, and various classes as well as individuals enter into a hay bale sculpting contest. The results are surprising, stunning, and most of all funny.
The sculptures are installed on a 20 mile swath of land between the town of Hobson on routes 239 and 541.
What is There to Do?
Held every year the first Sunday after Labor Day, the whole town of Hobson gets into it. There is a fair at the school, a pancake breakfast, and a Rod and Gun Club Dinner and dance. You can easily spend the entire day in this small hamlet.
How Long Do I Need to Stay in Hobson?
First you probably want to stay in Hobson for the whole weekend. Maybe stay in the very western city of Lewistown, only 30 miles away. There you’ll find restaurants and hotels, and a walkable downtown area. If you’re looking for a truly unique and memorable experience, book a stay at the incredible Judith Mountain Lodge.
On Saturday, take a picnic and explore Ackley Lake State Park or see the Beargulch Pictographs before driving out to the Utica Community Hall for the BBQ dinner, dance, and auction.
After a good night’s sleep, head to the Mason’s pancake breakfast starting at 7:30 before picking up your map to start of the Montana Bale Trail. For the next few hours, follow along the route and get your giggle on as you see how the sculptors interpreted the current theme. It’s a lot of fun.
Directions to Hobson From Billings
There are a few roads to get to Hobson from Billings. I decided to take one way up, which was route 3, to route 12, to route 191. Then I wanted a change of scenery on my way back to Billings, so I drove through Lewistown, then down route 87, a scenic byway.
Author Bio – Corinne is an avid camper and traveler. She’s been to all 50 of the US states and has four more Canadian provinces to visit. However, she’s not stopping yet. There’s always more to see of this great continent! Corinne loves local foods, getting outdoors, landscape photography, and road trips.
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