Montana Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places

I used this guide for a trip across southern Montana. The guide pointed me to such off-beat delights as the Road Kill Cafe ("from your grill to ours") in tiny McLeod, a place you won't find listed in most guidebooks. Another place you won't find in most guides is "The Big Open," a 15,000 square mile chunk of lonely land in the middle of Montana. The greatest attraction of The Big Open is the lack of attractions -- which makes it a place I'd like to go one of these days. The guidebook divides Montana into five regions and lists interesting places to stay, old-time restaurants, museums and art galleries, annual events, and assorted trivia. Sidebars recount tidbits of Montana's history, especially tales of its cowboys and Indians. This guidebook is light and small and well-organized and all you need to find your way to interesting spots around the state, especially if you're the sort of person who's allergic to cute boutiques and cooker-cutter hotels and restaurants.