Get Your Spring on With Fun, Local Events

March and April signal the beginning of spring with warmer temperatures and new signs of life. It can be a great time to get out and about, checking out what events are taking place close to home and farther afield. It’s also a wonderful time to get outdoors and see what nature is up to.

Whitehall has great opportunities for getting outdoors with scenic trails along the Jefferson River, also a great spot for early season fly fishing. Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, offers 3,000 acres with hiking trails. Though the caverns don’t open until May, the excellent Visitor Center is open Wednesday through Sunday. 25 Lewis and Clark Caverns Rd., 406-287-3541.

Ringing Rocks is an area of unique geological formations, where the rocks chime when tapped lightly with a hammer. Accessed by a dirt road, it requires a high-clearance vehicle or a walk of about 1 mile. 406-533-7600

Another area for off-highway vehicles is Pipestone ATV & Recreation Area, with 30,000 acres of diverse terrain and more than 75 miles of marked trails for ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes. 406-321-0434.

On Saturday, March 14th, make sure to find your way to the Whitehall Community Center for the Annual Jefferson Valley Sportsmen Association’s Banquet. Doors open at 5PM; dinner is serve at 7 PM. For tickets, contact Paul Larsen at 406-560-9975

This Sunday, March 15, the Star Theatre is the location for the 3rd Annual Oscars Watch Party, presented by Gold Junction. Be ready for Red Carpet interviews, a Best Dressed Contest, Oscar Award Raffles, Movie Trivia, Oscars Bingo, Drawings, Food, Prizes and More! A $10 donation is requested. Star Theatre, 25 West Legion St., 406- 498-3807.

Early spring is an ideal time to appreciate Boulder’s rustic charm. Elkhorn State Park offers the opportunity to explore Montana’s 19th century mining history with two well-preserved, historic ghost town buildings, Fraternity Hall and Gilliam Hall. There are great opportunities for photography and learning the history through interpretive signs as well as tackling rocky hiking trails in the area. 812 Elkhorn St.

Boulder Hot Springs is open for day use in its serene, alcohol-free environment with both indoor and outdoor geothermal pools open. The resort specialized wellness retreats and seasonal dining events, including the April 5 Easter Buffet, are available, as are the grounds, open for viewing wildlife and hiking. 31 Hot Springs Rd, 406-225-4339.

In Dillon, March and April brings scheduled events as well as outdoor activities. On Thursday, March 5, the 35 th Annual Split Diamond Angus Bull Sale will be held at 1 pm. With progeny from well-respected sires including Basin Jameson, Connealy Expo, Quantum, Sitz Threshold, and Sitz Royalty. Other sale highlights include EZAR Step UP 2025 sale standout along with Sitz Threshold and Sitz Royalty who’s sons topped the Sitz Angus Fall 2025 sale last December. 5544 S. Hwy 91, 406-581-0612, splitdiamond.com/bull-sale.

The Dillon Jaycee Middle School Wrestling Tournament/Invitational, a regional tournament for 6-8 grade wrestling clubs, takes place Saturday, March 14 at 10 am at the BCHS BW Lodge Gym.

Sunday, March 22 and Saturday, April 18, at 7 pm, are the dates for the UMW Drama Club Improv Nights. Celebrate Improv Comedy with a select troupe from UMW’s Drama Club; different games each week with audience favorites. Special ticket price $10. Free admission for all UMW students. 710 S. Atlantic St., 406-683-6831.

The Play That Goes Wrong, presented April 17-19, 23-25, and 30, is a farcical murder mystery, a two-act play within a play, conceived and performed by award-winning Theatre Mischief. http://www.umwestern.edu/bank-of-commerce-performing-arts-series/box-office. 710 S. Atlantic St., 406-683-6831.

Bannack State Park’s hillside hikes, birdwatching and more than 50 historical buildings provide outdoor recreation on the quieter side. Enjoy self- guided tours at this best-preserved Montana ghost town. Birds Eye Loop and Hendricks Lode Mine Trail are two good hiking options. 721Bannack Rd., 406-834-3413.

Clark’s Lookout State Park offers a short, 1-mile hike to a rocky outcropping used by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Beaverhead Trails and the Dillon Town Overlook Trail are two additional outdoor destinations, while the Beaverhead and Big Hole Rivers provide excellent spring fly fishing opportunities.

Ennis is known for its excellent early-season and lower traffic times fishing on the Madison River. Madison Valley also provides chances for newborn wildlife viewing of elk, deer, moose and bald eagles. There’s spring hiking in Bear Trap Canyon, popular in the early season because the canyon warms up earlier than the surrounding mountains. A popular trail is the Bear Canyon National Recreational Trail.

Spring is also an ideal time to enjoy Ennis’s quiet downtown shops, historic sites and distilleries, including Willies Distillery’s local spirits and tours. 312 Main St., 406-682-4117.

Sheridan serves as a good base for spring exploration, hiking, and viewing emerging wildlife and wildflowers. In town, Bingo Night at the Stockman, Monday, March 2 and April 6, is a popular local community event inviting patrons to “Bring a little extra spring to your step with a night of Bingo!” 116 S Main St, 406-842-5772, 6 to 8pm.

Twin Bridges, known for its location at the confluence of three rivers, merging to a fourth, offers world-class fishing on the Jefferson, Beaverhead, Ruby and Madison Rivers. For hikers, there’s Beaverhead Rock State Park’s lower elevation trails. This park preserves a huge rock formation that resembles the head of a beaver. It’s culturally important to Native American tribes and played a role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. 62 Beaverhead Rock Rd., 406-834-3413.

The Community Association March Madness Calcutta, an annual fundraiser with drinks, dinner and a team auction, takes place 6 pm, Monday, March 16, at the Blue Anchor Bar, with participants bidding on NCAA tournament teams, with winnings based on team performance. 102 N. Main St., 406-684-5655.

The Madison County Madness (MCM)Tournament will be held Saturday, March 28 and Sunday, March 29, 6pm, at Twin Bridges High School. This annual basketball tournament is a youth 5-on-5 basketball competition for boys and girls in grades 3rd through 8th grade. 216 6th Ave., 406-596-4321.

Spring in Virginia City is a pleasant time to explore the town, open year-round, for a quieter experience compared to the crowds of summer, including the open-air museums and Mount Vernon Dredge, a historic gold mining dredge in nearby Nevada City.

In Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, popular trails include Birch Creek, Bell Lake, and Rock Creek trails, which offer scenic views of the forest. The area is also surrounded by blue-ribbon trout streams, including the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin rivers.

In town, Elling House Arts & Humanities Center presents Youth of Madison County Chautauqua on Saturday, March 21 at 6:30pm and the Chautauqua Winter Series on Saturday, April 18; 6:30pm meet & greet, 7:30 performances. These educational/cultural performances are a mix of conversation, entertainment and appreciation of local artistic talents. Donations appreciated. 404 E. Idaho St., 406-843-5507.