Tag Archives: Montana

Parker Homestead Once Was a State Park

Parker Homestead

The Shot: Parker Homestead

Unexpectedly came across this old homestead around noon on a cloudy September afternoon while driving to Yellowstone National Park. The old cabin seemed like a movie set begging to be photographed. Shot it with my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D50 with an 18-0-55.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 lens. Settings were f9.0 at 1/320 and 200 ISO.

The Spot: Near Three Forks, Montana

The Parker Homestead is located on a parcel of private land just off US 287/MT SR 2 in Southwest Montana about three miles south and west of the town of Three Forks. The homestead once was leased from the property owner as a one-acre Montana State Park. But after serving as a state park for 25 years, the park department determined it no longer could afford to maintain the property as a park so let the lease expire.

Travelers stopping to take photos or otherwise wanting to see the homestead should remember that it now is on private property. Also, watch for rattlesnakes. The homestead still was a state park at the time this photo was taken and signs warning of rattlesnakes were posted.

The homestead is easy to find as it lies right alongside US 287 south of I-90, a popular route to Yellowstone National Park by travelers driving eastbound from Butte, Montana.

If heading to Yellowstone eastbound on I-90 from Butte, drive all the way to the interchange of I-90 and US 287 to see the homestead. Drivers exiting I-90 at either Whitehall or Cardwell to take the highway 359 shortcut likely will miss the homestead unless they turn back north at the intersection of 359 and US 287.