What is Eastern Montana really like? (Jordan, Garfield County MT) (Billings: cheap house, elementary school)

[99benny]

I'm from Minnesota and drove through eastern MT on highway 200 back in 2016. Remember it to be very sparsely populated with towns 70+ miles apart. No cell service for hours at a time. And a lot of it almost seemed desert-like. I have been all over MN, North & South Dakota, even Wyoming and have never seen anywhere as desolate as along highway 200 in eastern Montana. It must really be the place to get away from it all.

Stopped at the gas station in Jordan and the guy said there's no services for more than 65 miles in any direction from Jordan. I was shocked because where I'm from all the towns are within 5-10 miles of each other.

Does anyone know anything about Jordan and the surrounding area? Are there any other towns around there? I realize there's Miles City but that's still more than 80 miles away... Is it really the middle of nowhere?

Thanks for any feedback

[Wyoprairie]

Middle of nowhere might be a state of mind rather than just a physical definition. I drive through that area on a
very frequent basis. Jordan is probably one of the more remote towns in MT. Along with Ekalaka and Broadus.
Used to be two gas stations in Jordan, now just one. I am usually coming down from Ft Peck, which is 60 miles
north of the rest area at 200 & 24. That highway has nothing but a couple ranches. From Jordan I usually go
down Hwy 59 which is 83 miles to Miles City. Another route is 200 to Brockway, then down to Terry, and I-94 to
Miles. (about the same either way) Brockway may not even be 100 people. Between Jordan and Miles is
Cohagen, which is just a elementary school and half dozen houses. School bus from Jordan goes all the way past Cohagen. I like that whole region a lot, but I like open country.

This is rural life: The last kid on that school bus was in high school. So he would leave a pickup at the highway
since the ranch house was a couple miles in-school bus would wait to make sure his truck started before turning
around. He must have graduated because no truck at the highway anymore.

Circle is an hour east of Jordan on 200. Circle is one of my favorite towns in MT. A real ranching community.
Has what has to be one of the smallest Ford dealerships in the country. But it is only 45 miles from Circle down
to Glendive. Jordan is the county seat of Garfield County. 75 miles west on 200, Winnett (pop about 180) is
county seat of Petroleum County. Last summer-devastating range fire around Sand Springs between Jordan &
Winnett. Some ranch houses and barns lost, cattle lost, hay lost, it was really bad news.

[Redraven]

Yep, much of Eastern Montana is miles and miles of nothing but more miles and miles.
Of nothing.

[MTSilvertip]

It's pretty wide open for sure, especially in a blizzard or when it's wet and you get the gumbo. Help can be days away on foot.

My parents used t have a place in Winnett. Fantastic people, love the solitude. It's a great area once you learn to appreciate all that it's got instead of what it doesn't have.

[historyfan]

Originally Posted by Redraven

Yep, much of Eastern Montana is miles and miles of nothing but more miles and miles.
Of nothing.

True enough for some of Eastern MT. The Jordan part of world is rather treeless & desert-y.

There are some darn nice people with places near Jordan.
The bank is well regarded.
Ryan's meat shop cures excellent ham & bacon.
There is a great little coffee shop.
The school has a farm to table lunch program.

That's about all I know about Jordan.

[NDak15]

Eastern Montana is like North Dakota. Not many trees, wide open spaces, not many people, but some very genuine people.

[Redraven]

There are a couple of places in that region that are in high demand for Ham Radio contacts. There is a contest known as "Worked All Counties", where an operator tries to make at least one contact in each of the counties in a given state. Petroleum County in Montana is one of the hardest to make a contact in. It seems there are few, if any, Amateur Radio Operators in that county.
For other contests, the world is divided into "Grid Squares". There are many such squares where few (if any) people live, and none are Ham radio hobbyists. Those squares are in high demand during contests.
I have often thought of finding a field near Winnett where I could set up my Amateur Radio Field Day Station. So far, I haven't done it...

[NW Crow]

Live a half hour outside Lewiston and you'd be away from much activity. Visit Lewiston when you need town. Could drive to Jordan if you need even less noise.


Used to be real cheap houses up in Plentywood. Not sure if the energy business and effects reached them.

[sky1949]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Live a half hour outside Lewiston and you'd be away from much activity. Visit Lewiston when you need town. Could drive to Jordan if you need even less noise.

I assume you mean Lewistown. Lewiston is in Idaho, on the border with Washington.

I live in Billings and have been to all towns named, on business for one reason or another. My preference for the city will be obvious from what I say. If there are 5 or 7 (I forget which) rings of Hell, Jordon and, especially, Circle are on the inner rings. Is there a restaurant (other than a coffee shop) in Circle yet? I spent a month there one evening. Fortunately, I was able to get in and out of Jordan during the course of the day. Yes, if you want to live in NOWHERE, USA, those are the places for you. Lewistown is OK, barely, but way above C and J, if you don't mind living at Ground Zero for WW3. Miles City is a small town, but actually quite nice. Decent restaurants (for Montana) and lodging.

[NW Crow]

Yeah I meant Lewistown. Either my typing and / or autocorrect messed it up. Typing this, we both messed up again; but I saw and corrected it.