Rising Trout Cafe - Lewistown, MT
My dad and I had to make a family trip to South Dakota recently to our family's farmstead near Sisseton, SD. A long drive, lots of window time, and plenty of great conversation later, we found ourselves back across the flat lands of the Dakotas where we could finally see mountains again.
In case you haven't driven across eastern Montana and the Dakotas before, it's flat... not kind of flat, like between "Great Falls and Havre flat"... it's so flat that there is no analogy to describe it's flatness flat (A person from Montana their whole life would be impressed by how even the ground is, it's a basketball court or soccer field making paradise).
No offense if you lived or live there, I was born there, lived in both North and South Dakota, and proud of it. I will also say that the Dakotas are responsible for a major portion of our country’s farming produce, and the people that live, work, and recreate on the land in the Dakotas are some of the toughest and hardest working people in the country (...and most stubborn... I would know because I myself, and my Dad, and his Dad, and his Dad, are all from there).
It has changed a lot since I have been there, Bismarck and Fargo are very progressive and populations and businesses are growing. My favorite part about going through the Dakotas, even when I was young, is the badlands on the western side of the state. There is also great fishing opportunities in the Dakotas, fairly un-populated, and if solitude and fishing make you happy then you probably should visit (great for Pike, Walleye, Bass, Panfish, and other warm water fisheries).
Anyways, I now appreciate mountains after living in Montana for a decent amount of time, and it is amazing how morale jumps and the feelings of "home sweet home" fill you up as you get back to the landscape of Rocky Mountains. I guess they call that a Rocky Mountain "high."
The first stop on the way back to the Rocky's is Lewistown, MT, and to any trout bum that means Big Spring Creek. Big Spring Creek is the largest spring creek system in Montana. Of course water levels are high, and we were eager to get home but I had heard that the Argotti's from the Trout Bum Diaries had a cafe there called Rising Trout. It didn't take much to convince Dad to stop for lunch.
The cafe is downtown on main street (217 W. Main Street). If you are in the Lewistown, MT area fishing or just driving through this was a great little stop. Lots of great books, live music, great coffee, pastries, and a ham and cheese bagel sandwich is what saved my day.
Check their Facebook page for upcoming live music, food, pictures, and fishing information (Rising Trout Cafe Facebook Page).
Some images from inside the cafe...