Along the southern Rocky Mountain Front, Augusta is located on US Highway 287 53 miles west and slightly south of Great Falls and about 25 miles north of the Hwy 200/287 junction at Bowman's corner.
Waving prairie grasses and scattered timber invited cattlemen to the area in the early settlement days. Today, Augusta's heritage and livelihood remain rooted in "cowtown life." It's no small wonder that the legendary "Wildest One Day Show on Earth," the annual American Legion Rodeo, is an embedded community calendar event. With a population of about 250, the town literally bursts at the seams with the influx of people coming to town for a weekend of high stakes camaraderie.
A popular gateway to the Rocky Mountain Front, immense Bob Marshall and adjoining Scapegoat Wilderness, hikers, backpackers and horseback riders assemble in Augusta to access a million acres of unspoiled, rugged beauty in the high country. There are ten beautiful lakes ranging from 6 to 25 miles from town, and many excellent fishing streams close by. Guest ranches in the area offer riding, rustic cabins and hunting, fishing and sightseeing trips. The area teems with wildlife, and the real meaning of being in a major bird flyway is understood in the spring and fall.
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Popular authors, Rick and Suzie Graetz write, "Augusta provides easy entry into the southern Front. One byway goes west to the Sun River Canyon and Gibson Reservoir and another to Benchmark, a favorite horse route into the Bob. Highway 435 extending west and south of Augusta, points to Bean Lake and the Dearborn Canyon. Good access ensures those not wishing to or able to enter the wilderness can experience some of the same sights backcountry wanderers see. To understand the value of this majestic piece of the state, probe its roads and trails in all seasons. In the long light of a summer evening, watch as all the details of the heights slowly fade, leaving a purple silhouette on the horizon. Catch the rich first light of a rising sun on the peaks of Steamboat, Sawtooth or Castle Reef."
In addition to the spectacular landscape, true western hospitality awaits visitors to Augusta with gift shops, an array of food and drink opportunities, motels, campgrounds and an RV park. Making friends in Augusta is as natural as enjoying burgers and beer.
