Broadwater County is located just east of Helena, Montana’s capital city. Townsend serves as the county seat and sits in a valley between the Big Belt and Elkhorn Mountains. The Missouri River runs through the county, creating Canyon Ferry Lake.

Locals joke that there are more cows than people here. They’re probably right. Farming and ranching remain the backbone of the local economy. But whatever Broadwater County lacks in population, it more than makes up for in scenery.

Rolling hills give way to dramatic mountain views. The county’s hot springs have attracted visitors for centuries, while hunters come from far and wide in search of elk and deer. It’s the kind of place where you can still see more stars than streetlights at night.