Day 496 – US – Montana [Custer to Hysham]

13/08/21

39km

  From Custer (Montana) to Hysham (Montana)

North America

A magnificent run through beautiful landscapes and reaching Hysham – and generous hosts for the night

Sandstones sculptures in the morning light

Rolling hills, farmlands, badlands’ sandstone sculptures / rock formations, cattle and wild animals. I’m now in the heart of east Montana’s Prairies Badlands. I don’t know if that’s the Badlands Springsteen sings about in his song (could be a reference to the Badlands Park in South Dakota too) but that brought up the song anyway and I pretty much ran the whole morning with the song on repeat in my head.

And the fauna too

The landscapes were amazing in the morning light. I got to cross the Yellowstone river twice again today, a treat to see in a different light. It seems the river is particularly low at the moment. With 15km to go, smoke came all over the valley and the air became very acrid. It seems there are some wildfires in the vicinity of Miles City, where I am heading in 3 days. Still quite a distance away from where I am, but I have to watch the wind in the next few days.

Yellowstone River – we see a lot of each other lately!

Hysham is one of these places I stop by where there is no place for me to stay or pitch my tent. So I contacted the local community – initially asking if they could advise a safe place for me to pitch my tent around the small town. Jessie, from the local Presbyterian church, picked up my email and decided to host me for the night! A bed and shower as well as the company of enthusiastic and warm hosts for the night, I am being spoiled again!

Check out today’s flyover video: https://www.relive.cc/view/vKv2yyAoEoq

Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: