MAY 2026

MAY “HAPPENINGS” → WHAT’S HAPPENED IN ENNIS, THE BASECAMP OF THE MADISON VALLEY, AS WELL AS NEIGHBORING AREAS?

Opening Day of Displays in Virginia City,
Kentucky Derby Party at Willie’s Distillery
Becoming an Outdoors Woman (BOW) offered Beginning Archery
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Willie’s Distillery
Hebgen Reservoir & Madison River topics discussed and sponsored by Northwestern Energy
Tap into Ennis – MT Craft Beer & Distilleries Festival, Lion’s Club Park
Pony Fiddle Fest & Concert, at the Pony Gym in Pony
BOW held workshop on Beginning Fly Fishing
Ellinghouse Arts & Humanities Center in Virginia City presented, Ben Larson
Memorial Season Kick-off Parade and Duck Race in Virginia City
Madison Valley Fire Department held a “Pancake Breakfast”
Madison Valley Ranch, Flyfishing Lodge, hosted several Gourmet Wine Dinners
BOW is held their camp for Becoming an Outdoors Woman
Summer Kick-Off Rodeo + live music! Ennis Rodeo Grounds
Elling House Center in Virginia City presented, Ray Marxer, Cowboy in a Corporate World
Bear Creek Days took place at the historic Bear Creek Ranger Station – a 3-day conservation experience for over five hundred students participating.
A Memorial Day Poker Ride/Walk was held in Virginia City
Memorial Day commemorations were held at every cemetery in the county. It was sad to see so few attendees there to honor our fallen. A free lunch was held for Veterans and their families at the Ennis Rodeo Barn following the ceremonies at the Ennis Cemetery.

JUNE “HAPPENINGS”! → WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS MONTH!

Cowboy Church will again be holding services through Labor Day, at 10 AM, outside, somewhere between Virginia City and Nevada City.
June 4 → Madison River Foundation, Side Channel Restoration Fund Raiser at the Madison Valley Ranch – sold out!
June 6-7 → Jack Creek Preserve is presenting, Conservation Field School for Educators – Birds of a Feather,
June 11 → Madison Stream Team Volunteer Training, at the Madison Valley Library, 10–2 PM
June 13 → Jack Creek Preserve is presenting, Old Growth Forests

June 13 → Ennis Community Children’s School 2026 Scramble will take place at the Madison Meadows Golf Course. Call to register: (406) 682-7468
June 13 → Irish Days in Virginia City
June 13 → Opening Night at the Brewery Follies, in Virginia City!
June 17 – Sept 6 → Virginia City Playhouse, Tuesday – Sundays. Click here for Reservations
June 17 → Montana Premier of, MAN CALLED LEGEND – the Bill Poole Story, an 80-minute documentary of the deep sea fishing industry in San Diego, to be shown at the Madison Theatre, FREE. (The Poole’s owned the famous Sun Ranch from 1978 – 1988, and sold the ranch to actor Steven Segal, who sold it to Roger Lang, who sold it to Richard C. Adkerson. Bill Poole’s widow, Ingrid Poole, now owns the neighboring High Valley Ranch in Cameron.)
June 18 → The Bozeman Symphony will perform at the Elling House Center in Virginia City.
June 18 – Sept. 24, Music in the Park, in Peter T’s Park, every Thursday evening, 5:30 – 7:30 PM
June 20 → Jack Creek Preserve is hosting a Wildflower Stroll.
June 21 → Fathers’ Day Fishing Derby in Lions Park
June 27 → Duck Days at 12 noon, at the famous Pony Bar, in Pony!
June – Sept. 7th → A Traveling Exhibit, FROGS – A Chorus of Color, at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.

And, you can go fishing, golfing, play pickleball, go exploring, bowling, visit the library, sit on the Mark Twain bench; do yoga or Pilates, take the kids to Lions Club Park (a Skate Park is coming!); go to the gym (at the Madison Square Athletic Club), take exercise classes, have a facial & a massage, see a movie, or eat, drink, stroll through Ennis, or go shopping! JUST DO IT ALL!

FUTURE 2026 “HAPPENINGS” → WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS YEAR!

July 1 → The Gravelly Range Road opens up for touring in Beaverhead/Deerlodge National Forest.
July 2 → The Madison Ranger District will lead the popular Wildflower Tour of the Gravelly Range. Call (406) 682-4253 for details.
July 3 → NRA Rodeo at 7 PM, Ennis Rodeo Grounds,
July 4 → Fourth of July Parade, Main Street Ennis, 10 am (come early to get a spot!) The Theme of this year’s Rodeo Parade is “Our Town, Our Story.” (See Montana Trivia section for more of the story…) And Parade Grand Marshalls will be Pokey Armitage and Dr. Maura Davenport!
July 4 → Veterans Memorial Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park, Ennis, 12 noon
July 4 → NRA Rodeo at 7 PM, Ennis Rodeo Grounds
July 4 → Fireworks at Dusk, in Virginia City
July 5 → Kids’ Fishing Derby in Virginia City
July 11 → Madison River Foundation Gala Dinner at the Madison Double R
July 11 → Vigilante Car Show in Virginia City.
July 11 → Jack Creek Preserve is offering, Mindful Foraging
July 18 → Bozeman Symphony – Far Afield, 2:00 PM at the Ellinghouse Arts & Humanities Center in Virginia City.
July 18 → Madison Valley Home Tour, sponsored by the Madison Valley Medical Center Foundation.
July 19-20 → Jack Creek preserve is presenting, Keep it Wild
July 25 → Madison Valley Arts Festival in Peter T’s Park, 10 AM – 5 PM, by Ennis Arts Assoc.
July 31 → Hunter’s Rendezvous, in a tent outside of Shedhorn Sports
July 31-Aug 2 → BOW presents their Summer BOW Workshop, learn how to be an outdoors woman!
July 31 → Trout Rodeo, at Burnt Tree Brewing, hosted by the Madison River Foundation
August 5-9 → Madison County Fair!, at the Fairgrounds in Twin Bridges
August 15 → Fly Fishing & Outdoor Festival, in Peter T’s Park, 10 AM – 4 PM
August 15-16 → Fly Fishing Skills Camp for ages 14-16,
August 28-30 → Jack Creek Preserve is hosting, Woman’s Wilderness Weekend!
October 23 → Hunters’ Feed, Main Street, Ennis, 3 – 5 PM – Free wild game food! Plus, the popular Critter Call at Willie’s Distillery.
October TBD → Trout Rescue @ Eight Mile FAS, hosted by Madison River Foundation
December 4 → Spirit of Christmas Stroll, Main Street, Ennis, 3 –7 PM
December 11-12 → The Splendid Feast, at the Elling House in Virginia City, at 6:00 PM by resv.

MONTANA NEWS → What’s Happening around the State and the Legislature

On May 26, we marked the 162nd anniversary of when Montana officially became a U.S. territory in 1864, when President Abraham Lincoln signed the act creating the Montana Territory. Montana achieved statehood 25 years later, becoming the 41st U.S. state on November 8, 1889.
Montana’s unemployment rate is 3.6%, and still below the national rate of 4.4%. The state emphasizes strengthening workforce pathways through career, college, and military opportunities.
Under federal proposals floated by both Congress and cabinet agencies this spring, livestock could become major players in wildfire suppression efforts by literally eating the fuel before it burns.
Corner crossing is the act of stepping from adjoining corners of public land where alternating sections of public and private land exist in a checkerboard pattern. Corner crossing has generated increasing interest in the West after digital mapping company OnX published a 2022 report revealing 8.3 million acres of “corner-locked” land in the U.S., 871,000 of which are in Montana. Two public land access groups filed a lawsuit challenging Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks’ position that corner crossing is “unlawful” in Montana. Can a hunter in Montana legally access “corner-locked” public land if they use a ladder to avoid adjoining private property? Is it trespassing if a hunter is on horseback? How does the legal calculation change if the hunter uses a helicopter to access public land surrounded by private property? Now, drones are entering the debate!

FISHING REPORT → Trout Live in Nice Neighborhoods!

June is here – the month we have all been waiting for. It is like Christmas, your birthday, and Valentines Day all wrapped up into one, just for the fly fisherman! Big things are happening. This is the month where it all comes together. First, one of the two questions everyone has been asking is, “How is the water?” Right now, Hebgen Lake is less than a foot from a full pool. We have been getting pounded by rain the last few days, and more rain is in the forecast for the next week. This is great short term and will help out long term. It will get darn close to full, and this should ensure we have good water all summer long. They are holding water now, but they will release it as things warm up. The second question we have been getting is, “When will the Salmon flies show up? Historically, good Salmon fly fishing is June 20th till July 4th. With everything being dry and ahead of schedule, will this mean the salmon flies as well? Short answer is, yes. But how early is up to Mother Nature. Every time I try and predict that woman, I am wrong. Kinda of like picking up dinner for your wife and not asking her what she wants. It will always be wrong. But, sometime between now and July 4th, we will see salmon flies.

If you are around now, it is mostly an underwater distraction game. Think dark-bodied stone flies, streamers, and worms. The water is off colored with about six inches to one foot of visibility. Everyone thinks bright colors in dark water. In reality, dark-bodied flies show up better in off-colored water. Think black, or dark olive. But all this will change. The river will clean up and drop shortly. Once this happens, the salmon fly nymphs will make the migration from the center of the river to the banks to hatch. The fishing on stone fly nymphs will get really good. Then, on a warm evening, the emergence will happen.

Lots of good fishing to be had this month. Probably the best fishing month of the year, from start to finish — especially this year, with the low water. Yes, the Madison will be a little lower than normal, but it will fish lights out. If you have vacation stored up, now is the time to use it. Lots of great new gear at the store and all the bugs you will need. Stop by for the latest river intel. Let’s party like it’s 1999 this month! This is Montana at its best.

Good Fishing and God Bless

John Way, The Tackle Shop, Ennis, MT, the CULTURAL EPICENTER OF TROUT, (406) 370-5206.
If people concentrated on the REALLY important things in life, there would be a shortage of fishing poles!

Check out other Fishing Reports at:
⮚Madison River Fishing Company
⮚Dan Delekta
⮚The Madison Valley Ranch
⮚Joe Dilschneider’s Montana Trout Stalkers
⮚ Kelly Galloup’s Slide Inn
⮚Yellowstone Fly Fishing

⮚ WEATHER in the MADISON VALLEY →

The Rain Dance worked! Rain came with more on the way. Hallelujah! The valley is green and the mountain tops are still white-capped. Perfection. However, the water equivalency levels in the mountains are only about 60% of the 30-year average, so we welcome all of this moisture! May was crazy with a daytime high of 88°, and a daytime low of 46°. The nighttime high was 53° and the nighttime low was 23°, plus some mighty winds! Planting the garden is still risky!

⮚REAL ESTATE TIP →

BUILD or BUY?? That is the question for many folks wanting to move to our area. Both avenues have pros and cons. The right choice comes down to your tolerance for timelines, logistical hurdles, and upfront capital. A custom home built exactly for your lifestyle on land that you chose, in a location that is ideal – OR – a move-in ready home with fewer surprises and a simplified financial process. In the current 2026 market, both paths present distinct challenges and financial realities, unique to Big Sky Country.

Buying Land and Building – Most vacant land will be outside of a town and will require power, a well, a septic system, and possibly the development of an access road, even prior to construction. The challenge of construction includes finding a qualified General Contractor who isn’t booked two years out, a shortage of subcontractors, high local building costs and higher costs for construction loans.

Buying an Existing Home – It is challenging to find just the house you like, in the location you prefer, for the price you can afford. But, if you can, buying an existing home provides immediacy, predictability and a simplified financial process. But there are unknowns in existing homes in a rural area with fewer permits and oversight, so a professional home inspection is an absolutely necessity.

You should build if: you have a flexible timeline, significant cash reserves for development overruns, and specific architectural needs (such as single-level living, specialized shop space, or off-grid capabilities) that simply don’t exist in most local listings. Remember, the rule is: It always takes longer and costs more than you planned.

You should buy if: You want to avoid the stress of managing contractors across a Montana winter, and possibly from a long distance, need a predictable budget without “hidden” infrastructure surprises, and want to begin enjoying the property immediately. You can manage small remodel jobs later.

HOME FOR YOUR SOUL → FEATURED PROPERTY OF THE MONTH → COZY HOME on the GOLF COURSE!

This comfortable 3/BR, 2/BA home of 1,366 SF, was built in 1997 and well-maintained, with fresh paint throughout, all-new Anderson windows, new flooring and is ready to move in! It has great views out of large windows looking onto the second fairway, on .549 acres. The 2-car garage has lots of built-in and attic storage. The yard is landscaped and has underground sprinkler system. The home is heated with propane FA furnace and has central AC.

1 Lone Mountain Court, Ennis, MT 59729. Price: $595,000. MLS # 410740, Valley Garden Golf Village, Lot 36. GoogleEarth Coordinates: Lat. 45.45.353317°, Lon. -111.742172°, Elevation: 4,968’.

VIEW LISTING HERE

NATIONAL REAL ESTATE NEWS → Washington, May 11, 2026

Association of Realtors® (NAR) has released its data for April 2026. Both reports show modest, positive momentum in the housing market, driven by a slight improvement in affordability and a wave of cautiously optimistic buyers. Here is the breakdown of the latest metrics from both reports:

Existing-Home Sales (Released May 11, 2026) – This report tracks completed transactions for single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, and co-ops.

Sales Volume: Rose slightly by 0.2% from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million units. On a year-over-year basis, overall sales remained unchanged.
Home Prices: The national median existing-home price reached $417,700, representing a 0.9% increase from April 2025 ($414,000), marking the 34th consecutive month of year/year price gains.
Housing Inventory: Total housing inventory jumped 5.8% from March to 1.47 million units (a 1.4% increase from a year ago). This leaves the market with a 4.4-month supply of unsold inventory at the current sales pace.
Affordability: The Housing Affordability Index improved to 110.6 (up from 101.4 a year ago), with NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun noting that sales were modestly boosted because average income growth has begun outpacing home price gains.

Regional Breakdown (Existing-Home Sales, Month-Over-Month)

Northeast: Unchanged (annual rate of 450,000); median price rose 4.8% to $510,800.
Midwest: Up 2.2% (annual rate of 950,000); median price rose 3.6% to $324,500.
South: Up 0.5% (annual rate of 1.87 million); median price rose 0.4% to $366,600.
West: Down 2.6% (annual rate of 750,000); median price fell 1.4% to $619,600.

Pending Home Sales (Released May 19, 2026) – The Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) is a leading indicator based on signed real estate contracts that have not yet closed.

Monthly Trend: Pending home sales increased by 1.4% in April compared to March.
Annual Trend: Contract signings rose 3.2% compared to April 2025.
Market Insight: Dr. Yun indicated that buyers are returning with “cautious optimism” despite economic fluctuations & minor bumps in mortgage rates, emphasizing that boosting overall housing supply remains critical to preventing prices from outpacing wages.

Regional Breakdown (Pending Sales)

Northeast: Rose 6.6% month-over-month (but down 0.6% year-over-year).
Midwest: Rose 3.0% month-over-month (up 2.7% year-over-year).
West: Rose 0.4% month-over-month (up 3.8% year-over-year).
South: Dipped 0.7% month-over-month (but remains up 4.7% year-over-year).

Mortgage Rates: The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.53% as of May 28, 2026, up from last week when it averaged 6.51%. A year ago, at this time, it was 6.89%. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.87%, up from last week when it averaged 5.85%. A year ago, the 15-year FRM averaged 6.03%.

The National Association of Realtors® is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. The term Realtor® is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of Realtors® and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

LOCAL REAL ESTATE MARKET STATISTICS →

Things are picking up! Listings in every category are up, as sellers expectantly await a busy summer selling season. The valley is green once again and even more inviting. Higher interest rates may slow things down somewhat, but many of our sales, these days, are cash. The Madison is still having an effect, with calls for property on the river. Statistics for the Madison Valley area (including Ennis, Cameron, McAllister, Norris, Virginia City, Nevada City, Harrison, Pony), for the month of MAY were as follows:

RESIDENTIAL: 59↑ listings ($395,000 to $4,250,000); 10 ↓ pending sales ($420,000 to $1,995,000); and 26 homes have sold in 2026 ($227,000 to $4,450,000), totaling $22,534,095 @ 96.1% of list price.
MULTI-FAMILY: 6 listings ($795,000 to $2,449,000); 0 pending sales; 1 sold in 2026 ($640,000), @ 100% of list price.
VACANT LAND: 118↑ listings ($6,500 to $4,750,000); 12↓ pending sales ($144,000 to $799,000); and 48 lots have sold in 2026 ($12,000 to $1,589,000), totaling $11,577,400, @ 93.0% ↓ of list price.
LAND with STRUCTURES: 5↑ listings ($250,000 to $2,490,000); 0↓ pending sales; 3 lots w/structures sold in 2026 ($285,000 to $1,485,000) @ 82.5% ↑ of list price.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES: 9↑ listings ($475,000 to $3,250,000), 1 pending sale ($1,750,000); and 3 commercial properties have sold in 2026 ($260,000 to $1,500,000) totaling $2,322,500, @ 93.9% of list price.
RANCHES: 3↑ listings ($2,750,000 to $23,500,000), 0 pending sales; 1 ranch has sold in 2026 ($2,950,000), @ 90.2% of list price.

“The best investment on Earth is earth.” Louis J. Glickman, real estate mogul/philanthropist

MONTANA TRIVIA →

Did you know that… the Ennis Fourth of July Rodeo is one of Montana’s most iconic and deeply rooted western traditions. It captures the authentic, old-school ranching culture of the Madison Valley, transforming a quiet fly-fishing and cattle town into a bustling hub of rodeo action every summer. Like most classic Montana rodeos, the origins of the Ennis Rodeo stem from practical ranch work. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, local cattlemen let their stock roam unfenced. Each summer, cowboys from neighboring ranches gathered for massive roundups to sort and brand the cattle. Naturally, these gatherings sparked fierce, friendly competitions to see who was the fastest roper, the best horseman, or who could ride the most stubborn bucking horse.

As fencing eventually brought an end to the open-range roundups, the desire for competition remained. In the early to mid-1900s, Ennis began hosting its first official rodeo competitions right on Main Street, which was nothing more than a dirt road at the time. Spectators watched cowboys test their grit right in front of the local storefronts.

The celebration as we know it today truly began to solidify in 1935, when Ennis officially established its annual Fourth of July parade. The town’s multi-day Independence Day celebration quickly became an unbreakable local tradition. By the early 1950s, the event had outgrown the dirt layout of Main Street. The community established the official Ennis Rodeo Grounds, located just on the edge of town, where the event has been held ever since.

What started as a local showcase for Madison Valley ranch hands gradually evolved into a major stop on the regional cowboy circuit. Over the last 75+ years, the Ennis Rodeo has grown into one of the largest and oldest continuous rodeos in the state. Managed for decades by the dedicated volunteers of the Ennis Rodeo Association, this National Rodeo Association sanctioned event bridges the gap between small-town charm and professional-caliber sports. Today, it draws top-tier cowboys and cowgirls from across the nation to compete in classic events: Saddle Bronc and Bareback Riding; Bull Riding; Team Roping and Tie-Down Roping; Barrel Racing; The crowd-favorite “Mutton Bustin'” for the next generation of local kids.

“The Real Montana” Spirit – Today, the rodeo weekend causes the population of Ennis (which normally sits around 1,000 residents) to swell by the thousands. The entire weekend is run with immense community solidarity—where local business owners, hairdressers, and ranchers all pitch in to run the gates, organize the parade, and manage the chutes. Combined with the historic morning parade down Main Street, the Ennis Rodeo remains a living piece of history, preserving the authentic cowboy culture that William Ennis and the early Madison Valley settlers brought to the valley back in the 1860s. Ennis, MT is THE PLACE TO BE on the Fourth of July – especially this year, as we celebrate the country’s 250th birthday!

A wise old timer from the area once told me,

“Don’t try to change the Madison Valley…let the valley change you!”

Thank you in advance for your personal referrals. They are the lifeblood of our business and the greatest compliment you can give us.

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