The destructive floodwaters that roared from the Beartooth Mountains in June 2022 resulted in a loss of $95 million in tourism spending in four counties in south-central Montana and a $128 million impact to the region’s economy, according to a study by the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research (ITRR) at the University of Montana.

"I don’t think anyone was surprised by the numbers; we knew the flood had a major economic impact," said Melissa Weddell, director of ITRR and lead author of the study, in an email. "What stood out to me in the study was, first, how quickly the response was to ensure people were safe and then to rebuild the road to the park. It was extremely efficient! Second, I was struck by the challenges communities faced on the ground in organizing financial relie

See Full Page