Entry No. 31 — the Missoula file — filed under: roadside-oddity
God's Ten Commandments Park
Built in 2014 by Philip Klevmoen, a Creston horse rancher who took it as a divine call, this earnest evangelical roadside park sits on a former lumber-mill Superfund lot along US Highway 2. You loop through more than 20 hand-lettered billboards on the biblical Ten Commandments, religious quotes attributed to U.S. presidents, and three giant timber crosses rising from an otherwise bare 10 acres. Go inside and they'll hand you free food and a magnet. Unpolished, single-minded, and unmistakably sincere.
The story
In 2014, Creston horse rancher Philip Klevmoen decided the relentless stream of tourist traffic along US Highway 2 toward Glacier National Park needed something heavy to ponder. Taking what he considered a direct divine call, he bought a bare 10-acre plot in Columbia Heights—a former lumber-mill Superfund site—and set to work transforming industrial leftover land into a roadside megasite of evangelical zeal.
He raised three towering timber crosses above the dirt and mapped out a winding path flanked by more than 20 massive, hand-lettered billboards. Each board details a biblical commandment or showcases religious quotes attributed to U.S. presidents, interspersed with hand-built stone grottos. There is no slick corporate backing or polished gift shop logic here—you didn't hear it from us, but this is pure, unvarnished outsider art built out of single-minded conviction on 10 acres of scraped Montana soil.
What it's like
Pulling off Highway 2, the scale hits you immediately: giant timber crosses standing stark against the sky with traffic rumbling past. You self-guide along a curving outdoor dirt path through the billboard loop and stone grottos. Step into the main building and the atmosphere shifts into direct hospitality—staff are known to offer you free food, water, and a magnet without asking for a dime. It's an unpolished, intensely earnest pitstop, so wear fair-weather shoes and bring an open mind.
The move: Detour off Highway 2 near Columbia Falls to walk the winding path of hand-built crosses, stone grottos, and decades-old religious billboards.
📍 Before you go Roughly 150 miles north of Missoula near Columbia Falls, an outdoor walk-through site best in fair weather. It's a long but doable day trip; pair it with the Flathead area.
- 📍 Columbia Falls, MT
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: US Hwy 2 E, Columbia Falls, MT
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild — Contrast Klevmoen's hand-built evangelical vision with the international, large-scale forest installations set among the pines in Lincoln.
- Anaconda Smelter Stack (The Big Stack) — Pair this Superfund-lot roadside park with another gigantic historic landmark built on Montana's industrial legacy.
- Double Arrow Lookout (overnight fire tower rental) — Turn your northern day trip into an overnight loop by booking a stay high up in a working-era 1933 fire tower in Seeley Lake.
Good to know
Is there an admission fee?
No, visiting the outdoor park is entirely free, and guests are frequently offered free snacks and trinkets inside.
Where is the park located relative to Missoula?
It sits roughly 150 miles north of Missoula on US Highway 2 East near Columbia Falls, making it an easy pitstop if you're heading toward the Flathead area or Glacier.
How long should I plan to stay?
Plan for about 20 to 30 minutes to loop through the winding path, read the presidential quotes and billboards, and check out the grottos.
When is the best time to go?
Because the main attraction is an open-air walk-through, go during fair weather in late spring, summer, or early fall, and double-check open hours before making the long drive.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: flatheadbeacon.com · hungryhorsenews.com · Roadside America · Tripadvisor · greatfallstribune.com · standaard.be
last checked: 2026-06-24