With gas prices hovering around $4 per gallon, most folks are staying close to home this summer -- meaning it might be a good time to brush off that Montana road map and see some of the more nearby attractions.

The Independent Record staff has put together a list of three favorite getaways that won't cost you more than a college education.

One is a weekend getaway, another an overnighter, and the other a day trip.

The only criteria we used is that they should be within the range of a tank of gas, or between 300 and 400 miles, depending on your rig.

So remember as the long Labor Day weekend arrives, you just might want to take a trip around Big Sky Country and remember why everyone else loves to visit us.

WEEKENDER

One recent road trip was a great city/country combo that's perfect for a long weekend.

We started the adventure at Missoula's waterpark, Splash Montana. Now in its second year, the waterpark is one of the best in Montana, with three slides, a kid-friendly pool with spray features and a 50-meter pool called The Lake.

It's a great place to hang out with kids, complete with lawn chairs for sunbathers and shade-seekers alike.

The food is a bit spendy at the Crazy Creek Cafe, but they don't allow you to bring your own, so it's best to hit Splash Montana at mid-afternoon. They also have lockers, but you'll have to either take along your own lock or buy one for $3, which you can keep.

Probably the best thing about Splash Montana is the price -- $3.25 to $3.75 for kids, and $5.50 for adults.

After you're completely waterlogged, head back east on I-90 and take the Bonner exit. Head north on Highway 200, and tucked back along the Blackfoot River are a number of great camping sites.

The next day, if you've planned wisely, you'll have a couple of inner tubes with you. If you don't already own some, a lot of the tire stores will sell you a tube for around $10. At this time of year, most of the stretches of the Blackfoot are safe for tubing.

From here, head east again on Highway 200 to Clearwater Junction and treat yourself to a huckleberry milkshake. If you're hungry, don't miss Trixie's in Ovando for a big ol' burger.

The next stop is Lincoln, where the ranger station on the east side of town is now the permanent home for an 850-pound grizzly bear that had an encounter with a truck. The truck survived; he didn't.

If you've had enough car time, turn north off Highway 200 on Forest Road 293, 10 miles east of Lincoln, and take a hike in the footsteps of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

About 200 years ago, on July 6, 1806, Meriwether Lewis and nine men were following the ancient Buffalo Road Trail, whose ruts were made by generations of American Indian hunters and their families. Take the road 11 miles to the trailhead for the 1.7-mile trek to Lewis and Clark Pass.

Afterward, jump back in the car, turn right onto Highway 279, and you'll be back in Helena in about an hour, with a little gas still in the tank.

Weekender mileage

To Missoula: 113 miles

To Lincoln: 77 miles

To Alice Creek (roundtrip): 22 miles

To Helena: 59 miles

Total: 271 miles

OVERNIGHTER

On less than a tank of gas, you can step back in time to meet some of Montana's more colorful personalities at the Charles M. Bair Family Museum in Martinsdale.

But remember to pack your swimsuit for this outing, so you can complete your adventure with a leisurely soak at the Spa Hot Springs Motel pools in White Sulphur Springs.

The excursion makes for a very full day or a more relaxing overnight trip.

The Bair Museum is chock full of history and art treasures -- from intricate beadwork vests and tobacco bags made by the Plains Indians, to fine silver tea sets by famed goldsmith Paul Storr to Charlie Russell paintings.

Due to the eclectic and quirky tastes of the Bair sisters, Marguerite and Alberta, a visit to their 26-room ranch home makes for a visually stunning treat.

Family patriarch Charles M. Bair came to Montana in 1883 as a conductor on the Northern Pacific Railroad, but amassed a fortune from sheep ranching and investments -- most notably in thawing machines sold to goldminers during the Klondike Gold Rush.

Bair's sheep-ranching operation grew to be one of the largest in the world, with 300,000 head of sheep.

Among the Bairs' friends and acquaintances were many U.S. presidents, Hollywood actors such as Tom Mix, artists Russell and Henry Sharpe, and photographer Edward Curtis.

Antiques collecting was a passion that Marguerite and Alberta shared. They traveled to Europe 20 times after World War II collecting treasures -- a painting of Louis XV's daughter, an array of crystal chandeliers and gold-plated doorknobs and a bed in which Marie Antoinette once slept.

Here European masterpieces reside cheek-by-jowl with Charlie Russell cowboys and Curtis American Indian portraits.

Bold and electrifying colors glow from the kitchen, with its turquoise walls, red counters and floors and yellow cabinets.

Gold-plated faucets and fixtures in the shapes of swans adorn one bathroom, where gold Greek gods march across the wallpaper.

Equally colorful are some of the stories told of Alberta, a shrewd business woman, known for her flamboyant hats, love of parties and her hunting outings in her Cadillac.

Both sisters became well known throughout Montana for their generous philanthropy -- including leaving their Martinsdale home as a museum for the public to enjoy.

When you've soaked in all the history you can absorb, it's time to hop in your car and head down Highway 12 to the welcoming hot pools of the Spa Hot Springs Motel in White Sulphur Springs.

The outdoor pool is kept at an inviting 98 degrees, and the indoor one at 105.

Filled with natural mineral waters, the pools are emptied and cleaned daily.

Motel rooms and camping are available in the area, but this is a hopping weekend with the annual Labor Day rodeo -- the town's biggest event of the year.

For those who want to tarry and explore -- the rodeo runs Sunday evening and Monday. A downtown parade at noon Sunday and at 11 a.m. on Monday kick off events both days.

The rodeo starts at 5 p.m. Sunday and at 2 p.m. on Monday. A kiddie rodeo runs from noon to 2 p.m. Monday.

There's also a barbecue at the rodeo grounds Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

And Sunday at 9 p.m., western band 10 Feet Tall & 80 Proof plays for a street dance on Main Street.

For those who are hungry for more history, the Castle Museum in White Sulphur Springs offers tours from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day through Sept. 15.

Built by entrepreneur and rancher Byron Sherman, the Castle features Sherman family heirlooms and local history.

Bair Family Museum

Location: 2751 Montana Highway 294, Martinsdale

Directions: Take Highway 287/U.S. Highway 12 south from Helena to Townsend. Take a left on Broadway/U.S. Highway 12 and drive about 33 miles to the junction with U.S. 89, turn right and travel about 8 miles, then turn left on Montana 294.

Prices: Adults, $5; children

(6-12), $2; children under 5, free; seniors, $3.

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Labor Day. Last tour at 4 p.m. Through September the museum is open Wednesday through Sunday

Miles from Helena: 103

Spa Hot Springs Motel hot pools

Location: 202 West Main, the intersection of Highways 12 and 89 in White Sulphur Springs

Directions from Martinsdale: Go north on Highway 294 to the intersection with U.S. 12. Turn left on U.S. 12 and take it to White Sulphur Springs.

Prices: Adults, $5; free to $4 for children, depending on age.

Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Miles from Martinsdale: 34

Miles from Helena: 75

Castle Museum

Location: 310 1/2 2nd Ave. N.E., White Sulphur Springs

Prices: Adults, $5; children and seniors, $3.

Hours: 10 a.m. Last tour at 4:30 p.m.

DAY TRIP

Frankly, it's hard to take a two-hour drive from Helena and not encounter fantastic scenery every mile along the way. But for spectacular beauty and a true feel for the grandeur of our state, it's hard to beat a loop from Three Forks down the Madison Valley to Ennis, then over a pass between two mountain ranges and back north along the Ruby and Jefferson rivers.

Ennis bills itself as the fly fishing capital of the world. Some folks up this way on the Missouri might argue with that assessment, but there's no denying Ennis' claim to fantastic fishing and spectacular scenery. Surrounded by the Madison Range, the Gravelly Range and the Tobacco Roots, Ennis makes a fine destination if you want to wet your fly or a fine stop for lunch if your trip is centered more on western history. Turn left at the statue of the angler to find several places to eat along the town's quaint Main Street.

After lunch, get on Hwy. 287 West and start the climb up to Virginia City and its sister a mile to the west, Nevada City. Parts of each town are restored to the way they were in the late 1800s, when mining was king and Virginia City served as a time as Montana's territorial capital.

In addition to small museums and shopping, there's the Alder Gulch Short Line, an authentic narrow-gauge railroad between the two towns, with a small railroad museum at the Nevada City terminus.

Once you've had your fill of life the way it was a century ago, get ready for more scenery. The Ruby Range and the Tobacco Roots provide breathtaking views as you drive through the broad river valleys back to Three Forks and on home to Helena. Total mileage: 247 miles.