Old Trail Museum
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESERVE, RESEARCH, AND INTERPRET TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH ITS COLLECTIONS, EXHIBITS AND PROGRAMS THE PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT REGION IN THE STATE OF MONTANA.
- Income
- $36,753
- Spending
- $41,343
- Reserves
- 118.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 39%
- Highest pay
- $21,000, executive dir.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $41,343 spent. THE OLD TRAIL MUSEUM SERVES THE PUBLIC VIA ITS MISSION STATEMENT IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS: OLD NORTH TRAIL, BLACKFEET TRAPPER/TRADER, CATTLEMEN, SHEEPMEN, ALICE GLEASON, METIS, BEADWORK, GRIZZLY BEAR, ART STUDIO, SHEEPWAGON, AND A.B. GUTHRIE DISPLAYS; CHILDREN'S SUMMER PROGRAMS AND GIFT SHOP. THE OLD TRAIL MUSEUM SERVES THE LOCAL AREA AS WELL AS ADJACENT COMMUNITIES AND LARGE NUMBERS OF TOURISTS ENROUTE TO GLACIER NATIONAL PARK NORTH OF CHOTEAU.2024 PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:2024 WAS A RESOUNDINGLY SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR THE OLD TRAIL MUSEUM. AMONG THESE MANY SUCCESSES WERE: SECURING A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER, THE DOUBLING OF OUR OLD NORTH TRAIL TOURS, HOSTING THE INAUGURAL FRONT RANGE ART ASSOCIATION'S OLD NORTH TRAIL ART RENDEZVOUS, AND HOSTING A READING OF RENOUNED AUTHOR SALLY THOMPSON'S NEW BOOK, DISTURBING THE SLEEPING BUFFALO.IN ADDITION, OTM'S ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT INTERPRETIVE CENTER (RMFIC) FOUNDED A NEW SERIES OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT GEO TOURS, CREATED A NEW ECOLOGY EXHIBIT FOCUSED ON THE LIMBER PINE SAVANNAH, AND PROCURED A FULLY GROWN TAXIDERMIZED TRUMPETER SWAN TO ACCOMPANY OUR LESSER SNOW GOOSE IN THE FREEZOUT LAKE WATERFOWL MIGRATION EXHIBIT.NEW VOLUNTEER: THE OTM WAS THRILLED TO ATTRACT LOCAL RESIDENT NANCY MILEWSKI TO ITS RANKS THIS PAST SUMMER. NANCY BRINGS A WEALTH OF INTERPRETIVE KNOWLEDGE TO THE OTM AS A MONTANA FISH, WILDLIFE AND PARKS OFFICIAL BIRD COUNTER AT FREEZOUT LAKE, A FORMER RANGER AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK, AND PLACID LAKE STATE PARK. NANCY IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THE TEAM AND WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE HER AMONG OUR RANKS MOVING FORWARD.LONG-TIME OTM BOARD MEMBERS AL WISEMAN AND V.V. SHEA RETIRED AFTER LONG AND PRODUCTIVE TENURES. AL WISEMAN, A LOCAL CARPENTER AND METIS ELDER WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN FOUNDING OUR OLD NORTH TRAIL TOURS AND MANY OF OUR METIS HISTORY EXHIBITS AT THE OTM. V.V. SHEA, A LONGTIME GLACIER NATIONAL PARK RANGER, ALSO SERVED FOR MANY YEARS AND WE HOPE SHE STILL BAKES HER COOKIES AND HUCKLEBERRY PIES FOR US INTO THE FUTURE. WHILE BOTH AL AND V.V. HAVE RESIGNED, THEY WILL ALWAYS BE OTM FAMILY. WITH THOSE RETIREMENTS CAME NEW BOARD MEMBERS: BONNIE GRIFFIS, A NATIVE MONTANAN AND CHOTEAU RESIDENT WITH A BACKGROUND IN ECOLOGY AND BIOLOGY; AND SUSAN BECHTEL, LONG-TIME GLACIER NATIONAL PARK RANGER AND CHOTEAU RESIDENT. SUSAN BRINGS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. WE ARE EXCITED TO BRING BOTH OF THEM ON BOARD!BIG PLANS FOR 2025: OTM HAS PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE OTM AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT INTERPRETIVE CENTER FOR 2025. IMPROVEMENTS WILL INCLUDE THE ASSEMBLY OF A JUVENILE MAIASAURA SPECIMEN WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE SAFEKEEPING OF THE MONTANA DINOSAUR CENTER IN BYNUM. MONTANA DINOSAUR CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CORY COVERDELL AND OLD TRAIL MUSEUM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEAN DOYLE WILL BE COLLABORATING ON THE PRODUCTION OF THE EXHIBIT TO BE UNVEILED IN LATE MAY 2025. THIS NEW ADDITION TO THE OTM'S DINOSAUR ANTECHAMBER WILL HIGHLIGHT MAIASAURA AS THE STATE FOSSIL OF MONTANA AND ITS DISCOVERY ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT BY LOCAL RESIDENTS.ADDITIONALLY, THE OTM IS EXPANDING ITS OLD NORTH TRAIL EXHIBIT TO INCLUDE SEVERAL MORE DISPLAYS AND EXHIBITS CONCERNING THE TRAIL, INCLUDING A 3D TOPOGRAPHIC MAP HIGHLIGHTING THE OLD NORTH TRAIL ALONG THE RUGGED TERRAIN OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT. ADDITIONALLY, THE MAP WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL FEATURES OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT REGION IN CONJUNCTURE WITH AN EXHIBIT DETAILING THESE FEATURES AND OTHER PROMINENT ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT POINTS OF INTEREST.NORTH WALL MURAL: LOCAL ARTISTS BONNIE GRIFFIS AND RACHEL OLSON ARE BEING COMMISSIONED BY OTM TO CREATE A LARGE MURAL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MUSEUM. WEATHER DEPENDING, THE MURAL SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY MEMORIAL DAY 2025.RMFIC EXPANSION: THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT INTERPRETIVE CENTER WILL ALSO SEE ADDITIONAL EXPANSION IN 2025. SEVERAL WILDLIFE EXHIBITS WILL BE ADDED TO THE RMFIC COLLECTION INCLUDING BLACK BEAR, PRONGHORN, GOLDEN EAGLE AND ELK.A NEW 3D TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP IS BEING PRODUCED FOR RMFIC TO ILLUSTRATE THE GEOLOGY AND GLACIOLOGY OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN FRONT.THE GRIZZLLY BEAR EXHIBIT WILL ALSO SEE UPDATING, WITH INCLUSION OF NEW MAPS, GRAPHICS, AND TEXT.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1985.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.