Montana Travel Guide

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Fodor's Montana and Wyoming: with Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks
Whether you want to explore what remains of the Old West, visit a national park, or find...

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Big Sky Country is more than just a nickname: Montana has huge expanses of rugged country. It's a place to discover how beautiful the night sky can be and what "dark" truly is with limited city lights. But in addition to the natural beauty—stunning glaciers and ski slopes, trout-filled streams and high plains—you'll also find a welcoming place full of locals who love to share their state's natural beauty, mining history, and thriving cultural communities with others.

Fodor's Montana and Wyoming: with Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks
Whether you want to explore what remains of the Old West, visit a national park, or find...

View Details

ROAD TRIPS

Big Sky Country: Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho

Shoshi Parks

Find a Hotel

ROAD TRIPS

Big Sky Country: Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho

Shoshi Parks

Find a Hotel

ROAD TRIPS

Big Sky Country: Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho

Shoshi Parks

Top Destinations

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Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

Glistening, glaciated, and grand, the Absarokas, Crazies, Gallatins, and other mountains send cooling summer winds to roil among the grasslands...

Kalispell, Missoula, and Northwest Montana

With more than 6 million acres of public land, northwest Montana might be America’s largest outdoor destination. In the summer, travelers head to the many...

Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains

Space, lots of space, is the hallmark of eastern Montana’s gently rolling plains. If you’re looking to escape stifling crowds and urban sprawl...

Glacier National Park

...

Missoula

A fertile valley hemmed in by mountains cradles Missoula, the cultural center of northwest Montana. The largest city in the vicinity (population 75,500) is the...

Billings

A bastion of civilization on an otherwise empty prairie, Billings is a classic Western city, full of the kind of history that shaped the frontier...

Big Sky and Gallatin Canyon

The region known as "Big Sky" is actually three areas: the Mountain Village at the top of the 9-mile-long Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64);...

Helena

Montana’s state capital is a city of 33,000, with 30 city parks, several museums, and a thriving arts community. The southern part of the city...

Livingston and the Yellowstone River

The stunning mountain backdrop to the town of Livingston was once Crow territory, and a chief called Arapooish said about it, "The Crow country...

Bozeman

This recreation capital offers everything from trout fishing to white-water river rafting to backcountry mountain biking to skiing. The arts...

Flathead Lake

The 370-foot-deep Flathead Lake, with 180 miles of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. It’s a wonderful—and popular—place for...

Whitefish

A hub for golfing, lake recreation, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, Whitefish sits at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. Nine lifts serve 3,000 acres...

Great Falls

One of Great Falls’ greatest assets is its sense of history. Here, along the banks of the Missouri where the plains meet the Rockies, explorers...

Red Lodge

Nestled against the foot of the pine-draped Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, this little burg is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...

Outside Glacier National Park

...

Butte

Dubbed the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte was once a wealthy and rollicking copper-, gold-, and silver-mining town. During its heyday, 100,000...

Big Timber and the Boulder River

People come to Big Timber for its small-town (population 1,700) Western ambience, to fly-fish the blue-ribbon trout streams, float the Yellowstone...

Kalispell

Main Street (U.S. 93) in busy downtown Kalispell is lined with galleries, jewelry stores, boutiques, and restaurants. This century-old city, the Flathead County seat, is...

Dillon

Blue-ribbon trout fishing on the Beaverhead River attracts thousands of anglers here year-round. A capital of southwest Montana’s ranch country...

Seeley Lake

Bordered by campgrounds, hiking trails, and wildlife-viewing opportunities, this community of 1,659 centers on lovely Seeley Lake. Nearby is the Big Blackfoot River, a setting...

Virginia City

Remnants of Montana’s frontier days, Virginia City and its smaller neighbor, Nevada City, are two of the state’s standout attractions. Boardwalks...

Hamilton

Home to retirees, gentleman ranchers, and the Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton (pop. 5,000) is a gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It was established by 19th-century...

Flathead Indian Reservation

Home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, this 1.2-million-acre reservation is also a fascinating historical sight. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans were here...

Ennis

In addition to being a hub of ranching in the area, this tiny town sits among some of the best trout streams in the West. People come from around...

Stevensville

Stevensville, population 1,809, sits on the site of the state’s first non–Native American settlement, St. Mary’s Mission, a restored treasure that dates back to 1841...

Anaconda

Nicknamed the Smelter City, Anaconda is a window on the age of the copper barons, who ran this town from the 1880s through the 1950s. A number...

Lewistown

Started as a small trading post in the shadow of the low-lying Moccasin and Judith mountains, Lewistown has evolved into a pleasant town of...

Columbia Falls

...

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Centered on a 60-mile-long lake, this park stretches between the Pryor and Bighorn mountains, well into Wyoming. Really just a wide spot on...

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area

The Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Great Bear wilderness areas encompass 1.5 million rugged, roadless, remote acres within the Flathead National Forest. Preservation pioneer, forester, and...

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge, a quiet community of 3,000 residents, maintains a complex of history museums in and near its old state penitentiary. Many locals...

Big Snowy Mountains

South of Montana’s geographical center an island of rocky peaks rises more than 3,000 feet from the sea of windswept prairie, beckoning scenery...

Miles City

History buffs enjoy the ranch town of Miles City (population 8,264) at the confluence of the cottonwood-lined Tongue and Yellowstone rivers...

West Yellowstone

This western gateway to the park is where the open plains of southwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho come together along the Madison River...

Fort Benton

The gateway to the Upper Missouri River, this town of 1,464 people has a rich and rugged past that’s captured in a complex of excellent museums...

Fort Peck

Fort Peck itself is mostly a quiet retirement town, with 240 residents; at night the lights of ranch houses are few and far between. It owes...

Hardin

Although its roots are firmly planted in cattle ranching, Hardin makes a significant portion of its living as a visitor gateway to the Little...

Three Forks

Although the scenery in Three Forks is striking, it’s the historic sites that make this place worth a visit. Sacajawea (circa 1786–1812) traveled...

Havre

Mainly a place to stay when visiting Fort Assinniboine, the town of Havre (population 9,791) is the trading center for a wide area of extreme...

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

An oxbow of the Missouri River before the last ice age, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a massive series of lakes and wetlands just off...

Makoshika State Park

...

Big Hole National Battlefield

...

Gardiner

As the only entrance to Yellowstone open the entire year, Gardiner (population 971) always feels like a hive of activity, with its quaint shops...

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Although millions of summer visitors swarm into Yellowstone National Park to the south, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is blissfully unpeopled...

Bannack

...

Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Locals call it the CMR, and it's a stunning place to visit in the summer, when the weather is stable (and sometimes really hot). It's teeming...

Holland Lake

Outdoorsy types come to this 400-acre lake for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, trail riding, and camping in summer and ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and...

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

When the smoke cleared on June 25, 1876, neither Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839–76) nor the 200 soldiers, scouts, and civilians...

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Established in 1935, this refuge sandwiched between U.S. 2 and the Canadian border encompasses more than 30,000 acres of wetlands that provide...

Darby

This town of 800, site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first Forest Service ranger station, is a destination for wilderness adventurers. If you’re driving...

Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

Glistening, glaciated, and grand, the Absarokas, Crazies, Gallatins, and other mountains send cooling summer winds to roil among the grasslands...

Kalispell, Missoula, and Northwest Montana

With more than 6 million acres of public land, northwest Montana might be America’s largest outdoor destination. In the summer, travelers head to the many...

Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains

Space, lots of space, is the hallmark of eastern Montana’s gently rolling plains. If you’re looking to escape stifling crowds and urban sprawl...

Glacier National Park

...

Missoula

A fertile valley hemmed in by mountains cradles Missoula, the cultural center of northwest Montana. The largest city in the vicinity (population 75,500) is the...

Billings

A bastion of civilization on an otherwise empty prairie, Billings is a classic Western city, full of the kind of history that shaped the frontier...

Big Sky and Gallatin Canyon

The region known as "Big Sky" is actually three areas: the Mountain Village at the top of the 9-mile-long Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64);...

Helena

Montana’s state capital is a city of 33,000, with 30 city parks, several museums, and a thriving arts community. The southern part of the city...

Livingston and the Yellowstone River

The stunning mountain backdrop to the town of Livingston was once Crow territory, and a chief called Arapooish said about it, "The Crow country...

Bozeman

This recreation capital offers everything from trout fishing to white-water river rafting to backcountry mountain biking to skiing. The arts...

Flathead Lake

The 370-foot-deep Flathead Lake, with 180 miles of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. It’s a wonderful—and popular—place for...

Whitefish

A hub for golfing, lake recreation, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, Whitefish sits at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. Nine lifts serve 3,000 acres...

Great Falls

One of Great Falls’ greatest assets is its sense of history. Here, along the banks of the Missouri where the plains meet the Rockies, explorers...

Red Lodge

Nestled against the foot of the pine-draped Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, this little burg is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...

Outside Glacier National Park

...

Butte

Dubbed the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte was once a wealthy and rollicking copper-, gold-, and silver-mining town. During its heyday, 100,000...

Big Timber and the Boulder River

People come to Big Timber for its small-town (population 1,700) Western ambience, to fly-fish the blue-ribbon trout streams, float the Yellowstone...

Kalispell

Main Street (U.S. 93) in busy downtown Kalispell is lined with galleries, jewelry stores, boutiques, and restaurants. This century-old city, the Flathead County seat, is...

Dillon

Blue-ribbon trout fishing on the Beaverhead River attracts thousands of anglers here year-round. A capital of southwest Montana’s ranch country...

Seeley Lake

Bordered by campgrounds, hiking trails, and wildlife-viewing opportunities, this community of 1,659 centers on lovely Seeley Lake. Nearby is the Big Blackfoot River, a setting...

Virginia City

Remnants of Montana’s frontier days, Virginia City and its smaller neighbor, Nevada City, are two of the state’s standout attractions. Boardwalks...

Hamilton

Home to retirees, gentleman ranchers, and the Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton (pop. 5,000) is a gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It was established by 19th-century...

Flathead Indian Reservation

Home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, this 1.2-million-acre reservation is also a fascinating historical sight. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans were here...

Ennis

In addition to being a hub of ranching in the area, this tiny town sits among some of the best trout streams in the West. People come from around...

Stevensville

Stevensville, population 1,809, sits on the site of the state’s first non–Native American settlement, St. Mary’s Mission, a restored treasure that dates back to 1841...

Anaconda

Nicknamed the Smelter City, Anaconda is a window on the age of the copper barons, who ran this town from the 1880s through the 1950s. A number...

Lewistown

Started as a small trading post in the shadow of the low-lying Moccasin and Judith mountains, Lewistown has evolved into a pleasant town of...

Columbia Falls

...

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Centered on a 60-mile-long lake, this park stretches between the Pryor and Bighorn mountains, well into Wyoming. Really just a wide spot on...

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area

The Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Great Bear wilderness areas encompass 1.5 million rugged, roadless, remote acres within the Flathead National Forest. Preservation pioneer, forester, and...

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge, a quiet community of 3,000 residents, maintains a complex of history museums in and near its old state penitentiary. Many locals...

Big Snowy Mountains

South of Montana’s geographical center an island of rocky peaks rises more than 3,000 feet from the sea of windswept prairie, beckoning scenery...

Miles City

History buffs enjoy the ranch town of Miles City (population 8,264) at the confluence of the cottonwood-lined Tongue and Yellowstone rivers...

West Yellowstone

This western gateway to the park is where the open plains of southwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho come together along the Madison River...

Fort Benton

The gateway to the Upper Missouri River, this town of 1,464 people has a rich and rugged past that’s captured in a complex of excellent museums...

Fort Peck

Fort Peck itself is mostly a quiet retirement town, with 240 residents; at night the lights of ranch houses are few and far between. It owes...

Hardin

Although its roots are firmly planted in cattle ranching, Hardin makes a significant portion of its living as a visitor gateway to the Little...

Three Forks

Although the scenery in Three Forks is striking, it’s the historic sites that make this place worth a visit. Sacajawea (circa 1786–1812) traveled...

Havre

Mainly a place to stay when visiting Fort Assinniboine, the town of Havre (population 9,791) is the trading center for a wide area of extreme...

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

An oxbow of the Missouri River before the last ice age, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a massive series of lakes and wetlands just off...

Makoshika State Park

...

Big Hole National Battlefield

...

Gardiner

As the only entrance to Yellowstone open the entire year, Gardiner (population 971) always feels like a hive of activity, with its quaint shops...

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Although millions of summer visitors swarm into Yellowstone National Park to the south, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is blissfully unpeopled...

Bannack

...

Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Locals call it the CMR, and it's a stunning place to visit in the summer, when the weather is stable (and sometimes really hot). It's teeming...

Holland Lake

Outdoorsy types come to this 400-acre lake for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, trail riding, and camping in summer and ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and...

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

When the smoke cleared on June 25, 1876, neither Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839–76) nor the 200 soldiers, scouts, and civilians...

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Established in 1935, this refuge sandwiched between U.S. 2 and the Canadian border encompasses more than 30,000 acres of wetlands that provide...

Darby

This town of 800, site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first Forest Service ranger station, is a destination for wilderness adventurers. If you’re driving...

Missoula

A fertile valley hemmed in by mountains cradles Missoula, the cultural center of northwest Montana. The largest city in the vicinity (population 75,500) is the...

Billings

A bastion of civilization on an otherwise empty prairie, Billings is a classic Western city, full of the kind of history that shaped the frontier...

Big Sky and Gallatin Canyon

The region known as "Big Sky" is actually three areas: the Mountain Village at the top of the 9-mile-long Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64);...

Helena

Montana’s state capital is a city of 33,000, with 30 city parks, several museums, and a thriving arts community. The southern part of the city...

Livingston and the Yellowstone River

The stunning mountain backdrop to the town of Livingston was once Crow territory, and a chief called Arapooish said about it, "The Crow country...

Bozeman

This recreation capital offers everything from trout fishing to white-water river rafting to backcountry mountain biking to skiing. The arts...

Flathead Lake

The 370-foot-deep Flathead Lake, with 180 miles of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. It’s a wonderful—and popular—place for...

Whitefish

A hub for golfing, lake recreation, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, Whitefish sits at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. Nine lifts serve 3,000 acres...

Great Falls

One of Great Falls’ greatest assets is its sense of history. Here, along the banks of the Missouri where the plains meet the Rockies, explorers...

Red Lodge

Nestled against the foot of the pine-draped Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, this little burg is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...

Butte

Dubbed the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte was once a wealthy and rollicking copper-, gold-, and silver-mining town. During its heyday, 100,000...

Big Timber and the Boulder River

People come to Big Timber for its small-town (population 1,700) Western ambience, to fly-fish the blue-ribbon trout streams, float the Yellowstone...

Kalispell

Main Street (U.S. 93) in busy downtown Kalispell is lined with galleries, jewelry stores, boutiques, and restaurants. This century-old city, the Flathead County seat, is...

Dillon

Blue-ribbon trout fishing on the Beaverhead River attracts thousands of anglers here year-round. A capital of southwest Montana’s ranch country...

Seeley Lake

Bordered by campgrounds, hiking trails, and wildlife-viewing opportunities, this community of 1,659 centers on lovely Seeley Lake. Nearby is the Big Blackfoot River, a setting...

Virginia City

Remnants of Montana’s frontier days, Virginia City and its smaller neighbor, Nevada City, are two of the state’s standout attractions. Boardwalks...

Hamilton

Home to retirees, gentleman ranchers, and the Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton (pop. 5,000) is a gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It was established by 19th-century...

Flathead Indian Reservation

Home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, this 1.2-million-acre reservation is also a fascinating historical sight. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans were here...

Anaconda

Nicknamed the Smelter City, Anaconda is a window on the age of the copper barons, who ran this town from the 1880s through the 1950s. A number...

Lewistown

Started as a small trading post in the shadow of the low-lying Moccasin and Judith mountains, Lewistown has evolved into a pleasant town of...

Ennis

In addition to being a hub of ranching in the area, this tiny town sits among some of the best trout streams in the West. People come from around...

Stevensville

Stevensville, population 1,809, sits on the site of the state’s first non–Native American settlement, St. Mary’s Mission, a restored treasure that dates back to 1841...

Columbia Falls

...

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge, a quiet community of 3,000 residents, maintains a complex of history museums in and near its old state penitentiary. Many locals...

Miles City

History buffs enjoy the ranch town of Miles City (population 8,264) at the confluence of the cottonwood-lined Tongue and Yellowstone rivers...

Big Snowy Mountains

South of Montana’s geographical center an island of rocky peaks rises more than 3,000 feet from the sea of windswept prairie, beckoning scenery...

Fort Benton

The gateway to the Upper Missouri River, this town of 1,464 people has a rich and rugged past that’s captured in a complex of excellent museums...

West Yellowstone

This western gateway to the park is where the open plains of southwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho come together along the Madison River...

Fort Peck

Fort Peck itself is mostly a quiet retirement town, with 240 residents; at night the lights of ranch houses are few and far between. It owes...

Havre

Mainly a place to stay when visiting Fort Assinniboine, the town of Havre (population 9,791) is the trading center for a wide area of extreme...

Three Forks

Although the scenery in Three Forks is striking, it’s the historic sites that make this place worth a visit. Sacajawea (circa 1786–1812) traveled...

Hardin

Although its roots are firmly planted in cattle ranching, Hardin makes a significant portion of its living as a visitor gateway to the Little...

Big Hole National Battlefield

...

Bannack

...

Gardiner

As the only entrance to Yellowstone open the entire year, Gardiner (population 971) always feels like a hive of activity, with its quaint shops...

Holland Lake

Outdoorsy types come to this 400-acre lake for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, trail riding, and camping in summer and ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and...

Cooke City–Silver Gate

The tiny, neighboring communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate, are just outside the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone and just west of the...

Darby

This town of 800, site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first Forest Service ranger station, is a destination for wilderness adventurers. If you’re driving...

Missoula

A fertile valley hemmed in by mountains cradles Missoula, the cultural center of northwest Montana. The largest city in the vicinity (population 75,500) is the...

Billings

A bastion of civilization on an otherwise empty prairie, Billings is a classic Western city, full of the kind of history that shaped the frontier...

Big Sky and Gallatin Canyon

The region known as "Big Sky" is actually three areas: the Mountain Village at the top of the 9-mile-long Lone Mountain Trail (Highway 64);...

Helena

Montana’s state capital is a city of 33,000, with 30 city parks, several museums, and a thriving arts community. The southern part of the city...

Livingston and the Yellowstone River

The stunning mountain backdrop to the town of Livingston was once Crow territory, and a chief called Arapooish said about it, "The Crow country...

Bozeman

This recreation capital offers everything from trout fishing to white-water river rafting to backcountry mountain biking to skiing. The arts...

Flathead Lake

The 370-foot-deep Flathead Lake, with 180 miles of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. It’s a wonderful—and popular—place for...

Whitefish

A hub for golfing, lake recreation, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, Whitefish sits at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort. Nine lifts serve 3,000 acres...

Great Falls

One of Great Falls’ greatest assets is its sense of history. Here, along the banks of the Missouri where the plains meet the Rockies, explorers...

Red Lodge

Nestled against the foot of the pine-draped Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, this little burg is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...

Butte

Dubbed the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte was once a wealthy and rollicking copper-, gold-, and silver-mining town. During its heyday, 100,000...

Big Timber and the Boulder River

People come to Big Timber for its small-town (population 1,700) Western ambience, to fly-fish the blue-ribbon trout streams, float the Yellowstone...

Kalispell

Main Street (U.S. 93) in busy downtown Kalispell is lined with galleries, jewelry stores, boutiques, and restaurants. This century-old city, the Flathead County seat, is...

Dillon

Blue-ribbon trout fishing on the Beaverhead River attracts thousands of anglers here year-round. A capital of southwest Montana’s ranch country...

Seeley Lake

Bordered by campgrounds, hiking trails, and wildlife-viewing opportunities, this community of 1,659 centers on lovely Seeley Lake. Nearby is the Big Blackfoot River, a setting...

Virginia City

Remnants of Montana’s frontier days, Virginia City and its smaller neighbor, Nevada City, are two of the state’s standout attractions. Boardwalks...

Hamilton

Home to retirees, gentleman ranchers, and the Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton (pop. 5,000) is a gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It was established by 19th-century...

Flathead Indian Reservation

Home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, this 1.2-million-acre reservation is also a fascinating historical sight. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans were here...

Anaconda

Nicknamed the Smelter City, Anaconda is a window on the age of the copper barons, who ran this town from the 1880s through the 1950s. A number...

Lewistown

Started as a small trading post in the shadow of the low-lying Moccasin and Judith mountains, Lewistown has evolved into a pleasant town of...

Ennis

In addition to being a hub of ranching in the area, this tiny town sits among some of the best trout streams in the West. People come from around...

Stevensville

Stevensville, population 1,809, sits on the site of the state’s first non–Native American settlement, St. Mary’s Mission, a restored treasure that dates back to 1841...

Columbia Falls

...

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge, a quiet community of 3,000 residents, maintains a complex of history museums in and near its old state penitentiary. Many locals...

Miles City

History buffs enjoy the ranch town of Miles City (population 8,264) at the confluence of the cottonwood-lined Tongue and Yellowstone rivers...

Big Snowy Mountains

South of Montana’s geographical center an island of rocky peaks rises more than 3,000 feet from the sea of windswept prairie, beckoning scenery...

Fort Benton

The gateway to the Upper Missouri River, this town of 1,464 people has a rich and rugged past that’s captured in a complex of excellent museums...

West Yellowstone

This western gateway to the park is where the open plains of southwestern Montana and northeastern Idaho come together along the Madison River...

Fort Peck

Fort Peck itself is mostly a quiet retirement town, with 240 residents; at night the lights of ranch houses are few and far between. It owes...

Havre

Mainly a place to stay when visiting Fort Assinniboine, the town of Havre (population 9,791) is the trading center for a wide area of extreme...

Three Forks

Although the scenery in Three Forks is striking, it’s the historic sites that make this place worth a visit. Sacajawea (circa 1786–1812) traveled...

Hardin

Although its roots are firmly planted in cattle ranching, Hardin makes a significant portion of its living as a visitor gateway to the Little...

Big Hole National Battlefield

...

Bannack

...

Gardiner

As the only entrance to Yellowstone open the entire year, Gardiner (population 971) always feels like a hive of activity, with its quaint shops...

Holland Lake

Outdoorsy types come to this 400-acre lake for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, trail riding, and camping in summer and ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and...

Cooke City–Silver Gate

The tiny, neighboring communities of Cooke City and Silver Gate, are just outside the Northeast Entrance of Yellowstone and just west of the...

Darby

This town of 800, site of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s first Forest Service ranger station, is a destination for wilderness adventurers. If you’re driving...

Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

Glistening, glaciated, and grand, the Absarokas, Crazies, Gallatins, and other mountains send cooling summer winds to roil among the grasslands...

Kalispell, Missoula, and Northwest Montana

With more than 6 million acres of public land, northwest Montana might be America’s largest outdoor destination. In the summer, travelers head to the many...

Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains

Space, lots of space, is the hallmark of eastern Montana’s gently rolling plains. If you’re looking to escape stifling crowds and urban sprawl...

Outside Glacier National Park

...

Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana

Glistening, glaciated, and grand, the Absarokas, Crazies, Gallatins, and other mountains send cooling summer winds to roil among the grasslands...

Kalispell, Missoula, and Northwest Montana

With more than 6 million acres of public land, northwest Montana might be America’s largest outdoor destination. In the summer, travelers head to the many...

Billings, Little Big Horn, and the Montana Plains

Space, lots of space, is the hallmark of eastern Montana’s gently rolling plains. If you’re looking to escape stifling crowds and urban sprawl...

Outside Glacier National Park

...

Glacier National Park

...

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area

The Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Great Bear wilderness areas encompass 1.5 million rugged, roadless, remote acres within the Flathead National Forest. Preservation pioneer, forester, and...

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Centered on a 60-mile-long lake, this park stretches between the Pryor and Bighorn mountains, well into Wyoming. Really just a wide spot on...

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

An oxbow of the Missouri River before the last ice age, Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge is a massive series of lakes and wetlands just off...

Makoshika State Park

...

Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Although millions of summer visitors swarm into Yellowstone National Park to the south, the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness is blissfully unpeopled...

Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge

Locals call it the CMR, and it's a stunning place to visit in the summer, when the weather is stable (and sometimes really hot). It's teeming...

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

When the smoke cleared on June 25, 1876, neither Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839–76) nor the 200 soldiers, scouts, and civilians...

Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Established in 1935, this refuge sandwiched between U.S. 2 and the Canadian border encompasses more than 30,000 acres of wetlands that provide...

Glacier National Park

...

Bob Marshall Wilderness Area

The Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Great Bear wilderness areas encompass 1.5 million rugged, roadless, remote acres within the Flathead National Forest. Preservation pioneer, forester, and...