top of page
Gradient

“I’m in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some affection.  But with Montana it is love. And it’s difficult to analyze love when you’re in it.”                                                  John Steinbeck

A Montana Roadtrip

 We would love to welcome you to our homestate! 

 

Known as "The Last Best Place" and "Big Sky Country" Montana is as diverse as you can get.  If you want to explore the history of the state Montana is home to two of the battlefields between the Native Americans and the U.S. military forces.  The Lewis and Clark expedition, the Copper Kings, painter Charlie Russell, and America's first Congresswoman (Jeanette Rankin) and so many more are all part of state's past.  

 

When you think of Montana, what is the first thing that comes to mind?  Is it Yellowstone, the TV show (not Yellowstone Park, Yellowstone County, or the Yellowstone river)?  Trees, mountains, lakes?  How about the foothills, the plains, the badlands?   Montana has it all.

 

Montana is the 4th largest of the 50 states covering 147,040 square miles.  To see is all, you will need to spend some time behind the wheel (public transportation really isn't a thing outside of the largest cities) Driving nonstop from the eastern border to the western border will take you about 10 1/2 hours.

​

We are here to help you design your perfect Montana getaway.  We can even do the driving if you prefer.  Let's take a look at some of the different attractions located throughout the state:

Montana Roadtrip Attractions

Montana is home to two National Parks and they bring the most tourists to the state each year.  The parks are vastly different in scenery and hundreds of miles apart geographically, it takes about 8 hours to drive between the closest entrances of each park.  Each is home to multiple different types of wildlife; however, both are home to grizzly bears, black bears, elk, and moose.  Both offer many different attractions if you don't want to stray too far from the roadways and both offer miles and miles of backcountry hiking. 

​

One thing to keep in mind.  Neither of the parks are very handicap accessible, (except for information centers, gift shops and bathrooms) some extra planning is needed for those with disabilities or mobility issues. The Trail of the Cedars in Glacier, an approximately 1-mile easy walk, has a platform that will accommodate wheelchairs, the 1.5 mile hike from the Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake is not wheelchair accessible.  The viewing areas for Old Faithful in Yellowstone, as well as the whole Old Faithful area, are also wheelchair accessible.

Glacier National Park

Yellowstone
National Park

 Glacier National Park is located in the northwestern corner of Montana, sharing a portion of its border with Canada's Waterton Park.  Called "The Crown Jewel of the Continent" breathtaking scenery, waterfalls, lakes, wildlife, advanced and novice hiking trails, and so much more make up GNP.   The crowning glory to the park is the Going to the Sun Road, a very narrow road that takes many twists and turns (switchbacks) over the continental divide.  The highest point is 6650 feet in elevation.    Due to the high elevation and heavy snowpack it takes several weeks to plow the road for travel each summer and is generally open from the end of June to the first part of October.  To visit the park you need to plan months in advance.  A ticket, in addition to the park admission, is required for entry and the tickets become available 6-8 months in advance.  From personal experience it takes less than 5 minutes for all the tickets to be scooped up as soon as they become available.  If you aren't lucky enough to get a ticket you can enter the park prior to 6 a.m. or after 5 p.m. without a ticket.

​

​​

Yellowstone National Park is located in south central Montana and 3 of the five entrances to the park are located in Montana.  The other two are located in Wyoming as the park extends from Montana into both Wyoming and Idaho.  Yellowstone is massive and has a network of 2 lane paved roads.  Plan to spend some time behind the wheel to view all of the attractions.  The most notable attraction, Old Faithful Geyser, is located in Montana.  The super volcano located underneath Yellowstone paves the way for all of the geothermic activity you can see throughout the park (geysers, mudpots, steam vents, and hot springs).  Bison, elk, deer, moose, and grizzly bears are frequently spotted throughout the park from the roadways.  Yellowstone, like Glacier, offers a lot of different hiking opportunities.  Tickets are not required to visit Yellowstone, just the National Park entrance fee.  The park can become quite crowded during the summer months.  Bring your patience with you and plan some of less popular attractions during the middle of the day and hit the most popular ones early in the morning.  You could spend a good 3 days just driving the roads in Yellowstone and not see everything. ​

Roadtrip
Highlights

.

  • Pompey's Pillar  - Lewis and Clark Expedition

  • Museum of the Rockies - largest collection of dinosaurs, most excavated in Montana

  • Lewis and Clark Caverns

  • Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

  • Battle of the Little Bighorn National Monument - Native American/U.S. Calvary battlefield

  • Battle of the Bighole battlefield - Native American/U.S. Army battlefield

  • Fly Fishing - many options

  • Glasgow - Fort Peck Dam

  • Gates of the Mountain 

  • Garden of One Thousand Buddhas

  • St. Ignatius Mission

  • Makoshika State Park

  • Horseback riding 

  • Beartooth Highway - reaching almost 11,000 feet at the top, not recommended if you have a fear of heights

  • Kootenai Falls Waterfall and swinging bridge - not recommended if you have a fear of heights

  • Madison River tube float - low water levels for those who cannot swim

  • White Water Rafting

  • Lake Fishing - many opportunities

  • Chief Joseph scenic highway

  • Amtrack Empire Builder - train ride through Montana/Glacier National Park

  • Virginia City/Bannack - historical locations

  • Butte - historical city (where 1923 Yellowstone Prequel) was filmed), Montana Tech, Lady of the Rockies

  • Deer Lodge - tour of old state prison - said to be haunted

  • Sip and Dip - see the mermaids swimming

  • Charlie Russell Choo Choo

  • Helena - tour the capital city

  • Fairmont/Chico/Quinn - Hot Springs

  • Big Sky Resort, Whitefish Mountain, Bridger Bowl, Red Lodge Mountain, Snowbowl, Discovery Basin - downhill and cross-country skiing 

  • Gold panning and/or sapphire digs

  • Locally made adult beverages - 11 wineries, 30 distilleries, and 100+ breweries in the state

  • And so very much more...........

bottom of page