Summer In Montana

A great way to explore Montana is on two wheels with the help of a little manpower. Ride across the high plains.

Experience Montana (and a bit of North Dakota) culture up close and personal on this two-week-long expedition showcasing some of the state’s most iconic towns, sights, eats and attractions. This summertime road trip travels through vibrant cities and pristine wilderness, leaving you with memories that will last long after your return flight lands.

When you think of state parks in Montana, it’s likely that hiking, camping, fishing and water recreation come to mind. But several state parks in Montana offer fun opportunities to explore by hopping on your bike.

Situated on the banks of the Yellowstone River, Montana’s most populous city is also its cultural and economic hub. Translation: it’s the ultimate place to start, end, or spend an entire Southeast Montana getaway.

Lewis and Clark navigated the Missouri River in 1804. More than two centuries later, there's still a lot to discover along the river's Wild and Scenic portion, where even novice canoeists can paddle past 200-foot-high chalky white cliffs, sprawling cottonwoods, bald eagles, and beavers.

Travel from Missoula, western Montana's forward-thinking college town filled with book stores, museums and global cuisine, to deserted mining enclaves, the Bitterroot Valley's open rangeland and history-rich hamlets. Finish your trip with a relaxing soak in natural hot springs.

Rugged, wild, and incredibly scenic, this five-day trip is filled with only-in-Montana experiences. Travel Glacier National Park’s legendary Going-to-the-Sun Road.

The thrilling Going-To-The-Sun Road twists through the heart of Glacier National Park, where a million acres hold rewards for explorers of every kind. Bookend your visit to the park with stays in two mountain towns: Kalispell and Whitefish.

The vast expanse of Flathead Lake, cradled by sky-high peaks, is one of northwest Montana's most iconic features. Families dot the beaches and boaters skim the water.

This winding scenic drive along the great Missouri River begins in Helena, leading to the Buffalo Jump in Ulm, and onto Great Falls in Central Montana. You'll visit and learn more about the lives and culture of the Little Shell, Rocky Boy's, Fort Belknap and Fort Peck tribes.

We've even mapped it all out, so you can put the phone away and be distracted by the epic views and hidden gems! .

Indigenous cultures, languages and traditions are the heart of this beautiful land that is home to three tribal nations. We've even mapped it all out, so you can put the phone away and be distracted by the epic views and hidden gems! .

From Bighorn Canyon to Breweries, This is Why Billings is Montana's Trailhead!Billings is a melting pot of everything that makes Montana great: the rustic Western heritage, the natural beauty, the small town charm and the big city attractions. And with so much to see and do both in the city and just outside it, it's no wonder it's known as Montana's Trailhead! Whether you're looking to enjoy the culture at a renowned museum, explore the natural environment, or you just want to chow down on burgers and beer, Billings and the surrounding region is the perfect place to do it.

Get ready for a road trip packed with adventure. Learn to river surf, fly-fish, watch bison roam, mine for genuine Montana sapphires and wander through charming small towns.

Outdoor adventure and spectacular scenery abound on this scenic loop through southern Montana, along the Beartooth Highway and into Yellowstone National Park. Hike on a wilderness plateau, raft the Stillwater River or horseback ride in Paradise Valley.

For Montana's American Indian people, bison, or buffalo, are revered symbols of strength and unity. Celebrate the bison, see them roam, and discover how the mighty bison helped create the state on this six-day drive across Big Sky badlands and prairies.

Ancient glaciers leave a breathtaking legacy in a national park and on the state’s largest body of water. Have the camera ready: You’ll want to make sure these family adventures remain frozen in time.

Yellowstone's Backyard: A jumping-off spot for the world's first national park, Bozeman beckons hikers, climbers, rafters and tubers to play and stay close to nature. .

Halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, Helena extends a friendly wave and points out hands-on ways to have fun in the capital of Montana. .

Just 45 minutes from Glacier National Park, Kalispell provides a dream base camp for epic alpine scenery, water adventures and winter bliss. .

The wide wide-open spaces and canyons of eastern Montana take travelers through epochs, from dinosaur bones to the Little Bighorn battle site to classic western ranching towns like Miles City. If history, solitude, and space are what you're after, you'll find them in abundance on this road trip.

The first thing to know about Lewistown, Montana, is that the second “w” in its name definitely is not silent. (Locals, welcoming as they are, will be sure to remind you of that should you let a “Lewiston” slip during your visit.

From Bozeman to the heart of the park, this iconic trip is bursting with high-rich rivers, geothermal marvels, and incredible dining.

Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are undeniably awesome, but locals know that the state's ten national forests are just as much fun to explore. On this western Montana road trip, you can easily access five of them by car, with endless opportunities to fly-fish, horseback ride, whitewater raft, hike, mountain bike, and possibly even surf along the way.

Starting in Glacier National Park, take the historic U.S.

Starting in Glacier National Park, drive along the Rocky Mountain Front to see stunning views of where the mountains and plains meet. In just four days, discover what makes Montana uniquewith fossil digs, a stop in the capital city, and a lake created by an Earthquake.

Begin in Bozeman, the adventure capital of the Northern Rockies. In winter, learn to ice climb in Hyalite Canyon or hit the slopes at the laid-back Bridger Bowl.

Montana is full of vibrant, charming towns. Take your time roadtripping from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park by stopping in each town.

Outdoor adventure and spectacular scenery abound on this five-day scenic loop through southern Montana and into Yellowstone National Park. Hike on a wilderness plateau.

Montana offers unmatched trails and undiscovered country for mountain bikers of all levels. These itineraries can get you started.

These road biking itineraries span high plains, mountain passes and charming small towns.

This five-day loop through central and southwest Montana travels in and on the edge of the Rockies. Celebrate Western art, explore state parks and the state capital, soak in hot springs, and take a magical boat ride down the Missouri River.

Where's a west that's still wild? That would be Butte and the surrounding Southwest Montana tourism region, home to ghost towns, cowboy cookouts and tours that go deep.

In Glacier Country, wildlife thrives on the land and water, with even the tiniest creatures eliciting wonder from kids and adults of every age. We've even mapped it all out, so you can put the phone away and be distracted by the epic views and hidden gems!.

More than 1,520 miles of shoreline await at Fort Peck Lake in Missouri River Country. Montana's Largest body of water is even longer than the coast of California.

The town of Bannack was founded in 1862, when gold was discovered on Grasshopper Creek, and it didn't take long for prospectors and enterprising businessmen to flood in. The name "Bannack" came from a nearby tribe of Native Americans.

You keep saying that someday you want to cruise Flathead Lake, cycle Montana's trails, and see Glacier National Park. Make "someday" now.

In 2015, Glacier National Park received its 100 millionth visitor since its establishment in 1910. It's still every bit as enchanting now as it was back then.

Slow down to enjoy the scenery in Missoula, a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community. Rent a bike and ride the Riverfront Trail to the hand-carved Carousel for Missoula.

The Heart of AdventureAlong the Missouri River, Great Falls delivers the Montana you imagined: waters, wildlife, and wilderness wrapped in a long coat of cowboy culture. .

Formerly known as the "Richest Hill on Earth," Butte is home to one of the nation's largest National Historic Districts second only to New Orleans. This colorful mining town offers plenty to see and do - from underground tours to palate-pleasing adventures, feel the stories come alive as Butte's vibrant reverberates through the years.

At Missoula's Montana Natural History Center, get a free driving map of the proposed Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, and visit some local Glacial Lake Missoula landmarks. Walk in the footsteps of explorers near Lolo at Traveler's Rest State Park, the only site on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail with a confirmed expedition campsite.

When the sun sets in Montana, we turn our eyes to the sky to take in a true wonder: the cosmos. Our clear, dark skies offer unparalleled views of the stars, with the Milky Way stretching across the endless horizon.

Plan a day or two to explore three of Montana's best preserved ghost towns: Virginia City, Nevada City, and Bannack State Park. The former two towns house a collection of 19th-century buildings and Americana, including more than a hundred arcaded and music machines.

When visiting Montana, it can be easy to jam-pack your trip with non-stop adventure. Hiking through Glacier! Staying up all night stargazing! It's all worth doing, but it's also important to take a moment to relax.

With 64 mountain ranges, the Continental Divide Trail slicing through the state, and historic trails plying mountain passes, Montana has trails pretty much everywhere, from mellow beginner and family-friendly rides to experts-only singletrack. Don't ride? Don't worry! This trip has tons of fun other options, from fly-fishing to whitewater rafting to hot springs soaking.

The draw of Philipsburg, MT, an old West-mining town that is still very much alive starts with the painted mainstreet and sweet spots to stop like Sweet Palace, a candy store where you will find hundreds of varieties. But the best stuff is what’s made in house, like the 50 kinds of fudge, 72 flavors of taffy and 20 varieties of caramel.

Where can you get horses and dinosaurs in one spot? Saddle up for a wild ride around Billings, where both riding trails and fossils await. Eastern Montana is home to both Southeast Montana and Missouri River Country tourism regions, where rolling plains, prairies, and badlands intersect to form some of the Lower 48's vastest stretches of pristine landscape.

Adventure is Calling.

Grab your binoculars! Visit some of Central Montana’s most charming small towns and enjoy wildlife watching on the stunningly scenic Rocky Mountain Front.

Explore Eastern Montana’s fascinating badlands by day (including Montana’s largest state park) and renowned dark skies by night. This trip also includes water recreation at Fort Peck Lake, plus museums and friendly small towns along the way.

Explore Trip Ideas and Inspirations in Yellowstone Country.

The Beartooth Highway, winding from Red Lodge to Cooke City, offers so much rugged grandeur that you won't be in a rush to reach Yellowstone National Park. But once you enter the park's northeast gate, geothermal features, boisterous waterfalls and abundant wildlife notch up the awe factor.

RETRACE THE PATH of Lewis and Clark, and parallel two mighty rivers—the Missouri and the Yellowstone—on a five-day loop around the state’s northeastern badlands and spacious plains. This route-less-traveled crosses the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and passes through lands where dinosaurs once roamed.

Road Trips to the Best of Montana's State ParksSure, Montana is most famous for being home to Glacier NationalPark (and for being the Gateway to Yellowstone, too!) but justbecause you can visit National Parks here doesn't mean the stateparks are any less awesome. From unique wildlife and stunningscenery to historic caves and rugged hikes, you'll find thatMontana has some really awesome state parks that are unlikeanything you've ever experienced.

The Great Plains road trip travels near the Missouri River's badlands, where paleontologists have discovered a wealth of dinosaur fossils. There's also human history to explore at one of Montana's oldest settlements, along the quiet backwaters of the Upper Missouri River, in Havre's underground city and throughout the Hi-Line's horizon of undulating prairie.

Fly into Bozeman where recreation-loving locals can't wait to share their knowledge, enthusiasm and suggestions as your unofficial area guides. Book a stay at The LARK and it's steps to start exploring all that downtown has to offer.

These hidden gems are what make Montana's Glacier National Park so coolGlacier National Park itself isn't exactly a hidden gem-- its enchanting mountain beauty makes it one of the most popular destinations in Montana. But just because people flock to the park to take in the famously fantastic views (we're looking at you, Going-to-The-Sun Road!) doesn't mean there aren't hidden gems tucked away among the snowy mountain peaks and serene lakes.

There are places made for those with a winter soul. Places that speak to those with adventure in their heart and powder play on their mind.

Start this history-packed trip in Billings and travel across southeast Montana for some of the best Native American warrior history of the Great Plains. Soak in the sights of the largest city in Montana, hear tales of tribal war chiefs, see historic battlefields and explore ancient indigenous art.

The frontier spirit thrives in Southeastern Montana's high plains. Hardworking Billings is the region's cosmopolitan center, but in the east, turn back the clock as you tour Little Bighorn Battlefield, visit badlands filled with dinosaur bones and wander the streets of rodeo-wrangling Miles City.

Central Montana promises adventures both above ground and below. Straddling the line between the Rocky Mountain Front and the Central Plains, this culturally important region offers a compelling look into Montana's past, from ancient Native American buffalo jumps to Prohibition speakeasies.

Consider this route a Montana sampler. Stay in one of the state's fastest-growing cities, learn about geology, go ziplining or flyfishing, check out ghost towns and see Yellowstone National Park's geothermal marvels.

Leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind and escape to nature for some much needed quiet with this three-day itinerary. The route takes you from the Rocky Mountain Front in Bynum to a migratory hub that experiences a unique natural phenomenon near Choteau, and ends by exploring Indigenous history at what’s thought to be North America’s largest buffalo jump near Great Falls.

Vast overhead expanses give Montana it's nickname: the Big Sky State. Horizons frame the dramatic landscapes, including two spectacular national parks - Yellowstone and Glacier.

Retrace the path of Lewis and Clark and parallel two mighty rivers—the Missouri and the Yellowstone—on a loop around the state’s northeastern badlands and spacious plains. This route-less-traveled crosses the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and passes through lands where dinosaurs once roamed.

In the northeast corner of the state, untamed wildlife and landscapes beckon nature-lovers of all kinds: bird oglers, stargazers, dinosaur hunters and sunbathers. Adventures await among the wide-open spaces of Missouri River Country.

On land considered sacred by the Indian Nations that reside here, roam responsibly and receive a warm welcome to this legendary realm of pristine waters and natural wonders. .

Welcome to Lewistown, Montana; the geographical center of the state. You can visit the exact spot, marked by a mosaic inside the lobby of the Yogo Inn.

Animal attractions rule here, and they come in many forms. Let a horse guide you through majestic mountains, visit a town of lively prairie dogs and unleash the fun on a sled dog ride.

Even the food looks bigger in Billings, a city of large-scale landscapes perfect for adventures. Feast your eyes and feed your soul.

A finger on a spinning globe gave this old railroad town its Scottish name. Enjoy the beauty of Fort Peck Lake and dig into well-preserved history.

The friendly town of Libby, situated in the Kootenai National Forest at the base of the beautiful Cabinet Mountains, is the perfect place to begin your getaway. Take an exhilarating walk across the Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge and capture the moment with a photo to remember.

Everything Awesome You Never Knew About Montana.The best piece of advice for planning a road trip through Montana? Be prepared to change up your plans and make unexpected stops, because you never know what you'll stumble across on an adventure through Montana-- it's really full of extraordinary surprises! You could wind up stopping for a quick photo op at one of the country's most unique superfund sites, or spending a full night drinking fishbowl cocktails with mermaids.

Go big and you’ll never want to go home after visiting the heart of the state. Hike a sliver of a 1.

For those who love hiking, Glacier National Park — the “Crown of the Continent” — is a must-visit destination. The park encompasses 1 million acres and boasts nearly 200 trails, offering more than 700 miles of terrain to explore.

The world’s first national park offers over 2 million acres to explore, with nearly 300 hiking trails spanning approximately 1,000 miles. Yellowstone National Park invites you to step into paradise, whether you are aiming for a leisurely stroll or gearing up for a backcountry adventure.

This history-packed trip starts in Billings and travels across Southeast Montana to showcase some of the best Native American warrior history of the Great Plains. Hear tales of tribal war chiefs, see historic battlefields and explore ancient indigenous art.

This scenic drive is one that will amaze. Start in Missoula, located at the junction of five mountain valleys: Clark Fork Valley to the west, Flathead Valley to the north, Blackfoot Valley to the northeast, Deer Lodge Valley to the east and Bitterroot Valley to the south.

From waiting for bites on the water to grabbing a bite yourself, this five-day Montana fly-fishing getaway takes you on some of the best rivers in the state and to the charming communities that hug these waterways. Whether you’re casting a line or visiting a small town brimming with history, you’ll leave with much more than the memories made on the boat.

Your adventure begins with setting up camp at Brush Lake State Park. The park and its scenic, namesake lake lie just about 25 miles from the Montana-North Dakota border in the northeasternmost corner of the state.

For aspiring paleontologists and archaeologists-at-heart, this five-day prehistoric expedition through eastern Montana will satisfy your curiosity with up-close-and-personal experiences with the creatures that once roamed the area. In between learning about Montana’s early inhabitants, explore the towns on the Montana Dinosaur Trail.

Rev up your engines: It’s time for a road trip! This central Montana loop takes you through scenic landscapes, inviting small towns and historical landmarks that help to tell the story of how Montana came to be. This route is ideal for motorcyclists but is more than accessible for road trippers of all types.

Looking for a Labor Day getaway? Set your GPS to Dillon for Montana’s Biggest Weekend, a celebration of Western tradition with rodeos, exhibitions and a carnival. Along the way, visit historic sites that help to tell the story of the region and discover the area’s natural beauty and ample opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Motorcycle enthusiasts, get ready to hit the road on this four-day route that takes you through some of the region’s most iconic scenery. Along the way, enjoy delicious signature burgers from local restaurants on the Southeast Montana Burger Trail.

Escape to Montana’s mountains, where the only thing that stands between you and the great outdoors is the drive to get there. From camping and hiking in some of Central Montana’s most breathtaking landscapes to exploring the small towns that dot the highways along the way, this route offers the perfect getaway for those hoping to embrace the peace and quiet of the wilderness.

Ready to get off the grid? This southwestern Montana itinerary takes you on the backroads to find quiet lakes, peaceful hikes and secluded scenery that will make you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere — without going too far. Perfect for a weekend getaway, pack up and hit the road less traveled.

From the rolling plains in the south to the rocky peaks in the west, there’s so much to discover in Montana. For groups planning to explore the state’s highlights, here’s an itinerary suitable for large parties that are hoping to hit all of the hot spots:.

Montana offers unmatched trails and undiscovered country for mountain bikers of all levels. Many communities feature bike shops with gear and know-how and trailheads right around the corner.

Welcome to Montana’s capital city — or “Queen City” — Helena. Begin your day at the Holter Museum of Art, a beloved community gathering place with an impressive collection of historical and contemporary artworks.

In 2020, the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA) designated this 330-acre state park in Southeast Montana a Dark Sky Sanctuary, defined as “the most remote (and often darkest) places in the world whose conservation state is most fragile.” Translation: Medicine Rocks State Park is a stargazing haven.

According to a mural painted on the facade of one of its buildings, Glasgow is in “the middle of nowhere.” That may be true, but it’s also the gateway to the best of Montana’s Missouri River Country.

Enjoy an unforgettable experience at Montana's campgrounds that offer a range of amenities with access to adventure just steps away.

Hiking in Montana is a great way to explore the state while experiencing nature and wildlife. Each trail offers an adventure, whether you're hiking up a mountain, across a prairie or among the captivating rock formations of the eastern badlands.

Whether you want a quick pull to cool you off after one of Montana’s other outdoor adventures or you want to wakeboard every day you’re here, you'll find what you're looking for.

Learn more about Montana's rich Native American heritage and cowboy culture on this four-day drive through Little Bighorn Country. The history-packed route crosses Indian nations, the state's biggest city, and the path taken by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery expedition.

Big Sky Country means plenty of summer sun. Bring the family to one of Montana’s water parks for a fun and refreshing splash.