Montana

A moose calf in Glacier National Park

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The Crow Fair & Rodeo, an annual powwow hosted by The Apsáalooke people of the Crow Indian Reservation

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Hiking among the rock formations of Makoshika State Park in Glendive

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Flying down the slopes at Whitefish Mountain Resort

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Hiker looking down on Lower Grinnell Lake

Jeff Goulden

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A family outing to Garnet Ghost Town, a former mining village

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Starry skies above Roosevelt Arch, marking the Gardiner entrance to Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park Service

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Fly-fishing excursion on the Blackfoot River

USDA Forest Service

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Major Airports:

Bozeman Yellowstone (BZN)

Billings Logan (BIL)

Missoula (MSO)
Nickname:

The Treasure State

Montana: home to the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains and the breathtaking beauty of Glacier National Park

Montana is the epitome of The Great American West – a vast, unspoiled landscape just waiting to be explored. With only 1 million residents and more wildlife than people, Montana gives new meaning to the phrase “wide, open spaces.” From the soaring peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the west with their pristine alpine lakes and meadows, to the rolling plains and dramatic badlands in the east, Montana offers boundless opportunities to explore its stunning scenery, enchanting wildlife, rich cultural heritage and small-town charm.

Montana: Discover the Moment

Scenic Beauty for All Seasons

Two national parks anchor Montana – Glacier to the north and Yellowstone to the south. These parks and the seemingly endless natural wonders between them – including 55 state parks, 15 wilderness areas, and numerous national and state forests – make Montana an incredible frontier for adventure and discovery. Rafting, hiking and biking can be enjoyed during summer on numerous lakes, rivers and trails throughout the state.

Winter activities in Montana can be as adventurous as you like. Travelers attracted to fun in the snow will find some of the best skiing available at 15 ski areas, including Whitefish Mountain Resort near Glacier National Park, and Big Sky Resort near Yellowstone. Beyond the slopes, winter visitors to these areas can also enjoy dog sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobile tours and snowy expeditions to the national parks.

Travel Montana’s scenic byways by car or recreational vehicle, visiting charming and historic towns along the way. The Beartooth Highway extends from the quaint mountain town of Red Lodge into Yellowstone National Park and is a spectacular drive through a land of glaciers, high alpine lakes, glacier-carved cirque formations and fragile tundra.

Cultural Encounters

Montana’s ranches will immerse you in an authentic Western way of life that still exists today. Saddle up and experience trail rides, barn dances and ranch life. Practically every summer weekend offers a chance to see a rodeo somewhere in the state. Native American cultural traditions can be experienced at Montana’s powwows, such as Crow Fair near Billings or at North American Indian Days in Browning. Montana’s American Indian tribes celebrate their heritage with dance, drumming and traditional dress during these family-oriented celebrations. Learn some of Montana’s rich history along Montana Dinosaur Trail, or at sites such as Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, First People’s Buffalo Jump State Park or Grant Kohrs National Historic Site.

Wander through authentic ghost towns such as Bannack State Park, one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the country. More than 50 buildings line its Main Street with historic log and frame structures that recall Montana’s gold rush era. The lively Victorian-era gold rush town of Virginia City is located just 145 kilometers from Yellowstone National Park. Nevada City, just 2.4 kilometers away, invites nostalgia with its historic buildings, museum, music hall, train rides and weekend living history programs.

Montana: Discover the Moment

Fun Fact

The big state of Montana has the world’s shortest river, The Roe, which flows only 61 meters.

Aerial view of the Missouri River at Headwaters State Park in Montana

The longest river in the USA, the Missouri River, begins in Montana at the “Three Forks” – the intersection of the Gallatin, Madison and Jefferson rivers.

Must see places

Glacier National Park

Montana’s exemplary park is best traversed by driving Going-to-the-Sun-Road, which will take you through a dramatic and diverse environment made up of prairie, mountains, alpine meadows, red cedar forests and lakes. Over 1,100 kilometers of trails send you deep into the heart of the park, where you’re likely to encounter grizzly bears, mountain goats and moose.

Exhibits inside the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman, Montana

Montana Dinosaur Trail

Among this trail’s 14 paleontology museums you’ll find the Museum of the Rockies, which has the largest Tyrannosaurus rex skull ever found, as well as the Old Trail Museum, where you can touch a dinosaur bone. At Two Medicine Dinosaur Center, go out back and actually dig for dinosaur fossils.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park

Native American people stampeded buffalo over this 1½ kilometer-long cliff, one of the largest buffalo jumps in the USA, for thousands of years. Interpretive trails and the visitor center bring the age-old practice to life.

Gates of the Mountains

During their famous expedition in a wooden boat along the Missouri River, explorers Lewis and Clark named this spot, which sits halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. Take a boat tour through this dramatic channel and view the breathtaking peaks around you.

World Museum of Mining

The landscape surrounding this Butte museum may seem sparse, but there’s a whole world below. Experience Montana’s mining history by going almost 20 meters underground, climbing into a mining cage or exploring 66 exhibits at the Orphan Girl mine yard. A mineral and rock room and recreated mining town jettison you deep into the state’s historic industry.

Flathead Lake

Located in northwestern part of the state, Flathead—the largest natural lake in the western USA—is a still, flat freshwater sheet, perfect for fishing trout or boating. Visit the lake’s Wild Horse Island, home to 75 species of birds, to see Bighorn Sheep, deer, falcon and the namesake wild horses, or head to one of the a U-pick cherry orchards you’ll find around the lake.

Exploring Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park in Whitehall, Montana

Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park

The limestone cavern here features stalactites and stalagmites and can be accessed on a guided tour, where you may also see Western big-eared bats. Follow up with hiking, biking, or take the above-ground nature tour.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

A guided walking tour traces the events that took place here during the 1876 battle between the U.S. Cavalry and Native Americans. A self-guided tour down one road covers both Custer and Reno-Benteen Battlefields. Stop in to the visitor center to see weapons and other memorabilia and visit the Custer National Cemetery.

Touring Virginia City, Montana, by stagecoach

Frontier History in Virginia City

Revisit the frontier life of the mid-to-late 1800s when gold was discovered in Alder Gulch. Located in southwest Montana, Virginia City was born of this gold rush and offers visitors the opportunity to step back into the Wild West. Pan for gold, see an old-time play, and take stagecoach rides, ghost tours, train rides or firetruck tours. Don’t miss the ghost town of Nevada City just a few minutes away.

Big Sky Resort

Whether you’re skiing or snowboarding, there’s so much ground to cover at Big Sky Resort that it often feels like having a mountain to yourself. This resort is nicknamed the “Biggest Skiing in America” for its 2,360 skiable hectares, which include 4,350 vertical drops, 34 chairlifts and surface lifts, and the Lone Peak Tram to 3,403 meters in elevation.

Explore Montana destinations

Scenic overlook along the Beartooth Highway in Montana

Explore Montana destinations

Relaxing in a hammock while taking in views of the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana