The Best of Montana

#52 best destination in the world

Best time to travel: July-Aug
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $$

Scenic mountain road in the Rocky Mountains of Glacier National Park, built in 1932
Prior to the construction of the road, visitors would need to spend several days traveling through the central part of the park, an area which can now be traversed within a few hours, excluding any stops for sightseeing or construction

Best time to travel: Feb-March
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $$

Ski resort located in Madison County, opened in 1973, it is the second-largest ski resort in the United States by acreage
Winter activities include skiing and snowboarding, seven terrain parks, zip-line, and snowshoeing
Summer attractions include zip-lines, archery, tennis, hiking, and mountain biking trails on the mountain

Best time to travel: Feb-early March
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $$

Ski resort located at Big Mountain, in the Flathead National Forest, opened in 1947

Best time to travel: July-Aug
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

Largest lake in Glacier National Park
Lake McDonald is approximately 10 miles long, filling a valley formed by a combination of erosion and glacial activity
Going-to-the-Sun Road parallels the lake along its southern shoreline
The lake is home to numerous native species of trout, and other game fish
However, the lake is nutrient-poor and is not considered a prime fishing destination
Grizzly bears, black bear, moose, and mule deer are found in many places near the lake but are most common on the north shore

Best time to travel: May-Sept
Walk difficulty: Moderate
Ease of travel: Easy
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

Monument that preserves the site of the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, near Crow Agency
It also serves as a memorial to those who fought in the battle: George Armstrong Custer’s 7th Cavalry and a combined Lakota-Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho force
Custer National Cemetery, on the battlefield, is part of the national monument

Best time to travel: April-June
Ease of travel: Easy
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $

Museum in Bozeman that houses the largest collection of dinosaur remains in the United States, possessing the largest Tyrannosaurus skull ever discovered, as well as the thigh bone of a Tyrannosaurus rex that contains soft-tissue remains
The museum’s collections focus on the physical and cultural history of the Rocky Mountains and the people and animals who have lived there, and date back more than 500 million years
Permanent exhibits include: “Enduring Peoples”, which chronicles the life of Native Americans on the Northern Plains and near the Rocky Mountains; “History of the Northern Rocky Mountain Region”, whose inhabitants included Native Americans, fur traders, gold seekers, and settlers from frontier days through World War II; the Living History Farm, which includes the Tinsley House, where costumed interpreters demonstrate life in a turn-of-the-century home; and the Taylor Planetarium, a domed theater

Best time to travel: July-Aug
Walk difficulty: Hard
Ease of travel: Moderate
Cost ($-$$-$$$): $$

Pass located along the Continental Divide in Glacier National Park, it is the highest point on the Going-to-the-Sun Road
The pass is a popular starting point for hiking and backpacking trips
The pass provides an excellent vantage point to view wildlife
A visitor is almost guaranteed to spot a mountain goat as they have become adjusted to summertime human visitation