From towering glacial elegance to expansive prairie, Montana is a state of colossal beauty. The Big Sky State hosts one of our favorite national parks, Glacier, as well as the northernmost border of Yellowstone National Park. But the distance between these two geographical highlights the long hauls between Montana’s sites. Take your time through Montana and you may be tempted to never leave.
Holy Moly, you guys have a treat in Montana. Whenever I meet someone headed to the state, I get so excited for them. Not only do they have the opportunity to take in the awe inspiring peaks of Glacier National Park but also have such proximity to wildlife. Montana is an outdoor person’s paradise. Pick your pleasure and dive in!
Many of the best views in Montana are seen from the hiking trail. Be it glacial lakes or mountain tops, Montana’s wilderness is reserved for the active adventurer. Hiking in Montana, however, comes with natural challenges. Grizzlies are a very real risk in less populated areas of the state. Even the local herbivores such as the big horn sheep, mountain goat, moose, and bison are animals from which you should maintain a healthy distance. So, if you were counting on pictures, bring a camera with a long zoom lens.
Camping in Montana is scenic and refreshing but it comes with it’s own set of limitations.
I’ll be honest: we didn’t camp in Montana nearly as much as we would like. The state is so large and sparsely populated that cell reception is mainly found in developed areas. For digital nomads that work on the road, this meant that one could rarely camp and work at the same time. So, we mainly camped when we were in between two destinations rather than as a recreational activity.
Glacier National Park is a worthwhile exception to this rule. While the public campgrounds tend to book up in advance or fill up early, there are tons of private campgrounds outside the park, particularly on the east side where many people of the neighboring Blackfoot Nation have their own lodges and campgrounds open to visitors. We took a little spot on a private campground that offers a rare sliver of cell service.
Montana has had its share of gold rushes. When gold was discovered in Alder Canyon in the 1860s, it was yet another in a string of strikes.
Experience a piece of Montana's gold rush history and the oddities that come with it at Virginia City Historical Museum in Virginia City, Montana.
I was 7 when I came face to face with a bear. It was gigantic. But, then again, I was seven.
