Montana

State Parks

Name	Closest City	Lake / River	Remarks
Ackley Lake State Park		Ackley Lake
Anaconda Smelter Stack State Park		none	The park cannot actually be accessed, but only viewed from a distance.
Bannack State Park		Grasshopper Creek	The well-preserved ghost town of a one-time territorial capital.
Beaverhead Rock State Park		Beaverhead River
Beavertail Hill State Park		Clark Fork
Big Arm State Park		Flathead Lake	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
Black Sandy State Park		Hauser Reservoir
Brush Lake State Park		Brush Lake	There are no fish in this lake due to the mineral makeup of the water.
Chief Plenty Coups State Park		Pryor Creek
Clark’s Lookout State Park		Beaverhead River
Cooney State Park		Cooney Reservoir
Council Grove State Park		Clark Fork River
Elkhorn State Park		none
Finley Point State Park		Flathead Lake	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park		none	State Park Fee. An archaeological site where you can see what could be North America’s largest bison cliff jump and explore the 6,000-square-foot Visitor Center.
Fish Creek State Park		Fish Creek
Fort Owen State Park		Mill Creek
Frenchtown Pond State Park		Frenchtown Pond
Giant Springs State Park		Missouri River and Roe River	No admission fee. Encompasses 14 miles of Missouri shoreline and it is home to the Giant Springs, one of the largest freshwater springs in the country. Visitors can also explore the Roe River, once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s shortest river. Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
Granite Ghost Town State Park		none	Abandoned 1890s silver boomtown.
Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Park		none
Hell Creek State Park		Fort Peck Lake
Lake Elmo State Park		Lake Elmo
Lake Mary Ronan State Park		Flathead Lake
Les Mason State Park		Whitefish Lake
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park		none
Logan State Park		Middle Thompson Lake
Lone Pine State Park		none
Lost Creek State Park		Lost Creek
Milltown State Park		Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers
Madison Buffalo Jump State Park		none
Makoshika State Park	Glendive	none	Encompassing more than 11,500 acres at an elevation of 2,069 feet, this park features fossil remains of dinosaurs. The scenic drive is approximately six miles in length.
Marias River State Park		Marias River
Medicine Rocks State Park		none
Missouri Headwaters State Park		Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin rivers
North Shore State Park		Flathead Lake
Painted Rocks State Park		Painted Rocks Reservoir, Bitterroot River
Pictograph Cave State Park		none
Pirogue Island State Park		Yellowstone River
Placid Lake State Park		Placid Lake
Rosebud Battlefield State Park		none
Salmon Lake State Park		Salmon Lake, Clearwater River
Sluice Boxes State Park		Belt Creek
Smith River State Park		Smith River	59-mile (95 km) segment of the river with only one public put-in and one public take-out for the entire stretch.
Somers Beach State Park		Flathead Lake
Spring Meadow Lake State Park		Spring Meadow Lake
Thompson Falls State Park		Clark Fork, Noxon Rapids Reservoir
Tongue River Reservoir State Park		Tongue River Reservoir
Tower Rock State Park		Near Missouri River
Travelers’ Rest State Park		Lolo Creek
Wayfarers State Park		Flathead Lake	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
West Shore State Park		Flathead Lake	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
Whitefish Lake State Park		Whitefish Lake
Wild Horse Island State Park		Flathead Lake	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
Yellow Bay State Park		Flathead Lake, Yellow Bay Creek	Unit of Flathead Lake State Park

National Parks

Name	Closest City	Notes
Big Hole National Battlefield	Wisdom	On August 9, 1877, gun shots shattered a chilly dawn on a sleeping camp of Nez Perce. By the time the smoke cleared on August 10, almost 90 Nez Perce were dead along with 31 soldiers and volunteers. Big Hole National Battlefield was created to honor all who were there.
Big Horn Canyon National Recreation Area	Lovell	With over 120,000 acres, one can find an astounding diversity in ecosystems, wildlife, and more than 10,000 years of human history to explore.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site	Williston	Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union was the most important fur trade post on the Upper Missouri River. Here, the Assiniboine and six other Northern Plains Tribes exchanged buffalo robes and smaller furs for goods from around the world, including cloth, guns, blankets, and beads. A bastion of peaceful coexistence, the post annually traded over 25,000 buffalo robes and $100,000 in merchandise.
Glacier National Park		A showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness steeped in human history. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Glacier was established in 1910 as the eighth national park in the U.S., and it covers more than 1,500 square miles. To put it in other words: It’s a big national park with multiple entrances several hours apart and you’re unlikely to see it all unless you plan an extended trip. Lake McDonald Going-to-the-Sun Road runs through the park connecting the Apgar Visitor Center on the west side to the St. Mary Visitor Center on the east side. The most scenic, and dangerous (sheer cliffs and drop-offs), part of the road is in Logan Pass.
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site	Deer Lodge	Once the headquarters of a 10 million acre cattle empire, the site commemorates the role of cattlemen in American history.
Little Big Horn Battlefield National Monument	Garryowen	This area memorializes the US Army’s 7th Cavalry, Crow, and Arikara scouts and the Lakotas, Cheyennes, and Arapaho in one of the American Indian’s last armed efforts to preserve their way of life. Here on June 25 and 26 of 1876, 263 soldiers, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer and attached personnel of the US Army, died fighting several thousand Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. Visitor center, museum, the Custer National Cemetery, the 7th Cavalry Memorial, and the Reno-Benteen Battlefield. The Crow Nation of Tourism offers a one-hour bus tour.
Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area	Troy	An ancient grove of cedars in northwest. It’s a bit of a drive on a dirt road to access the scenic area. A 0.9-mile accessible loop trail winds through the cedar grove.
Nez Perce National Historical Park	Spalding	Consists of 38 places important to the history and culture of the nimíipuu. Four states ID, MT, OR, WA
Shoshone National Forest		An ancient grove of cedars in the northwest. It’s a bit of a drive on a dirt road to access the scenic area. A 0.9-mile accessible loop trail winds through the cedar grove.
Yellowstone National Park

Attractions

Arlee

Garden of One Thousand Buddhas – more than one thousand statues in the garden and a twenty-four-foot-tall statue of Yum Chenmo,

Bearcreek

Bearcreek Downs Saloon and Steakhouse – has built a custom outdoor pig track, where porkers run races on summer evenings. Money goes to charity.

Billings

The Moss Mansion –
ZooMontana – approximately one hundred animals at the park live in natural habitats similar to where they would live in the wild. The park focuses on animals that are native to Montana.
Western Heritage Centre – The center features a diverse collection of more than 17,000 artifacts. Highlights include more than 6,000 photos covering the history and culture of the Yellowstone River region.

Yellowstone County Museum – Two-Headed Calf, Diorama of Sacrifice Cliff
L.P. Anderson Tire Factory – muffler man with tire

Bozeman

Museum of the Rockies
American Computer & Robotics Museum – Exhibits include interactive and educational displays on many subjects such as robots, artificial intelligence, computers, calculators, Apple, video games, and women in technology.

Buford

Fort Buford State Historic Site and Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center – a supply depot for the U.S. Army during the Indian wars and the site of Chief Sitting Bull’s surrender in July 1881. The Interpretive Center has a small museum and a short walking trail to the confluence. The admission fee gives you access to both.
★ Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site – Home to John Jacob Astor’s powerful American Fur Company, Fort Union Trading Post dominated the peaceful fur trade on the upper Missouri River between 1829 and 1867. Today, see museum exhibits in the Bourgeois House and shop for gifts and souvenirs in the reconstructed Indian Trade House.

Butte

The World Museum of Mining – an old copper mine site with over 60 exhibits.
Our Lady of the Rockies – 90ft statue of the Virgin Mary on a rocky ridge. Round trip bus tours. from Butte.
Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand – The Berkeley Pit at one time was America’s Largest Truck-Operated Open Pit Copper Mine. Now it’s a massive lake of deadly drainage. Pay two dollars, walk through a tunnel cut through the pit’s side, and emerge at the Overlook and Interpretive Pavilion, with picnic tables, restrooms, and a snack bar.
Whitehall
- Ringing Rocks – rocks ring like a bell or gong when hit.

Choteau

Old Trail Museum – One roadside attraction, multiple small museums. Includes a grizzly bear museum and an ice cream parlor that appears to be the biggest building of all. Dinosaur statues guard the parking lot.

Columbia Falls

Montana Vortex and House of Mystery – a mystery spot attraction

Columbus

Museum of the Beartooths – county museum. Especially creepy display of relics from the “second to last legal hanging” in Montana.

Cut Bank

Giant Penguin – 27-foot-tall Penguin to promote the town as the “Coldest Spot in the Nation”.

Deer Lodge

The Old Prison Museum – includes the Auto Museum (over 120 old cars), Frontier Museum, Montana Law Enforcement Museum, toy, doll and train museum, prisoner handmade gifts, Western and WWII museum, and historical museum.

Ennis

Madison Valley History Museum – Notable is the mounted carcass of a mysterious wolflike creature — also known as the Madison Monster — shot in 1886 after a cow herd terror spree.

Fort Benton

Famous for Old Shep: The Faithful Sheep Dog. Statues and grave.

Glendive

Makoshika State Park – Badlands and dinosaurs. The scenic drive is approximately six miles in length.
Frontier Gateway Museum – Free. Dinosaurs, geology, cowboys and Indians, pioneer days, trains, military. Turn of the century (1900) Vignettes of the general store, dentist & doctor’s office, salon, Christmas, children’s toys, and so much more.
Glendive Dinosaur & Fossil Museum – exists to support the Biblical creation story.

Great Falls

The C.M. Russell Museum Complex – one of the best Montana attractions that focus on art.
Big John the Cowboy Muffler Man – at Big John’s Casino
The Sip ‘n Dip Lounge: Mermaids! – O’Haire Motor Inn. T-Sa 9 pm – 1:30 am
Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
Giant Springs State Park, Great Falls of the Missouri River, Crooked Falls, Rainbow Falls, and Black Eagle Falls.
Ryan Dam – Great Falls of the Missouri
History Museum
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park

Haugan

World Famous 50,000 Silver Dollar Bar

Havre

Tours take you to where Havre residents lived underground after the town burned down in 1904. See the saloon, the meat market, the bordello, the opium dens. It opened as an attraction in 1999. https://havrebeneaththestreets.com/
Wahkpa Chu’gn Buffalo Jump -About 20 Foot Pile of Buffalo Bones Behind Shopping Mall. Entrance is on the north side of US-2, behind the Holiday Village strip mall. https://havrechamber.com/explore/wahkpa-chu-gn-buffalo-jump
Fort Assinniboine – https://fortassinniboine.org/ – Historic Fort Assinniboine was the largest military post in Montana was constructed in 1879 and actively used through 1911. The site is now the home of the Northern Agriculture Research Center, operated by Montana State University. Public tours start June 1st. Tour guides will be on duty Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
H. Earl Clack Memorial Museum – In a mini mall is a museum dedicated to the history of the area and to dinosaurs.

Helena

Montana Historical Society Museum
- Giant Buffalo Skull – is made of metal, weighs over two tons, and is 15 feet long and 21 feet wide.

Montana State Capitol

Jefferson City

Tizer Botanic Gardens & Arboretum – located in the Elkhorn Mountains and has six acres of gardens.

Joliet

Charles Ringer Studio and Gallery – “The Creature” built out of a water tank, 18 feet tall, with claw-like hands and a zombie’s face. And only one among several equally oddball sculptures.
Pathway Thru The Bible – Local stone pile sculptures and grotto art environment depicting scenes from the Bible along a winding roadside walkway. 9739 US Hwy 212

Kalispell

Conrad Mansion Museum – thirteen thousand square feet with twenty-six rooms and the original furniture still in place. The mansion is surrounded by three acres of gardens and walkways.

Libby

Heritage Museum – county museum with possibly world’s largest frying pan displayed outside.

Lincoln

Blackfoot Pathways Sculpture Park – 28 wooded acres of large wood sculptures

Lookout Pass at the Idaho/Montana border.- 15 miles rail-to-trail with 10 scenic tunnels and seven trestle bridges.

Missoula

ice cream donut sandwich from Stuffed 406
Food Truck Market – Wednesdays from 11:00am – 2:00pm | June, July & August in Caras Park.
a float trip down the Clark Fork River.

New Town

★ Earl Bunyan – Nineteen feet tall and supposedly the brother of forest gobbler Paul Bunyan. On the main highway into town.
MHA Interpretive Center – museum about the MHA nation (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara). Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 4:30pm, Saturday & Sunday Closed
Crow Flies High Butte – Scenic stop off Highway 23. Awesome view of the Missouri River and Sakekawa Lake with Four Bears Bridge in the background.

Nevada City

Nevada City Music Hall – Largest Automated Music Machine Collection.

Polson

Miracle of America Museum –

Pray

Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa –

Virginia City

Thompson-Hickman Museum and Library

West Yellowstone

★ Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center

Wisdom

Big Hole National Battlefield – A site from the Nez Perce War. Visitors can explore four trails that go to essential parts of the battlefield. The visitor center has a short film about the battle, the war, and the site’s history.

Tips

Beartooth Scenic Byway – This 68-mile byway winds through southwest Montana and northwest Wyoming and leads into Yellowstone National Park at its Northeast Entrance.

Bighorn Scenic Byway – Follows US Highway 14 through Ranchester and Dayton north of Sheridan, includes spectacular views such as Fallen City (a field of Madison Formation limestone blocks), Steamboat Point, along with campgrounds, picnic areas and opportunities for fishing in Sibley Lake, Prune Creek and Little Tongue River. At Burgess Junction, the Bighorn Scenic Byway continues on U.S. 14 toward the towns of Shell and Greybull. Watch for moose and deer around Burgess Junction and as you’re winding through the red, rocky walls of Shell Canyon, look for Rocky Mountain bluebirds and mourning doves among the juniper and sagebrush. U.S. Forest Service personnel say those with sharp eyes may spot coyotes, bobcats and the very elusive mountain lion. Stretch your legs at Shell Falls before driving through the quaint town of Shell (population 50) to the town of Greybull.

Black Hills Scenic Byway
- Steamboat Point Trail (1.6 miles round trip, with a difference in altitude of 600 feet): a trail that leads to the suggestive Steamboat Rock, which, as the name says, is shaped like a steamship. Access is directly on the road at this point.

Glacier National Park
- Glacier National Park requires all visitors to have a reservation to enter Going-to-the-Sun Road, North Fork, and Many Glacier starting May 24 until September 8, 2024.
- GyPSy Guides, a narrated self-guided tour perfect for road trips and scenic drives.
- Lake McDonald with access to boat tours and water activities.
- It provides many non-strenuous trails, like Trail of the Cedars and Avalanche Lake.
- Going-to-the-Sun Road and Logan Pass is steepest roads and most stunning views. Parking at the Logan Pass Visitor Center or trailheads can be competitive.
- Accessing Two Medicine requires exiting the park on the eastern side, driving south on Highway 89 for an hour, and re-entering the park. For this reason, Two Medicine is less crowded than other parts of the park.
- Many Glacier is directly north of Logan Pass, but requires exiting the park on the eastern side, driving north on Highway 89 for about 30 minutes, and re-entering the park. But unlike Two Medicine, Many Glacier is still plenty crowded. Be sure to book the boat tour of Swiftcurrent and Josephine lakes through Glacier Park Boat Company.
- spend 6-7 nights on the east side of the park and 1-2 nights on the west side. The east side of the park is closer to St. Mary, Logan Pass, Many Glacier, and Two Medicine, where most of your time will be spent. I recommend staying in the town of St. Mary. The west side of the park is anchored by the Apgar Visitor Center and park entrance.
- Four campgrounds are reservable online in advance, through Recreation.Gov. Reservations are released six months in advance.
  - Apgar Campground for group camping (Lake McDonald) – Rustic and without hookups, they have flush toilets, fire rings with grills, disposal stations, shared hiker-biker sites, amphitheaters for evening naturalist talks, and sites that accommodate large RVs. Due to the lakeside location inside the park, away from highway and railroad noise, they are popular.
  - Fish Creek (Lake McDonald) – Loops C and D have the best sites, adjacent to the lake, although Loop B has some larger, more level sites. A few lukewarm token-operated showers are available. Eighteen campsites accommodate RVs up to 35 feet long;
  - Many Glacier (Many Glacier) – Most Coveted campground. A few sites can fit RVs up to 35 feet, but most fit RVs only up to 21 feet.
  - St. Mary (St. Mary) – A few campsites can fit RVs up to 35 feet, but most are shorter.
  - Go to Two Medicine for Sunrise pictures. After sunrise, grab a coffee at the Two Medicine General Store and take the leisurely stroll out to Paradise Point (less than half a mile).
  - See Sunset at Wild Goose Island Overlook
  - Waterton, Canada – Waterton is a small alpine town perched on Waterton Lake. Explore the townsite – home to many quaint shops and restaurants. The 2-hour scenic boat tour on Waterton Lake is a must-see. Line up 45 minutes ahead of departure time to ensure a spot on the top deck of the boat for optimal viewing.
  - Eat Huckleberry Pie
  - Go to the Super 1 grocery store in Columbia Falls. The rest of the areas don’t have major grocery stores.
  - If you only have one day in Glacier, make the most of it by starting early by driving the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road and fitting in time for one moderate hike or walk, such as Avalanche Lake, Hidden Lake, or St. Mary and Virginia Falls.
  - small boat rentals available at Apgar, Lake McDonald, Two Medicine and Many Glacier. Prices for boats are generally about $22 per hour for a double kayak or rowboat and $28 per hour for an 8-horsepower motorboat.
  - While bikes are allowed on the roads of Glacier, the best time to go if you want to ride Going-to-the-Sun Road without cars is likely in the second half of May and the first half of June, when it’s often open to cyclists but not vehicles. Otherwise, just know that you’ll be sharing the road with vehicles and there usually aren’t any dedicated bike lanes or large shoulders.
  - There are multiple companies that have U.S. Forest Service permits to operate guided floats out of the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Flathead River. Some include Glacier Guides and Montana Raft Company, Glacier Raft Company, Great Northern Resort and Wild River Adventures.
  - Tongue River Canyon (4.7 miles round trip, with a difference in altitude of 760 feet): A walk in a beautiful valley in the canyon carved by the Tongue River. To take the trail you will have to detour from the town of Dayton and take the 92, following it for about 5 miles until you reach the Tongue Canyon Campground.

Medicine Wheel Passage – Follows U.S. Highway 14 through Ranchester and Dayton north of Sheridan, includes spectacular views of Fallen City (a field of Madison Formation limestone blocks), Steamboat Point, along with campgrounds, picnic areas and opportunities for fishing in Sibley Lake, Prune Creek and Little Tongue River. At Burgess Junction, the Medicine Wheel Passage continues on U.S. 14A toward the town of Lovell. This byway is open seasonally from May through November and has a 10% grade in places, making it steeper than the Bighorn Scenic Byway. Watch for moose and deer around Burgess Junction and Rocky Mountain bluebirds and mourning doves. This byway provides stunning views of the Bighorn Basin below as well as a few notable stops. Stretch your legs at Observation Point (Elevation 9,430 ft) or take a small hike to see the Medicine Wheel/Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark or Porcupine Falls. Before reaching the town of Lovell, take a small detour to the Bighorn National Recreation Area.
- Medicine Wheel Trail (2.8 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 190 feet): this is the trail that leads to the famous native monument. The walk is quite easy and, in addition to the monument, it offers beautiful views of the valley below. To reach the trailhead you’ll have to take Forest Service Road 12 at this point, a dirt road about 1.8 miles long.
- Porcupine Falls Trail (0.8 miles round trip, with an elevation gain of 350 feet): a short and easy trail that leads to a beautiful mountain waterfall. Turn at this point onto Forest Service Road 13 and continue for about 6 miles to the entrance.

State Parks

National Parks

Attractions

Tips

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