Montana Travel Guide
The large and naturally diverse state of Montana is situated in the northwest of the United States. The state’s name comes from the Spanish word for ‘mountain,’ and with the Rocky Mountains taking up a large piece of the state in the west it is easy to see why. There are many spectacular national parks offering magnificent natural wonders which attract many visitors from around the globe to make tourism a significant part of Montana’s economy.
Montana’s historic capital city, Helena, is located in the state’s southwest. The city was one of the country’s richest gold towns and boasted some of the biggest strikes found. Helena was also a stopping point during the famous Lewis and Clarke expedition before they reached the Pacific Ocean. With many national parks and forests close by, taking a scenic day trip is easily achieved. Old-style train rides through the capital, the fascinating Montana Museum or picturesque lakes where you can enjoy a relaxing picnic are all available to be enjoyed.
Some of America’s best national parks are within the state of Montana. The famous Yellowstone Park has a plethora of unique natural wonders on show. From a bubbling volcano with molten mud pools and amazing hot geysers shooting steam high into the air to dramatic cliffs and breathtaking canyons, rivers and lakes, Yellowstone is a nature-lover’s paradise. There is also an abundance of wildlife, including fish, wolves, bison and the country’s largest population of grizzly bears. With so much to see and do the park is a major tourist attraction, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
Positioned in the state’s northwest, the beautiful and picturesque Glacier National Park is a perfect example of a vast and pristine ecosystem. The park is home to two mountain ranges extending down from the Canadian Rockies, more than 130 lakes, over a 1,000 different varieties of fauna and hundreds of wildlife species. The park offers an amazing amount of varied landscapes from huge glaciers, tree-filled forests and beautiful waterfalls to open fields of green grass set against hard-edged granite cliff faces.
A visit to east Montana is akin to taking a trip back in time to the days of the Wild West. The region is filled with timeless Western towns, acres of native prairies and untouched forests. With a host of activities to choose from including camping, fishing, hunting and boating along with the many museums and annual rodeos, there is plenty to enjoy and see.