12 Best National & State Parks in Montana
The fourth-largest state in the US, sparsely populated Montana lies in the northwest of the country on the border with Canada. It boasts delightfully diverse landscapes: the west is very mountainous while the east’s endless plains and prairies are only occasionally punctuated by breathtaking badlands and bluffs. Hidden away among...
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Introduction
Home to huge, open plains, majestic mountains and vast tracts of untouched wilderness, Montana is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful states in the US. Appropriately known as ‘Big Sky Country’, it boasts a staggering array of different landscapes to explore with lovely little towns dotted here and there.
The largest landlocked state, it lies in the north of the States on the border with Canada surrounded by Idaho, Wyoming and the Dakotas. While Eastern Montana consists of endless plains, prairies and meadows, the west is dominated and defined by the hundred or so rearing mountain ranges that scar its surface. Of these, the Rockies and Bitterroot Range are perhaps the most known while sweeping valleys, gushing rivers and glittering glaciers can all be found amidst their peaks.
Due to its natural riches and spellbinding scenery, most visitors to the state come to explore the great outdoors. The most popular places to head are Glacier National Park due to its awe-inspiring lakes, glaciers and mountains and Yellowstone National Park for its innumerable geysers and hot springs. The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument also attracts lots of people with its badlands, bluffs and rock formations, as do the incredible caves of the Lewis & Clark Caverns State Park.
Besides hiking, horseback riding and canoeing around its breathtaking landscapes, you can also ski and snowboard in winter with wildlife watching being another popular pastime. This is because the state is home to not only bison and grizzly bears but elk, wolves and mountain lions.
Although mostly used as gateways to the delightful wilderness all around them, the small cities and towns of Billings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula are all well worth stopping by. Besides being the largest and liveliest of the state’s settlements, they each have their own unique history and culture to delve into with appealing monuments, museums and neighborhoods dotted about.
Some of Montana’s other main draws include its superb ski resorts and atmospheric old ghost towns with the reenactments at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument also proving popular.