Beautiful Western Montana

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Beautiful Western Montana


Western Montana is a great place for the adventurous traveler to take an amazing outdoor vacation. While summer reveals some of the greatest treasures of Western Montana, the area also has its own special beauty in winter. You will find massive lakes, powerful rivers, high peaks and places full of adventure and natural beauty.

Yaak River
If you enter Western Montana from the north through Idaho on Highway 2, take a scenic detour along the Yaak River Road. During the summer stop for a few days and camp at the Yaak River Campground. From your campsite you can hike along numerous trails or, for a more exhilarating adventure, go whitewater rafting on the Kootenai River.

Whitefish
After stopping for a little recreation along the Yaak River continue on to US-93, heading south straight into Whitefish. Whitefish is a small but thriving city. During the winter, visit the Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain for skiing. You don't have to visit during the winter to have fun in Whitefish, though. You can take a ride down the Alpine Slide or glide through the sky on the zip line tour. Whitefish is also a great jumping off point for mountain biking and hiking.

Flathead Lake
Continuing on your journey, follow US-93 south along the western shore of Flathead Lake. Before you reach the lake you will pass through Kalispell, the largest city in the area. You can stop and take a trip out to the state park on Wild Horse Island, where you will find plenty of recreation and the wild horses the island is named for. After you pass through Polson, on the southern end of Flathead Lake, get on to Route 35 and head north following the eastern shore of Flathead Lake. You will find plenty of opportunities to camp, fish, hike and recreate on Flathead Lake. If you brought your boat on your road trip you can boat up to the Raven Restaurant and Bar for a Caribbean style dinner and cocktails. If you are a connoisseur of beer, visit the Flathead Lake Brewing Company in Woods Bay. At the northern end of Flathead Lake you will find the city of Bigfork, where you can stop and walk along its quaint streets, stroll through its galleries, and grab a bite at El Topo for great Mexican food and margaritas.

Glacier National Park
Continue north along Route 35 until you reach Highway 2, then follow Highway 2 into Glacier National Park. Glacier is one of America's most beautiful parks. Take a scenic drive to see the park's wild interior along the Going-to-the Sun Road. This road is 50 miles and winds through the interior of the Park, giving you the opportunity to see Glacier without hiking to the interior. Glacier also has beautiful lodges throughout the park including Many Glacier Hotel, Lake McDonald Lodge, Granite Park Chalet and Sperry Chalet. The two chalets are backcountry accommodations, which are great for a luxurious backcountry hiking experience.

Lolo Hot Springs
If you enter Western Montana from southern Idaho along Lolo Creek Rd, stop in Lolo Hot Springs. Here you will find the soothing hot springs as well as miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. During the winter you can snowmobile during the day before taking a relaxing dip in the waters of Lolo Hot Springs. You can stay at the Lolo Hot Springs Resort and explore the Bitterroot Mountains.

Western Montana is the perfect area to take a long road trip. There are miles of wilderness to explore. Montana still has untamed wilderness that is unlike any other place in the world. You can enjoy the scenes of wild beauty as you drive by and spend your day adventuring along the trails at Glacier National Park.