糖心传媒

Bozeman is home to Montana鈥檚 busiest airport, no doubt about that. It鈥檚 a regular gateway to many of the state鈥檚 most acclaimed outdoor destinations, like Big Sky and Yellowstone National Park. I鈥檝e followed that exact formula a couple of times, actually, with my dear friend Audrey. 

But for someone who lives in a sea of concrete, I think about mountains a lot, and I want to see them all. That鈥檚 why on our most recent Montana adventure, Audrey and I touched down in Missoula and road-tripped around the state鈥檚 western half. Here鈥檚 why a visit to this lesser-frequented region will guarantee an authentic Montana experience and a newfound appreciation of the spaces between the state鈥檚 two beloved national parks.

Why visit Western Montana now?

It鈥檚 just as grand, with mountains (literally) of opportunities to experience the magic of the great outdoors and seek out the western ways portrayed in a Taylor Sheridan drama. And trust that you won鈥檛 be stepping on anyone else鈥檚 hiking boots on the region's picturesque trails or cowboy boots at a local rodeo. It鈥檚 a well-known fact in Montana that the cattle population is almost double that of the human one (Two cows, just for me? Why, thank you!), and wide open spaces are aplenty. But the crowds are especially slim in this slice, leaving you far more room to play.

Western Montana鈥檚 best experiences

Whether on or off the grid, here are the top ways we experienced the region鈥檚 adventurous spirit.

Cycle the Route of the Hiawatha

So far west that it bleeds into Idaho, the is a 15-mile bike route that follows a portion of the retired Milwaukee Railroad, which stretched from Chicago all the way to Seattle and first expanded into the Bitterroot Mountains in the early 20th century. Beginning from the East Portal in Montana, the trail will first lead you through the 1.66-mile St Paul Pass Tunnel, also known as the Taft Tunnel. It continues on a downhill trail, passing through nine shorter tunnels and over seven trestles, with some sure-spectacular scenery of the mountains. There are plenty of opportunities to hop off the saddle to read about the railroad鈥檚 history and take it all in.

You can bike the route in either direction, but starting from the Montana side ensures an all-downhill experience, ideal for all ages and making it far easier to admire the views without gasping for breath. At the end of the ride at the Pearson Trailhead in Idaho, you can either turn around and bike back up or hop on a convenient shuttle that will return you to the start. 

Planning tip: If you don鈥檛 have your own bike, gear rentals are available at , as well as tickets, food for purchase and restrooms. If you do bring your own gear, you鈥檒l need a flashlight on your handlebars to safely guide you through the mostly pitch-dark tunnels. 

Detour: Reward yourself with a famous huckleberry milkshake from Huck鈥檚 Grill at the on the way back toward Missoula. The cups read 鈥淏est. Shake. Ever.鈥� Intelligent people would agree.

Go hiking (or packrafting) in the Bitterroot Mountains

Don鈥檛 get me wrong 鈥� the US鈥檚 national parks have achieved their elite status for a reason. But our national forests are just as precious, not to mention their trails are far less trodden. Take the , for example. Straddling Montana and Idaho, its pristine 1.6 million acres are ripe for fishing, camping, horseback riding, backpacking and, in our case, hiking to and floating on an alpine lake, also known as packrafting. 

We鈥檇 both never considered a guided hike before  鈥� we鈥檙e more the get-up-and-go type 鈥� but on a day hike on the trail to Camas Lake with Luke, the founder of , we loved the convenience of having someone else bring the necessary gear (including inflatable rafts) and food, as well as a fountain of knowledge about the local plants, animals and history of the area.

Sit back in a hot spring

When the town you鈥檙e in is called Paradise, you know the hot springs have got to be exactly that. And when you鈥檝e, say, biked 15 miles or hiked seven, a soak in some hot mineral waters is a highly appropriate recovery method. There are natural springs across the region 鈥� and 鈥� but Audrey and I spent a couple of nights at , literally in Paradise and bordering Lolo National Forest and the Clark Fork River. They have five natural pools (including a cold plunge) and two additional salt-treated pools for all ages. Use of the pools is included for lodge guests, but they also offer for those just passin鈥� through.

Explore Missoula

Remember to head back to home base for a night or two. We spent a couple of nights in Missoula, and between outside-y endeavors, we loved eating, shopping and walking about town. We thoroughly enjoyed flipping through the racks at vintage spots like , and . Fuel up in the morning with a breakfast burrito at and feast on elevated bar classics for lunch on 鈥檚 patio 鈥� or head there for a late dinner and stick around for a live band. Or, for a touch of elegance, get your classic Montana steak fix at 1889 Steakhouse. 

If you鈥檙e in the mood for a hike but don鈥檛 want to get the car out, Missoula鈥檚 famous M and L trails will scratch that itch. They鈥檙e fairly steep but short and provide the best views you can get of the city. Start early in the morning to beat the brutal afternoon sun, as there鈥檚 hardly any tree coverage. Many visitors to Missoula also time their trip with a concert at in front of a gorgeous, mountainous backdrop (I narrowly missed Tedeschi Trucks the night before I arrived) or the Missoula Stampede, the city鈥檚 annual rodeo in August.

Where to stay

Aside from its blissful pools, is an ideal place to base yourself for its central location (just an hour from Missoula), spacious, cabin-like rooms and peaceful natural surrounds. We also spent a couple of nights in Downtown Missoula at the modern , right at the center of it all. We loved having a kitchen/kitchenette at these properties because when you鈥檙e on a road trip, the leftovers sure can pile up, and it鈥檚 also nice to feel a sense of homeyness when you鈥檝e spent a long chunk of the day in the car. Dude ranch stays like the family-owned or the luxurious are also extremely popular in the region.

How to pair a visit to the region with a visit to Bozeman

It鈥檚 a (scenic) three-hour drive from Missoula to Bozeman, which is just one hour from Big Sky and around two hours from Yellowstone鈥檚 west entrance, making it spectacularly easy to plan a road trip exploring a sizable chunk of the state. You could easily fly into one airport and out of the other 鈥� they鈥檙e both cute and lodge-like 鈥� at the end of your visit. A is a must, no matter where you鈥檙e headed.

Ann Douglas traveled to Montana on the invitation of the Montana Department of Commerce. 糖心传媒 does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.