Missoula, Kalispell, and Northwest Montana Travel Guide

With more than 6 million acres of public land, northwest Montana might be America's largest outdoor destination. More than 1,000 secluded mountain lakes with crystal-clear waters and hungry fish provide peaceful isolation for professional and amateur anglers alike. On Flathead Lake you can sail, water-ski, and, if you're lucky, spot the mythical Flathead Lake Monster. Thousands of miles of hiking and biking trails lace the Missoula and Bitterroot valleys and climb and switchback up Big Mountain and the Mission Mountains region. In summer the lush valleys provide a glorious carpet of native meadow grasses with sky-blue lupine and yellow arnica, beneath white-capped mountains. In winter the land settles under a blanket of snow, and the water under sheets of ice, creating a winter-sports paradise, particularly for skiers.