Missoula, Kalispell, and Northwest Montana: Places to Explore

The Bob Marshall, Scapegoat, and Great Bear wilderness areas take up 1.5 million rugged, roadless, remote acres within the Flathead National Forest. Preservation pioneer, forester, and cofounder of the... Read more

Home to the Salish and Kootenai tribes, this 1.2-million-acre reservation is a fascinating historical site. Archaeological evidence indicates that Native Americans were here some 14,000 years ago, but it... Read more

The 370-foot-deep Flathead Lake, with 180 mi of shoreline, is the largest natural freshwater lake in the western United States. It's a wonderful—and popular—place for sailing, fishing, and... Read more

Home to retirees, gentleman ranchers, and the Ravalli County Museum, Hamilton (pop. 5,000) is a gateway to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It was established by 19th-century industrialist Marcus Daly... Read more

Outdoorsy types come to this 400-acre lake for fishing, boating, swimming, hiking, trail riding, and camping in summer and ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling in winter. To... Read more

Main Street (U.S. 93) in busy downtown Kalispell is lined with galleries, jewelry stores, boutiques, and restaurants. This century-old city, the Flathead County seat, is a regional business and retail... Read more

A fertile valley hemmed in by mountains cradles Missoula, the cultural center of northwest Montana. The largest metropolis around (population 57,000) is the home of the University of Montana. In the aptly... Read more

Bordered by campgrounds, hiking trails, and wildlife-viewing opportunities, this community of 2,400 centers on lovely Seeley Lake. Nearby is the Big Blackfoot River, a setting in A River Runs Through It,... Read more

Stevensville, population 1,550, sits on the site of the state's first non-Native American settlement, St. Mary's Mission, a restored treasure that dates back to 1841. Nearby Fort Owen is a partially restored... Read more

A hub for golfing, lake recreation, hiking, mountain biking, and skiing, Whitefish sits at the base of Big Mountain Ski and Summer Resort. Nine lifts serve 3,000 acres of powder skiing and provide outstanding... Read more