My husband and I are planning a trip to Colorado and Montana for May/June of this year. We want to spend about a week in each state (flying between the two). We like to hike but really just want to do some sightseeing and relax in some of the smaller towns. Any suggestions on places that shouldn't be missed or itinieraries?

Well Jody, I can only help you out with the montana aspect of your trip. I would higly recommend Missoula as you main hub. It's a great city/town of about 50 or so thousand. It has a very small town atmosphere, freiendly people, and is truely the cultural center of the northern Rockies. The downtown area is a great area to walk around and stop at small shops, art stores, coffea shops, and the such. On Saturdays in June there is a farmers market which is also a must see. The city is beutiful with mountains on all side, great fly fishing in and around town, not to mention enjoyable hikes within mile of the city. It is alos about 2 1/2 hours from Glacier National Park as well as flathead lake. There is a drivealbe loop around this beutiful lake with mission mountains right in front of you. This is a great afternoon drive with lunck is cozy Bigfork. Hope this helps.

I second the town of Bigfork, also try Whitefish. Don't miss Flathead lake and Glacier National Park.

If you want to do some sightseeing in some of the smaller towns, in Montana I highly recommend Butte. The older section of town "the hill" is unlike most other places in the country. (This can't be said of most Montana towns.) There are historic buildings, an interesting museum, and a couple of nice bed and breakfast inns in historic buildings.

If you fly into Denver, you won't be really close, but the Million Dollar Highway/scenic loop trip through the San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado is spectacular - worth a few days. The towns are mostly small and laid back.

From the North: Ridgway, Telluride, Dolores, Mancos (just a few miles from Mesa Verde), Durango, Silverton, Ouray, and back to Ridgway.

If I could do only one area in Colorado it would be the area described by the preceding poster. These are all small, quaint towns with great shopping, restaurants, scenery.

Ouray does a fabulous fourth of july fireworks show. People from all over plan their vacations around it.

In Montana, Bozeman is a neat town for the same reasons mentioned above. I like it much better than Missoula. You can drive straight north from there to Glacier which is a MUST DO. While there, go on up accross the border into Waterton, Canada. Another quaint little town with nice shopping/restaurants, views.

One of the most scenic drives in the country is between the northeast entrance of Yellowstone and Red Lodge, MT called the Beartooth Highway. This is southeast of Bozeman.

There are some great rivers in the Bozeman/Billings area to trout fish--Yellowstone, Madison, Jefferson, Gallatin. The last three rivers join together to form the Missouri River just west of Bozeman.

White water rafting at the Royal Gorge on the Arkansas river--AWESOME!

Oops-forgot to tell you that's in Colorado...about 3 hours South (southwest maybe?) from Denver

For Colorado, consider Grand Lake. It's the western entrance to RMNP. Delightful small town on a georgous lake. Plenty of services, beautiful scenery, lots of day-trip possibilities and hiking trails. This side of the Park is not as "spectacular" as the Estes Park side, but MUCH less crowded.