Hi,
We are planning to visit MT(from detroit) during the May long weekend for a week.
1) Is it a good time to visit MT around May 23-30? Is everything open during this time of the year?
2) Can we fly from detroit to Salt lake city and they drive from there? Is it too far or tedious?(I found that flying to SLC is very cheap in comparision)
3) What are places/things not to miss if we are staying 4 days in MT?
4) Any suggestions on good places to stay(not expensive)

Thank you.
Ajay

Yes, SLC is usuallly cheaper but I have also found Missoula to be pretty inexpensive, comparatively.

SLC is definitely doable if that is your best fare.

I gather you aren't interested in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons.

In Montana, the must sees are Glacier N.P., Flathead Lake area, and Beartooth Highway (from N.E. entrance to Yellowstone to Red Lodge, MT.

If you like to fish there are several really good rivers--Madison, Yellowstone, Jefferson.

My favorite town to visit is Bozeman. It has a very nice downtown and the Museum of the Rockies on the college campus.

May might be too early for some areas--especially Glacier N.P.

ttt

Do you know that the distance from Montana's west border to its east border is greater than the distance from Detroit to New York City? The point is that you might want to narrow down your goal to something a little smaller than "Montana" if you have only four days, especially if you are going to be spending two out of those four days driving from and to Salt Lake. If you look at the Montana tourism website it will describe and provide pictures so you can get an idea of the various attractions of the state's regions. Once you decide where you want to go you might be able to decide whether or not the drive from SLC is too far.
Another airport that might give you cheaper fares, since it is served by Southwest Airlines, is Spokane.

When I went to Montana last year, I flew into Spokane. It took 5 hours to drive to Kalispel which is within an hour of Glacier National Park. We only drove about an hour on the interstate and then took back roads so maybe staying on the interstate until Missoula would be faster.

You could try living like those families in that PBS special! Course they went for 5-6 months, not 5-6 days!

For a long weekend I strongly suggest that you actually fly into Montana. It is a half day drive from Salt Lake to the western portion of Montana. If I were you I'd try as hard as I can to fly into Kalsipell or Missoula. You could try to fly into Spokane as previously suggested if you are interested in seeing Glacier and Flathead Lake. (These are two DO NOT MISSES!) However, many areas in Glacier might still be closed at this time, including the Going to the Sun Road, BUT this is a great time to see any grizzly bears. (Bring binoculars. You can spot them from the road on the mountain sides if you're lucky.) Flathead Lake is also a beautiful area. You can whitewater raft, kayak, or rent a boat or jet skis in Polson. Lakeside and Big Fork are great towns. The water might still be pretty cold in May though. Enjoy your stay...its beautiful.

i would agree with all the posters thus far. I lived in Missoula for four years and travelled a lot with the company. Montana is a driving state.
1. don't fly into SLC; that is a long one day drive each and it brings you into the middle of the state. Spokane is a good alternative because you see pretty country all the way through; make a quick swing through the town of Wallace, Idaho where they filmed Dantes Peak (right off I90). The flathead lake area is pretty but the highway 93 is a death trap. A nice trip could be as suggested; Spokane; highway 2 through Libby (just outside of Libby is the most incredible set of falls you can see..where they filmed the famous gauntlet scene from the Meryl Streep movie..the River; wind onto Kalispell; drop down to Missoula (a town that is starting to feel pretty tacky and overdeveloped but has a nice spirit at the waterfront park downtown; then continue on to see Bozeman and Livingston; swing onto the famous paradise Valley (the approach to Yellowstone)then drive like hell back to Spokane because you have used up your four days ; remember that they now have speed limits in Montana and they are enforced. Cough up the extra money and fly intpo Missoula (the planes are bigger and the flights are usually real high social energy). This is a vacation; save the high energy low satisfaction driving for Detroit.