68 Best Sights in Helena, Bozeman, and Southwest Montana, Montana

At this designated Wildlife Viewing Area you might glimpse elk, deer, moose, waterfowl, and birds of prey. The area is wheelchair-accessible, and offers paved walking trails, a fishing dock, picnic tables, a rentable pavilion, horseshoe pits, and drinking water.

Built in 1905 by architect Cass Gilbert, who also designed the United States Supreme Court Building, the Montana Club was once the tallest building in the state. It's notable for its stone archways and contemporary I-beam construction underneath its classical facade. Founded in 1885, the Montana Club is the oldest continuously operating club between Minneapolis and Seattle. Once private, it's now open to the public for dinner and Sunday brunch.

The eclectic assortment of items dating from 1860 to 1900 at the Thompson-Hickman Memorial Museum includes a petrified wedding cake, the eponymous limb of "Club Foot" George Lane, rifles, and numerous photographs. The collection is made up of the heirlooms of three local families. The local library is upstairs.

The Yellowstone Gateway Museum, on the north side of town in a turn-of-the-20th-century schoolhouse, holds an eclectic collection, including finds from a 10,000-year-old Native American dig site, a flag fragment associated with the Battle of the Little Bighorn, and a Native cultures interpretive exhibit. Outdoor displays include an old caboose, a sheep wagon, a stagecoach, and other pioneer memorabilia.

Just south of Livingston and north of Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone River comes roaring down the Yellowstone Plateau and flows through Paradise Valley. A dozen fishing access sites are found in this area, some with primitive public campsites (available on a first-come, first-served basis). In addition to trout fishing, rafting and canoeing are popular here. With snowcapped peaks, soaring eagles, and an abundance of wildlife, a float on this section of the Yellowstone is a lifetime experience. U.S. 89 follows the west bank of the river, and East River Road runs along the east side.

Drop by the Yellowstone River Trout Hatchery, a five-minute drive from the town center, to view and learn about cutthroat trout. The best time to visit the hatchery is in spring, when you can see the fingerlings.

See eye-to-eye with mountain lions, black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and bison at this nonprofit center sheltering injured animals that cannot be released in the wild. Year-round educational programs are offered, and there is a summer camp for children.

Whimsical old toys including model trains, dolls, and Hotwheels Cars inhabit Yesterday's Playthings. Admission here grants you access to the Montana Auto Museum, Frontier Montana Museum, and Old Montana Prison Museum.