Everybody desires to go to Glacier Nationwide Park…like 3 million folks a yr. However what many park-goers don’t understand is that the majority of Western Montana was carved by the identical glacial exercise, providing beautiful mountains, lakes, rivers, and forests with a fraction of the vacationers. To assist extra folks uncover the lesser-known gems and preserve them pristine, we drew on our expertise as off-grid RVers with a inexperienced coronary heart and partnered with Glacier Nation Tourism for a #RecreateResponsibly Montana street journey.
Over the course of 12 days, we traveled from the Bitterroot Mountains to the far north of Kootenai County, via three nationwide forests, dynamic Native American territories, charming small cities, the largest freshwater lake within the West, and a ton extra in between. Listed here are a few of our favourite Western Montana street journey locations and the methods you may go away these locations higher than you discovered them.
Biking the Route of the Hiawatha
Spanning the Idaho and Montana border, the Route of the Hiawatha is without doubt one of the crown jewels of the US’s rails-to-trails system. When constructing the railroad line from Chicago to Tacoma within the early Twentieth century, the crew reached the Bitterroot Mountains, and it was the hardest terrain they’d encountered. To create this 15-mile stretch, they bored 10 tunnels (some over a mile lengthy) and constructed 7 trestle bridges towering over the forest. And all that tough work continues to be paying off with this unbelievable bike path.
To get equipped, we went to Lookout Cross Resort for bike leases and a rack, then drove to the Montana facet to begin the experience. With a mild downhill pitch and broad grime path, it’s all about having fun with the sweeping mountain views and engineering marvels lining the way in which. To make it even simpler for all ages, Lookout Cross provides a shuttle with a information to entertain you all the way in which again to the parking zone. Name us slackers, however the return shuttle allowed us to take our candy time for numerous picture stops, studying the handfuls of interpretive indicators, having fun with a picnic, and mountaineering up a waterfall. Watch this video from our experience.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to the Hiawatha Bike Path (principally St. Regis)
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Plan Forward. Convey a raincoat and a headlamp to be prepared for the tunnels.
Catching a County Honest
From summer time to fall, there are gala’s throughout Montana, and we have been simply in time for one of many largest occasions in Ravalli County. Amusement rides, cornhole tournaments, bake-offs, livestock demonstrations, classic automotive reveals, and a full-blown rodeo…this was a cultural affair decked in cowboy boots. And we could also be metropolis folks, however we acquired in with the most effective of them, chowing down on huckleberry pie and cheering on the wagon races. Along with the rodeo clown, who was our favourite character on the honest? Smokey Bear. He was representing the Bitterroot Nationwide Forest sales space, providing information on tenting and hearth security for locals and guests alike. Thanks, Smokey!
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to Hamilton
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Know Earlier than You Go. Wildfire season is a really actual factor within the West Verify MTFireInfo.org for the most recent hearth standing and restrictions.
Kettlehouse Amphitheater
Swinging the cultural pendulum, we went from a county honest to an indie rock live performance at Montana’s premier music venue. The state-of-the-art Kettlehouse Amphitheater is tucked in a notch of the mountains on the foot of the Blackfoot River (yeah, the one Brad Pitt was fishing in A River Runs Via It), incomes it a spot as one of many Prime 10 Amphitheaters within the World, in response to Pollstar.
Including to the cool issue, it’s adjoining to the Kettlehouse Brewery, and contemporary craft beer is delivered proper to your live performance seat. We noticed Loss of life Cab for Cutie they usually have been superior, although it barely issues what band is on the town…the venue is so extraordinary, you’re gonna have a fantastic night time.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to Missoula
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: All the time Recycle. We love that Kettlehouse Amphitheater was all about minimizing waste with recycling, compost, and cardboard water bottles, although touring in rural areas could make it trickier to maintain up these good habits. In the event you don’t see recycling straight away, stash it in your trunk till you see that service—you’ll discover it will definitely!
Garnet Ghost City
Being the Treasure State, Montana has outdated mining cities all all through the mountains, with the best-preserved being Garnet. Taking a flip off the properly paved Route 200 and onto the rugged Garnet Vary Backcountry Byway, we wound via the mountains for 11 miles. Following a brief mountaineering path right into a valley, we acquired a view over this 130-year-old time capsule. Not your common ramshackle mining city, Garnet had 4 motels, three livery stables, two barbershops, a union corridor, a college, a sweet store, a physician’s workplace, and 13 saloons.
Finally, gold shortage and the 1913 hearth drove the city into ghost standing, however when Prohibition and the Melancholy hit, their hidden saloons and gold claims acquired a second wind. We beloved wandering via the outdated buildings, many with their authentic fixtures and relics, and up the hill to the Nineties miners’ cabins. Take a half-hour hike alongside the Sierra Mine Loop Path and also you’ll discover outdated gold claims tucked within the pines.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to Missoula
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Take solely pictures. Like several historic web site, you might come throughout little artifacts as you wander about city; go away them behind and assist preserve the story of Garnet in context.
Seeley Lake & The Clearwater Canoe Path
Between the Bob Marshall Wilderness and the Mission Mountains lies the Seeley-Swan Valley Chain of Lakes and the ever-popular Clearwater River Canoe Path. We rented SUP boards from Tamaracks Resort, they usually dropped us off on the put-in. Paddling this 3.5-mile meandering waterway via the willow marsh with mountain views on all sides was wonderful. After we reached the river’s finish, we have been greeted with a floating backyard of lily pads and a seashore to benefit from the expansive Seeley Lake.
Conveniently, there’s a half-hour mountaineering path to attach again to the put-in spot; when you hire from Tamaracks, simply preserve paddling for 20 minutes to achieve their lakefront property. FYI, this historic resort is a charmer with nice cabins and campsites if you wish to keep awhile and absorb the lake life. One other nice lodging and eating choice is Double Arrow Lodge. We went to their Thirties log cabin restaurant for dinner and indulged in truffle root-vegetable risotto and Grand Marnier chocolate mousse cake. We earned it with that paddling journey, proper?
Climbing Holland Lake & Falls
On the north facet of Seeley-Swan Valley is one among our favourite hikes in Montana: Holland Falls Nature Path. With only a fast stroll via the tamarack and alpine forest, you attain the turquoise Holland Lake surrounded by sheer peaks. It was so beautiful we may have referred to as it there, however as we adopted the shoreline, the views saved getting higher as we steadily climbed to the 40-foot waterfall. In the event you’re up for a little bit of rock scrambling (not beneficial for teenagers), a steep path will carry you from the underside of the falls to a panoramic view over the lake.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to Holland Lake
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Brush it Off. Initially of this trailhead, the Forest Service offers a boot brush. Wipe off your footwear earlier than and after the hike to stop the seeds and spores of invasive species from spreading. Whereas not each path provides this, it’s nonetheless a fantastic follow to brush off your footwear or clap your footwear collectively when getting into and leaving new wilderness areas.
Flathead Lake
Do you know Montana’s Flathead Lake is the most important freshwater lake west of the Mississippi? The 185 miles of shoreline are dotted with cute cities, orchards, state parks, and homeland. We drove the total circumference, going counterclockwise, ranging from Large Fork. This city was lovable, with a fantastic little theater, artwork galleries, ice cream retailers, and bars the place you may hitch up your horse.
Driving down the east facet of the lake, the slopes have been coated with fruit timber. We stopped at Bowman Orchards, a century-old, fifth-generation household farm specializing in Rainier and Lapin cherries. The entire household, from the youngsters to the grandparents, was at work wrapping up a fantastic season. In the event you’re an RVer and a Harvest Host Member, each Bowman Orchards and East Shore Smokehouse (a enjoyable restaurant with a giant grassy area) will allow you to keep the night time in alternate for getting a few of their goodies. Win, win!
Flathead’s Wild Horse Island & Camp Kapapa
Cruising up the west facet of the lake, we had our eyes set on Flathead’s largest island, Wild Horse. This 2,160-acre mountainous expanse is the place the Kootenai folks traditionally hid their horses from warring tribes and the place their equine ancestors nonetheless roam free. Solely accessible by boat, this state park requires a kayak and mountaineering journey! We set off from the city of Dayton and, after a scenic hour-long paddle, reached Skeeko Bay and its intensive community of trails.
We hiked up the mountain, maintaining an eye fixed out for his or her resident wild horses, bighorn sheep, mule deer, and relics from the early Twentieth-century settlers. We reached the height for panoramic views of the encompassing islands, mountains, and lake, then meandered our approach all the way down to Eagle Cove to complete out this improbable mountaineering loop. After a giant day of outside journey, we needed to deal with ourselves to an evening at Camp Kapapa, a model new glamping camp on the Flathead Reservation.
This property has been in Keya Birdsbill’s household for generations, and it was at all times her grandmother’s dream to share the land in its pure state and with its Kootenai traditions. This summer time, Keya and her husband, Louie, opened Camp Kapapa (which suggests “grandparent” within the Kootenai language) in her honor. Proper alongside the shore, they’ve teepees, a wall tent, deluxe tent websites, and a one-of-a-kind teepee cabin, every adorned with tribal motifs and providing lake views. We completely fell in love with this glamping camp; to see extra of it, try our Camp Kapapa Instagram gallery.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging close to Kalispel
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Respect Wildlife. Whether or not on Wild Horse Island or in Glacier Nationwide Park, Montana is chock-full of wildlife. As tempting as it’s to get shut for a very good picture, preserve your distance and don’t disturb them. Be significantly conscious of bears and comply with these security ideas.
The Northwest Hall: Eureka
Heading into the Northwest Hall in the direction of the Canadian border, the wilderness will get wilder, and the small cities get smaller. Steamboats and railways have been the one methods to achieve the glacial and gold-rich hills of the Tobacco River Valley till the early 1900s, and it nonetheless feels simply as distant. For a glance into the previous, we went to Eureka’s Tobacco Valley Historic Village to discover its assortment of hand-hewn buildings, from outdated cabins to church buildings to schoolhouses.
Although exploring the principle avenue of modern-day Eureka was a complete lot extra modern than we might have imagined, with cool boutiques, espresso retailers, a movie show, and even a world-fusion, vegan-friendly cafe, including to the surprising, Montana’s #1 golf course, The Wilderness Membership, is on this city!
🏨 Our beneficial lodging in Eureka
Tobacco River & Campground Cleanup
Simply six miles west of Eureka within the Kootenai Nationwide Forest, there’s the unimaginable (and free!) Tobacco River Campground. We noticed a hearth ring proper alongside the water and rapidly arrange camp to benefit from the final moments of sundown, watch the ospreys fish, and prepare dinner dinner over the hearth. (Watch our hearth security TikTok.) Within the morning, the wildlife watching continued like an episode out of the Discovery Channel.
Gliding herons, dive-bombing eagles, wave-riding geese, and spawning Kokanee salmon have been all placing on an incredible present. As we have been breaking down camp, we noticed two Forest Service volunteers making the rounds with their trash baggage, so we requested if we may be part of their clean-up. They have been so grateful for the assistance that they turned it right into a nature stroll, educating us in regards to the native edible berries, medicinal vegetation, invasive species, and animal tracks…then gifted us a selfmade jar of huckleberry jam!
💡#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Go away it Higher Than You Discovered It. Everytime you’re at a campsite or on the path, do your half to maintain it clear. We prefer to hike with a trash bag and pinchers so we by no means must suppose twice about selecting issues up.
Libby & The Chainsaw Carving Championships
Taking the Koocanusa Scenic Byway alongside its namesake lake and into the Cupboard Mountains, we reached the spunky little metropolis of Libby. As a former asbestos mining city, it had a foul rap for some time, however Libby is reinventing itself as an journey and cultural capital of the Northwest Hall. It repeatedly hosts occasions just like the Riverfront Blues Pageant, Libby Logger Days, the Irish Honest, and the unbelievable Kootenai Nation Worldwide Chainsaw Carving Championship.
We had the nice fortune of seeing the “Conflict of the Carvers” and watching twenty of the world’s greatest, from Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Russia, Canada, the USA, and extra, face off. They get an eight-foot log and 4 days to show it right into a masterpiece, plus the added problem of every day 90-minute fast carves for the continued public sale. Even after simply in the future of strolling via the open-air workshops, we have been amazed at how a lot the paintings had developed. From sawing to chiseling, sanding, torching, and marking, these works have been rapidly refined to perfection. The night time earlier than the finals, the city went wild, and we went with them.
Alongside our new Montana buddy and former carver, Gary, we bar-hopped from the Cupboard Mountain Brewery (aka The Dwelling Room of Libby) to the Mint, the place beers are nonetheless saved chilly in wood ice chests. The following day, all of the masterworks have been lined up and auctioned off amid a storm of bidders, driving costs to properly over $10,000. Watch the video above to see the sawdust fly and the great occasions rip.
🏨 Our beneficial lodging in Libby
Kootenai Falls & Swinging Bridge
Seven miles west of Libby, when the cliffs alongside the freeway flip right into a rainbow of colours and the river rages, you’ve reached Kootenai Falls. This cascade is without doubt one of the largest free-flowing waterfalls within the northwest, nevertheless it’s not the peak or width that makes your jaw drop; it’s all the things else. 1.5 billion-year-old rocks create a staircase for these falls to swiftly and gracefully step down the Kootenai River, then swoop round islands and down a craggy, slender canyon.
We walked the quick nature path to the water and thought the primary lookout was the view of views, however new waterfalls and islands saved showing all the way in which to the principle cascade. No crowding onto a viewing platform, you may stroll proper as much as the falls, sit on the edge, and really feel the total rush. Head downstream and also you’ll attain the swinging bridge for one final take a look at arguably one of many prettiest waterfalls within the States.
Ross Creek Cedars & Giving Again
On our final day in Western Montana, we acquired up early to discover Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Space. Apparently, we acquired there even earlier than the rangers, as a result of an enormous fallen tree blocked the street. Did we flip round? Heck no, Buddy comes packing with 102 horsepower, a hatchet, and a rope! We knew you wouldn’t imagine our 1985 camper may haul 4,000+ kilos of timber, so Anne shot this video of Buddy’s glory second.
We cleared the street for all and pressed on to the traditional grove of 1,000-year-old timber. Strolling the mile-long loop, we craned our necks to lookup on the lush cover 175 toes above us. On our approach out, we observed a field that mentioned this grove is maintained by the Three Rivers Ranger District, with the assistance of customer donations. Having simply hiked, paddled, and camped in so many unimaginable public lands round Montana, we have been moved to slide in a $100 invoice.
#RecreateResponsibly Tip: Pitch In. It takes greater than authorities staff to maintain public lands thriving. Donate, volunteer, and advocate for the outside at any time when you may.
The rugged great thing about Western Montana is what attracts hundreds of thousands of individuals right here. We hope you go to, take an epic street journey, and grow to be a steward of its wild locations. For extra of our
An enormous thanks to Glacier Nation, Montana, for inviting us to share the #RecreateResponsibly message with vacationers for sponsoring our Western Montana street journey, and for that includes our “How you can Boondock Like a Professional: The Glacier Nation Information to Free Tenting” on GlacierMT.com. As a thank-you to the area and to maintain up our “Bloggers Give Again” dedication, we’re donating $325 from our earnings to the next non-profits: Clark Fork Coalition, The Ross Creek Cedars, and RecreateResponsibly.org.
