Montana Travel Guide

Montana Travel: General Information

‘Montana Tourism’ is in a way ‘Nature-tourism at its best’. The western region of Montana (which is Spanish for mountains), is entirely mountainous, comprising mountain ranges that are mostly part of the Rocky Mountain Ranges. Of course, a solid 60% of the land area is prairie land and then there are Montana’s glaciers, lakes, rivers, valleys and waterfalls, etc. which together make the natural panorama of the state invigorating.

Those who are still not ready to give in to the beckoning of nature, will be tempted by the thrill of outdoor activities like fishing (mostly fly-fishing) in summer and skiing in winter. Montana’s world-renowned national parks, wildlife refuges and forests hold similar pleasures for you. And then there are Montana’s picturesque towns – some Native American Reserves and other historic towns – that give a good understanding of the cultural heritage and traditions of the people.

Montana Travel: Key Facts

Capital City: Helena

Area: 381,156 sq km

Population: 967,440

Monetary Unit: USD

Official Language: English

International Dialing Code: 001

Montana Travel: Popular Tourist Destinations

Helena: Helena, the capital city, is a place of great natural beauty. Its natural attractions include Mount Helena City Park, Lake Helena, Helena National Forest, the Continental Divide, the Big Belt Mountains, Spring Meadow Lake State Park, Missouri River, Canyon Ferry Lake, etc. Among the other must-see city sights are the architectural marvels, namely, Montana State Capitol and St. Helena Cathedral.

Billings: Billings is not just the largest city and economic hub of Montana, but also the star-attraction of Montana State Tourism. Billings, being a big city, has everything – big hotels, motels, bars, clubs and even a few sports complexes, galleries, museums as well as a zoo; nevertheless, it is rendered quite distinct because of its scenic setting. Billings is a good base to explore nearby attractions like the Yellowstone National Park, Pompey's Pillar National Monument, Pictograph Cave, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument and Chief Plenty Coups State Park.

Other Popular Destinations: Montana has a few more interesting destinations like Bozeman – a trendy place with the mixed-trappings of a city and a town. Missoula, the Garden City that houses the University of Montana, is as much famous for its multiple lures of adventure sports like hang-gliding and rock climbing as it is for its lively nightlife scenario. With its ice-fields, azure lakes and gushing waterfalls, the Glacier National Park is one of a kind; the World Heritage Site is home to fauna typical of the region and seeing black bears, elks, grizzlies is pretty common. Moreover, there are Montana’s many Indian Reserves like Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.

Montana Travel: Economy and Infrastructure

Montana’s economy is mainly based on agriculture and its chief produces include everything from cereals to fruits and vegetables; cattle-ranching is also practiced in this state. Beer brewing is also very popular in Montana, as is mining and lumbering. Tourism too is a big currency earner for the state with its multiple attractions.

Montana’s cities and towns are well connected to each other and to other important US regions through networks of highways and rail-roads. Montana is also served by Amtrak. The state also has a number of commercial airports.

Montana Travel: Culture

Montana has a sizeable Native American population other than people of European ancestry and Hispanics. Fortunately, the states’ culture reflects this unique mix of cultures, where each culture has maintained its individuality side-by-side enriching Montana’s culture as a whole. If the Native American tribes (restricted mostly in reserves) like Blackfeet, Crow and Cheyenne, have kept alive their tradition by sticking to their attires, arts and crafts or their rituals and habits, Montana’s art galleries also exhibit art-pieces that can be categorized as 100% contemporary art. The majority of the population follows Christianity.