Montana is a state of the United States. It has lots of natural beauty and outdoor adventure opportunities, like hiking, fishing, rafting, skiing, and more.
The National Park Service has designated over 10 million acres in Montana as national parks and monuments to protect these places for future generations. These are some of the most beautiful landscapes in America!
Montana is a great place to have a family vacation. You can go fishing on lakes or rivers, hike in the forest and see animals, explore Native American sites, and ski at resorts. There are many exciting things to do there!
1. Big Hole National Battlefield
The National Park Service preserves a place where the 7th Infantry Regiment fought an unsuccessful delaying action against the tribe’s retreat. The troop of 700 had been marching north from Yellowstone and found themselves surrounded by 1500 Indians, who were fleeing for Canada after being pushed out of their ancestral lands in Idaho.
The fighting lasted two days. The soldiers surrendered after they were threatened with being killed, but not before a lot of people died. There were 100 soldiers who died and 200 Indian fighters.
Pets: At Big Hole National Battlefield, you can bring your furry friends with you. But they are not allowed inside buildings and on trails. They also cannot go to the visitor center because there is food in it that they can’t eat.
Camping: Camping is not allowed at Big Hole National Battlefield, but there are campsites nearby.
Tour: Big Hole National Battlefield is a good place for people to learn about how gold was first discovered. They have trails and tours to explore the area.
Entrance Fee: Big Hole National Battlefield is a place in Montana that honors the Battle of Big Hole. It is always open every day and it is free to enter.
2. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a water wonderland. There are many activities that people can do, like hiking or swimming. Visitors will have a lot of fun when they come here and do these things.
There are many things to see in Yellowstone. There is beautiful scenery on either side of you. You can hike and see craggy peaks and deep valleys with large rocks which look like ancient buildings against the beautiful backdrop of mountains or hillsides that are perfect for seeing wildlife.
Pets: Pets need to be on a leash when they are in the park. Pets can’t swim at the beach, but they can play fetch!
Camping: Bighorn is a beautiful place to camp. You can see the lake from where you are camping and there is plenty of space for tents.
Tour: Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a place of peace and history. You can see the bison roaming, hike on trails to find new views, or just sit back with friends to watch wildlife from one edge of these amazing landscapes.
Entrance Fee: Admission for adults is $5 per day. Or you can buy an annual pass which saves money in the long run!
3. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site is a place where people can learn about fur trading. The trading was done on the upper Missouri River between 1829-1867.
You can see a lot of buildings and learn about how people traded furs at this site. You can also learn about them by talking to people in period clothing.
Pets: Pets are welcome at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site.
Camping: There is no camping allowed at Fort Union National Monument. There are rules and no campers. But you can go 2 miles east to Fort Buford State Historic Site to have a taste of what it was like to camp in 1867!
Tour: Come to Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site where you can see and learn about how this area was used by explorers and traders. You can watch a short movie or visit the trade house which has lots of things from different periods of time that were traded here. Become a Jr. Ranger or Trader for an hour!
Entrance Fee: Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site is a free museum. It’s yours to explore so take your time and enjoy it!
4. Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park is a 1,583-sq.-mi. a wilderness area in Montana’s Rocky Mountains with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. This wilderness is crossed by Going-to-the-Sun Road, which goes very high into the mountains.
There are 700 miles of hiking trails and you can go on a hike to see Hidden Lake. You can also take the Valley View Trail and it will lead you past streams, waterfalls, and more.
Pets: You are allowed to bring your pet to the developed areas of Glacier National Park, including campgrounds and picnic grounds. The rules for pets on boats vary depending on whether or not motorized watercraft are permitted; if it is permitted, you can bring your pet along with you as long as they have a life jacket!
Camping: You can’t camp anywhere in Glacier National Park. But you can camp in areas that are designated for camping. If you do this, then you won’t wear out the ground and it will be easier to maintain.
Tour: Glacier National Park is a good place to go if you want to do different outdoor things. You can hike, backpack, camp, fish, ski, or boat there.
Entrance Fee: You can get a chance to see nature and wildlife for only $35. You might even see glaciers that are 2 miles thick!
5. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site was established in 1972. It is about the western cattle industry. The ranch’s original date is from 1862 and it was founded by a Canadian fur trader named Johnny Grant. The Clark Fork River meets Montana’s border with Idaho near the ranch and Cottonwood Creek runs through it.
If you are a tourist, you can experience things that were done in the 1800s. People saw logs into boards for building houses and used horse-drawn machinery to harvest wheat or oats.
Pets: You can have a pet at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site. There is a 10-mile trail system.
Camping: The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site is the best place to get away from it all. There are campsites near where you can stay for a night or two, and experience what life was like in those times.
Tour: At the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, you can experience guided tours of historic buildings and ranger programs. With these experiences, you will be able to explore all that this site has to offer.
Entrance Fee: The Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site is an excellent place to stop for people on the go. The admission is free, so it won’t cost you anything extra. There are lots of outdoor activities and beautiful scenery in this park, so you can enjoy it quickly.
6. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
The story of the Battle with Crazy Horse needs to be told to future generations. They need to know what happened.
A battle happened near Crow Agency, Montana on June 25-26 1876. Native Americans defeated General George Armstrong Custer and his soldiers. People can visit the battlefield today as a reminder of what happened here over 140 years ago.
Pets: You cannot bring your pet on the trails or buildings at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.
Camping: Camping is not allowed at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. But there are a lot of places nearby. You can spend the night in hotels or you could go to a bed and breakfast. Or you might want to go to a campground with all the amenities included.
Tour: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument has something for everyone. You can explore the exhibits and see Custer’s Last Stand from afar before taking an audio tour to explore Deep Ravine. If you are feeling adventurous, try one of the tours!
Entrance Fee: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument entrance fees are $20 for cars and $15 per motorcycle.
7. Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an area that has a volcano underneath. It also has canyons and rivers with lush forests. Yellowstone National Park also has hot springs, like Old Faithful Geyser which shoots water into the air once every hour or so depending on how it feels that day!
The park also has many animals of different species. Some animals are bears, wolves, bison, elk, and antelope.
Pets: Yellowstone National Park has a rule about pets. Pets can only be taken outside when they are in the car, at one of the campsites, or anywhere there is a road or parking lot nearby.
Camping: Yellowstone National Park is a great place to go camping. You don’t have to clean up your own campsite because Yellowstone does it.
Tour: Yellowstone National Park has many activities for you to do. For example, you can hike, see animals, and ride bikes! You can also join the ranger programs which include boating and snowmobile skiing. If you want to camp, Yellowstone has campsites with tables that offer beautiful views!
Entrance Fee: In Yellowstone National Park, you can get your nature fix. You will pay $35 to enter in a private vehicle, or only $20 if you are an individual.
Montana is a land of adventure. If you want to get away from your everyday life, come and visit our national parks! You can find something interesting for everyone here.
Hope that your future travels will bring you to beautiful Montana. You can do many things there, like visit Yellowstone National Park or go camping in one of our scenic spots.
