In celebration of being in one of my favorite states for the next few weeks, enjoy a list of my favorite places in beautiful ol’ Montana.
Jacob and I have visited this gorgeous place multiple times over the past few years to visit friends, go to National Parks, and enjoy some time fly fishing on the rivers.
Over the next few weeks we will be going on a river float trip on the Smith River with some friends before meeting Jacob’s Uncle on the Madison River for a few days! We’re so excited to be back in one of our favorite places
Missoula and the Bitterroot Valley
Missoula is an absolutely gorgeous city with some great restaurants, nice parks, and some fun things to do. However, our favorite things lie on the outskirts of Missoula. Specifically, to the south in the Bitterroot Valley and to the north on the flathead reservation.
To the north is one of our favorites, a Tibetan site called the Garden of 1000 Buddhas. As the name would suggest, there are literally 1000 buddha statues onsite. It’s such a fun place to walk around and enjoy the gardens.
The Bitterroot River, and the valley as a whole is a magical place. We camped on the river for a few days back in 2020 and we lucky enough to find a campsite that was directly on the river. Not only was the area gorgeous, but we also had some of the best stargazing I’ve ever experienced.
Glacier National Park and Kalispell/Whitefish, Montana
Glacier National Park!! One of my favorite National Parks of all time. The views are absolutely breathtaking, the hikes are fantastic, and Going-to-the-sun Road is so much fun to drive. I want to go back and do a backpacking trip through some of the back country areas.
Whitefish and Kalispell are both adorable towns with so much to do and see. We found a few huckleberry stands on the side of the road between these towns and took a little excursion to Flathead lake. When in Kalispell, we stumbled across a festival happening downtown and had such a great time meeting some of the locals, listening to live music, and exploring.
Ennis, Montana and the Madison River
The Madison River Campground just southwest of Ennis is where we have spent a vast majority of our time in Montana. It’s Jacob Uncle Dan’s favorite place to fish. After visiting with him a few times, we can easily say it’s one of ours too.
The river is nestled in a valley that seems to go on forever. It’s home to some world-class fly fishing, some beautiful starry nights, and some great people.
A few miles south of the Madison River Campground is the Campfire Lodge. The lodge is home to some of the best (and largest) pancakes I’ve ever had. Seriously, they’re out of this world. If you’re ever in the West Yellowstone area, it’s a MUST stop.
Big Sky and Livingston
In the Big Sky Valley, the views are absolutely insane. While here, we saw some of the most beautiful sun rises and sun sets I’ve ever experienced. Additionally, we had a great time fishing and exploring the Yellowstone River.
The most exciting part of this area was definitely having the chance to spend some time in Livingston. It’s a great town with some great restaurants and art. Specifically, one of our all-time favorite restaurants is here. Faye’s Cafe is an absolute work of art. The owner is an absolute artist with food. Using her menu as an avenue for intuitive and creative dishes. Check out her menu! It’s unlike any I’ve ever seen.
I hope you enjoyed this article and have the chance to visit Montana at some point! -Hailey
Subscribe if you’re interested in reading additional travel stories, garden updates, or recipes!