Montana boasts spectacular natural landscapes and friendly cities with small-town charm. With a rental car, you’ll be able to get on the road and take in its incredible surroundings at your own pace.
The great outdoors
One of Montana’s top attractions is Glacier National Park, located in the northwest of the state not far from Great Falls. Many visitors travelling by car head straight for the Going-to-the-Sun Road, which spans the park from east to west. This allows you to take in all kinds of scenery, from glacial lakes to snow-covered peaks.
There are plenty of viewpoints along the way where you can stop off and admire the setting, or you can head off the beaten track to explore the hiking trails that wind through the park. Try the watersports on Lake McDonald during the summer or take a horseback ride through Logan Pass if you’re visiting in the spring.
The park is perfect for stargazing, with the Milky Way and Northern Lights sometimes visible on a clear night. It’s also great for wildlife spotting, with eagles, mountain goats and grizzly bears all living here. Just be sure to check the road status before you travel, as some parts are closed to visitors in the winter.
Discover Yellowstone
A few hours’ drive south of Glacier National Park is where you’ll find Yellowstone, which is so big it spans parts of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. The oldest national park in the US, it’s home to mountains, forests and canyons, and of course, its geysers. The most famous of all is Old Faithful, known for its frequent eruptions.
Old Faithful is not far from the West Entrance of the park, along a route that will also take you to Yellowstone Lake and Lamar Valley, where you might spot wolves and black bears along with lots of other wildlife.
The North Entrance to the park, located in Gardiner just off US 89, is the only one open to cars all year round. It’s perfect if you want to see the Mammoth Hot Springs and the Boiling River swimming area, while the Northeast Entrance, easily accessible from Billings, climbs nearly 5,000 feet through pine forests, rewarding you with spectacular views of alpine lakes and soaring peaks.
City living
This state might be most famous for its natural scenery but with car rental in Montana you’ll also be able to sample the charms of its towns and cities. Head to the state capital Helena, and you’ll find an array of art galleries and museums, as well as some impressive natural landmarks – this is Montana, after all.
Top of your list should be the neo-Gothic cathedral of St Helena, built in the early 20th century in the style of a famous church in Vienna. Be sure to also check out the Montana Historical Society Museum and the State Capitol Building, where guided tours are available.
You can even take the Gates of the Mountains boat tour along the dramatic pass explored by members of the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1805. With Montana car rental, you’ll be able to explore this and much more during your time in Big Sky Country.
