Category: Montana

Montana’s cinematic landscapes have provided the settings for legendary films like “A River Runs Through It” and “The Horse Whisperer” and these scenic locations make the perfect spot for film festivals. Here’s a list of renowned film festivals and well-preserved historic theaters in Western Montana’s charming small towns.

Winter in Glacier Country is for adventurous powder plungers, downhill dreamers and paradise seekers looking for a peaceful escape in an enchanting frosty forest of white. We have activities year-round here, but winter is one of our best seasons for adventure. Exploration is exponential this time of year, and it’s one of our favorite seasons to recreate in Western Montana.

Imagine you’re waterskiing, but you’re being pulled by a horse and rider through the snow. That’s how many participants describe skijoring, an outrageously entertaining winter activity that’s rapidly gaining in popularity in Western Montana’s Glacier Country.

The charming crossroads community of St. Regis is a road-trip must-stop. Travelers on the Interstate Highway 90 corridor between Missoula, Montana and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho never miss the chance to pull over and stretch their legs in this treasured town nestled at the confluence of the Bitterroot, Coeur d’Alene and Cabinet Mountain ranges.

Montana’s main draw is its natural beauty and world-class outdoor recreation, so it can be a quite a pleasant surprise to find out the state’s rugged exterior belies a highly developed artistic sensibility. Many of Western Montana’s communities boast big-city-worthy galleries and artists with talent galore. Local art makes a lovely souvenir, so take some time to browse and shop.

The shores of Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake in the West—boast some pretty spectacular communities, and the lovely little town of Lakeside is no exception. Hugging the western shore of the lake’s northern tip, ease of access to the water is a highlight, but this popular summertime destination happens to be a Glacier Country getaway worth getting away to any time of year.

We’re sweet on every season here, but we’re especially smitten with autumn. The tapestry of golden hues and hillsides dusted with the first snow complemented by the impossibly blue sky gets us every time, and fall brings a few of our favorite things: flannels, festivals, scenic road trips, seasonal microbrews and farmers markets brimming with pumpkins, heritage apples, ciders and more of our favorite harvest flavors.

Part of what makes Western Montana’s great outdoors so great is the abundance of explore-worthy, off-the-beaten-path public lands. Admittedly, we’re a little obsessed with visiting the lesser-known gems of Glacier Country, where crowds are light or non-existent and the adventure is always one of discovery.

The treasured little Glacier Country town of Cut Bank is cozied up against the backdrop of the breathtaking Rocky Mountains just under an hour from Glacier National Park. Along the eastern border of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, history, tradition, western adventures and outdoor opportunities abound in this stay-and-play, full-service community, complete with comfortable lodging, friendly hospitality and a personality all its own.

Western Montana’s Glacier Country spans 22,000 square miles of pure perfection. Boasting natural wonders like Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Bitterroot Valley and Flathead Lake, you’ll never tire of exploring our corner of heaven. This stunningly beautiful region is home to 75+ communities, and each of them deserves to be discovered. We recently visited one of our very favorite Western Montana towns, the storybook village of Bigfork.