Category: Stevensville

When thinking about Montana, images of wildlife, jaw-dropping landscapes and recreation in pristine mountain wilderness probably come to mind. But in the midst of all of this, Montana is also bustling with a lesser known beautiful thing: breweries. Glacier Country is home to more than 20 brew houses, and we’re here to highlight the handful in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. This scenic valley is long (96 miles, to be exact) and is flanked by the Bitterroot Mountains on the west and the Sapphire Mountains on the east. It’s also home to the Bitterroot River, charming communities, incredible history, fabulous food and an abundance of year-round outdoor recreation. However, we’re here to tell you about the exceptional craft beer coming straight out of “The Root.”

There are some places that feel so welcoming. Those towns that once you hit their main street are filled with charm, happy people and something. Places that make you want to stop and stay a while.

Road trips are often equated with summertime, or at least with the warmer months (and by warmer we mean no threat of snowy road conditions). But here’s the thing: we recreate outdoors all year here in Western Montana, so we’re always on the road driving from one ski hill, Nordic paradise or snowmobile trail to another, and we’re here to tell you this—the winter panoramas from the pavement here are pretty magical, and the stops along the way are, too. 

As we trade in autumn hues for winter white, we gravitate toward all things warm and cozy. Western Montana is full of small-town coffee stops, diners, cafés and bakeries perfect for that warm caffeine boost and tasty treat you’re craving with these cooler temps. The next time you’re in Glacier Country enjoying our winter wonder, hit up one of our favorite sweet spots. The over-50-mile-stretch from Missoula down into the Bitterroot Valley is dotted with deliciousness, and the drive is a scenic one to boot.

[caption id="attachment_6526" align="aligncenter" width="5064"] Biking on the Bitterroot Trail. PHOTO: Saara Snow[/caption]

Western Montana’s Glacier Country covers the northwest corner of Montana, stretching from the Canadian border all the way down through the Bitterroot Valley. It’s a big region, with a lot to explore. We started this blog post hoping to share our top 10 favorite hikes, and we quickly realized it was just too much for one post…so, we’re splitting it up. Part One covers the more southern portion of Glacier Country including the Seeley-Swan Valley and the Bitterroot Valley. Next week we’re sharing the northern-most parts of Western Montana including the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Tobacco Valley and more.