Category: Wildlife

From unspoiled landscapes to clean waterways and fresh mountain air, Western Montana’s Glacier Country boasts some of nature’s finest, pure and simple. We’re committed to preserving our wild places and respecting the land, our small towns, and all our inhabitants by making minimal impact and adopting Leave No Trace policies. We take outdoor ethics—and indoor […]

The higher you go the better the view. Channel your inner treehouse-loving child and stay in a lookout tower, one of the most unique rustic getaways in Western Montana. Lookout towers are prime for stellar scenery, plus incredible wildlife watching, sunrises and sunsets, and dark-skies stargazing. Lookout towers are small U.S. Forest Service cabins positioned […]

Glacier National Park is open year-round and every season in the park is stunning. Fall, however, is uniquely magical. The Crown of the Continent’s glacier-carved valleys and mountainsides are painted with the golden hues of autumn, amplifying the already jaw-dropping views. Fewer visitors, abundant birding and wildlife watching, and exclusive biking access on the Going-to-the-Sun Road make it one of the best times to enjoy the park. Here are our top eight reasons why you should visit Glacier in its golden season.

Every summer, thousands of travelers drive I-90 as they cruise across Montana. Many of these folks will take a detour south near Bozeman to head to Yellowstone, and others may take the detour north of Missoula to Glacier National Park. But Montana has so many hidden gems tucked just off the interstate, from endless mountain views to quaint small towns with big personalities. My name is Andy Austin. I am a Montana-based photographer and lover of the lesser-visited places in my beautiful state. When Glacier Country Tourism reached out to do a shoot in the I-90 corridor west of Missoula, I was quick to say yes to exploring one of the few areas I have only driven through. 

Glacier National Park boasts an abundance of wildlife—one of the most intact ecosystems in the lower 48 states. The park is home to at least 19 large mammals, including bear, moose and bighorn sheep. These magnificent animals are exciting to witness in their natural setting, however, wildlife is just that: wild. We need to respect their space, for their safety and ours. To help keep wildlife a safe distance from visitors, the park hired an expert on the subject—Gracie the Bark Ranger. Learn how Gracie is keeping you safe this season, and discover best practices when it comes to wildlife safety. Warning, cuteness overload ahead.

One of the things that makes Montana so special is that we share the land with an abundance of beautiful, wild creatures. There are plenty of undesignated places to watch wildlife in Western Montana, but some pretty amazing spots are set aside specifically for Montana’s mammals, birds and reptiles. Glacier Country’s year-round wildlife refuges and viewing areas boast a diversity of habitat and offer a look at some of the region’s most majestic inhabitants.

Less than 20 minutes south of Flathead Lake—the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi—Ronan is quietly situated against the backdrop of the majestic Mission Mountains. This picturesque community off U.S. Highway 93 is more than a small-town agriculture community. The views alone are worth the visit to Ronan, but there’s more to this Mission Valley gem. Year-round recreation abounds here, like fishing, hiking in the Mission Mountain Wilderness Area (by permit), birding, camping and golf.

Western Montana’s pristine landscape makes for prime bird habitat. Our skies are graced with soaring raptors, our lakes and rivers are flush with waterfowl and shorebirds, and our grasslands and woodlands are visited by beautiful songbirds. Whether you’re an avid birder checking birds off a life list, or someone who just wants a look at something wild and free, there’s plenty of opportunity to catch some good glimpses of Glacier Country’s feathered residents.

It’s no secret that we’re serious Griz fans here in Western Montana. The college-football community of Missoula boasts mountains of pride for the Division 1 Montana Grizzlies. Every football season Griz fans flock to the University of Montana’s Washington-Grizzly Stadium to cheer on our beloved team.

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.