Montana Traveler™
A Friendly Travel Guide

.

Montana is a place of vast prairies, spectacular snow-covered mountains, and verdant forests. Wild rivers and streams are filled with rainbow trout and other fishes. Elk are bountiful in western areas of the state.

Lewis and Clark were the first to explore the area of Montana in 1805 and 1806. With the Corps of Discovery, they traveled up the Missouri River across Montana in 1805. On the return trip from the Pacific Ocean, in 1806, Lewis followed the Missouri River and Clark went down the Yellowstone River.

Montana's early history is a story of Indians, mountain men, and prospectors. Large herds of buffalo grazed the short-grass prairies. In the 1870s, large cattle ranches developed thoughout many areas in Montana Territory. Statehood was achieved in 1889. Later, many homesteaders arrived to settle the land and build towns. Home was often a log cabin. Today, agriculture, manufacturing, and service-related industries (such as tourism), dominate Montana's economy.

With a population of 902,195 people in a land area of 147,000 square miles, Montana is a sparsely populated state. So there's plenty of room to roam, in the countryside and in the cities.

Eastern Montana is a region of rolling plains. The plains, often called prairies, are a grassland region with few trees. Huge wheat farms and cattle ranches dominate the prairies of eastern Montana. Some of the nation's richest coal mines are also found in this area.

In the central part of the state, the plains are dotted with small mountain ranges which are outliers of the Rocky Mountains. Mule deer are abundant along the coulees throughout the region. Antelope are a common sight on the rolling grasslands of eastern and central Montana.

In western Montana, the land changes to magnificent mountains. Welcome to the Rocky Mountains. The Absaroka Range near Billings is snow covered much of the year and reaches over 12,000 feet in elevation. Further to the west and north, the peaks of the Crazy Mountains mark the end of the plains. View a physical map of Montana.

Forestry, mining, and tourism are the major industries in the mountainous areas of western Montana. This rugged landscape is home to elk, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and grizzly bears. Gray wolves are common in Yellowstone Park.

Climatically Montana is an arid region. Rainfall is low in most areas of the state, often less than 13 inches, annually. Temperatures in western areas, in the mountain valleys, are generally moderate the year-round. In eastern areas, on the plains, days can be very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. 

Montana has two major rivers, the Missouri and the Yellowstone. The Missouri River drainage basin covers most of the northern part of the state. With many dams along its course, the Missouri River is a source of water for irrigation, recreation, and commerce.

The Yellowstone River begins in Yellowstone National Park. It flows north through the Yellowstone Canyon and meanders across the plains of southeastern Montana, until it joins the Missouri River in North Dakota. The Yellowstone River Valley is a highly productive agricultural region, producing crops as diverse as alfalfa, sugar beets, and corn.

Montana is a place where "Old West" traditions live on. Cowboys still drive cattle high up into the mountains to feed on lush summer grasses. Indians, in full native dress, gather to celebrate their customs at the Lewis and Clark County fairgrounds in Helena and other areas of the state.

Montana has beautiful scenery and exciting historical places. Wonderful museums are found in cities, big and small. Fishing, hunting, and camping are popular activities for almost everyone. Visitors enjoy outdoor activities in all seasons.

Montana once billed itself on its license plate as "The Treasure State." That slogan symbolized the wealth derived from the state's rich gold and silver deposits. True to its history, Montana is still a genuine treasure, with its abundant natural resources and friendly people.

Montana Travel Tip: Call 1-800-GOOG-411 to connect with many Montana hotels and restaurants	Traveler's Choice Quick information Bozeman   Missoula  Helena Lewistown West Yellowstone Jackson Hole, Wyo. Billings Great Falls Butte  Kalispell Glendive Livingston Cody, Wyo.	Bargain Hotels, Motels, and Bed & Breakfast Great Lodging
	Yellowstone Park
your Montana ad here	Visit Big Timber!	Search

The Best of
Montana

Scenic Area

• Gates of the Mountains, near Helena

Scenic Highway

• Beartooth Highway, U.S. Hwy. 212, near Red Lodge

Natural Site

• Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, in Yellowstone Park

Lake

• Flathead Lake, near Kalispell

Museum

• Lewis & Clark Interpretative Center, in Great Falls

 Restaurant

• The Grand Hotel Restaurant, in Big Timber

Western Store

• Hoglund's Work and Western Wear, in Great Falls

Sports Store

• Big Bear Sports Center, in Billings

Scenic Drive

• I-15, Helena to Great Falls 

Small Town

• Lewistown

Historical Site

• Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, near Hardin

Night Life

• Bozeman

Find travel information for more Montana cities!

Columbia Falls | Big Timber | Hamilton | Belgrade | Bozeman | Stevensville | Polson | Ennis

Lewistown | West Yellowstone | Big Sky | Red Lodge | Three Forks | Twin Bridges

Deer Lodge | Sula | Philipsburg | Kalispell | Havre | Broadus | Plains | Lavina | Lolo

Plentywood | Whitefish | Virginia City | Fort Benton | Choteau | Wolf Point

Thompson Falls | Dillon | Harlowton | Wolf Creek | Seeley Lake | Cut Bank | Anaconda

White Sulphur Springs | Miles City

.

.

.

.www.MontanaTraveler.com

Copyright © 2007 by John Sandy

-