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RAILROAD & REFUGE Return to the route bytaking U.S. 191 about 74 miles south to MT66. Next is the self-guided Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge auto tourthrough the badlands. Northwest of Lewistown, ride the Charlie Russell Chew ChooMontana dinner train (select weekend daysin summer and early fall). Eat & Stay: DashInn and Historic Calvert Hotel, Lewistown.BACK IN TIME On the drive back to Fort Benton pull off at Bear Gulch Pictographs, a313-million-year-old limestone inland seaformation with more than 3,000 drawingsby ancient peoples. Eat & Stay: Wake CupCoffee House and Bakery and The Lark andLaurel Bed and Breakfast, Fort Benton.3. Small Townsand Ghost TownsThe Route: Butte MT-41 MT-287through Virginia City to Ennis U.S. 287 MT-2 through Cardwell to ButteShortcut: Take I-90 from Cardwell to Butte for afaster drive. Total Distance: approximately300 miles Gateway Airport: BertMooney Airport, ButteWANDER through authentic 1800sghost towns on this rambling fourday route over mountains, across the Continental Divide, and along blue-ribbontrout streams. Butte (population 33,854)is the “big city” on the drive. Legend hasit some of the smaller towns harbor goldrush-era ghosts.DIG IN Begin in Butte, once known as the“richest hill on Earth” thanks to a multibillion-dollar mining industry. Take anunderground tour at the World Museumof Mining, located on the former site of theOrphan Girl silver and zinc mine. Continue this theme at Headframe Spirits, makersof Orphan Girl Bourbon Cream Liqueur.In the distillery’s tasting room, try an Orphan Girl Chocolate Drift (mixed with vodka and chocolate syrup). Eat & Stay: Joe’sPasty Shop and Finlen Hotel and MotorInn, Butte.FIELD TRIP Consider detouring at Wise River(west on MT-43 past Wisdom) to Big HoleNational Battlefield. This sacred site of theNez Perce people is part of the multistateNez Perce National Historical Park. AtWise River, slow down and enjoy the scenery along the 49-mile-long Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway. In summer, visit theghost town of Coolidge. Eat & Stay: JacksonHot Springs Lodge, Jackson.GO GHOSTBUSTERS Stop in the route’s threebest-preserved ghost towns: Bannack StatePark, Nevada City, and Virginia City (whichremains a living town with about 190 fulltime residents). The latter two towns housea collection of 19th-century buildings andAmericana, including more than a hundredarcade and music machines. If visiting insummer, reserve tickets for Virginia City’sbawdy Brewery Follies or family-friendly Virginia City Players shows. Eat & Stay:Bale of Hay Saloon (May to September),Virginia City, and Nevada City Hotel andCabins, Nevada City.CATCH & RELEASE Spend the day fishing (orlearning to fly-fish) in the tiny town of Ennis with such fly-fishing outfitters as theTackle Shop, Madison River Fishing Company, and Trout Stalkers. Buy or rent outdoor gear, book a guided fly-fishing trip(April to November 1), or get angling tips.Continue on to Norris Hot Springs (openyear round), known locally as “water of thegods.” While soaking, watch for deer andantelope. Eat & Stay: Banditos, Ennis, andNorris Hot Springs Campground (May toSeptember), Norris.4. Backbone ofthe RockiesThe Route: Kalispell U.S. 93 Whitefish MT-40 U.S. 2E Glacier Route 1Going-to-the-Sun Road St. Mary U.S. 89 toward Babb Many Glacier Road toMany Glacier backtrack on Many Glacier Roadto U.S. 89 and back to St. Mary MT-49 Two Medicine Road to Two Medicine Lake backtrack to MT-49 East Glacier U.S. 2W MT-206 MT-35 KalispellTotal Distance: approximately 265 milesGateway Airport: Glacier Park InternationalAirport, KalispellRUGGED, WILD, and incredibly scenic, this five-day trip is filled withonly-in-Montana experiences. Travel Glacier National Park’s legendary Going-tothe-Sun Road. Take a ranger-led tour tosee the park’s namesake glaciers. Raft orfish untamed waters. And chow down on ahearty steak supper or sleep in a restoredrailroad car.GO WILD Pre-register for a wildlife photography workshop at Kalispell’s Triple “D”Game Farm, a safe place to capture images of wolves, grizzly bears, mountain lions,and other native Montana animals. Or, hikein Lone Pine State Park for far-as-the-eyecan-see views of Kalispell, the FlatheadRiver and Flathead Lake, and the SwanMountain range. Eat & Stay: Western Barbecue Dinner Ride at Artemis Acres PaintHorse Guest Ranch and Kalispell GrandHotel, Kalispell.TAKE A HIKE There’s so much to see in Glacier National Park that you’ll need to spendat least two days there. Begin by hiking theHighline Trail (for alpine views and possible wildlife sightings) or the Iceberg LakeTrail, which leads to a teal-blue lake holding small icebergs most of the summer. Eat& Stay: Base Camp Café, Columbia Falls,and Belton Chalet, West Glacier.Left to right: Explore Bannack State Park ghost town. Munch a burger at Square Butte Bar & Country Club. Bike in Gallatin National Forest.MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (BANNACK), LYNN DONALDSON (BURGER), MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (BIKING)east). Eat & Stay: Great Northern Hotel andSteakhouse, Malta.6Montana Drives REPRINT FINAL.indd 61/22/16 2:44 PM

Unwind on a lakeside deck at the historic Many Glacier Hotel, the largest lodge in Glacier National Park.MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (GLACIER)CROWN OF THE CONTINENT On your secondGlacier day, drive the epic Going-to-theSun Road (partially closed mid-Septemberthrough early June) through the heart ofthe park and over 6,646-foot Logan Pass.Eat & Stay: St. Mary Lodge and SnowgooseGrille, St. Mary.OFF THE BEATEN PATH On the eastern side ofthe park, take a detour to Browning and theMuseum of the Plains Indian. Watch American Indian artists demonstrate authenticcrafts, including weaving with porcupinequills. Eat & Stay: Johnson’s of St. Mary (midMay through September), St. Mary, and Izzak Walton Inn (railroad car room), Essex.SEE & SKI Whitefish Mountain Resort is anall-season destination for adventure. Ridethe lifts to the summit in winter to ski andyear round for views of Glacier NationalPark, the Flathead Valley, the CanadianRockies, and more. Eat & Stay: Loula’s andThe Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Whitefish.EPIC ENDINGS Extend your stay with a sidetrip from Kalispell west on MT-2 to Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flow-ing waterfalls in the northwest. View the30-foot-high main falls from a swingingbridge. From Libby, take off with KootenaiAviation for an aerial tour of the CabinetMountains. Or, watch for wildlife and visitLibby Dam along the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway. In winter, deep-powder TurnerMountain Ski Area is a must-ski for experts—60 percent of the runs are blackdiamond. Eat & Stay: Libby Café, Libby, andDouble J Bed and Breakfast, Troy.5. From Flatheadto PhilipsburgThe Route: Missoula U.S. 93 MT-35 to Bigfork MT-83 MT-200 MT-141 MT-271 FrontageRoad East Front Street through Drummond MT-1 through Philipsburg to Porters Corner MT-38 over Skalkaho Pass U.S. 93 to MissoulaTotal Distance: approximately 380 milesGateway Airport: Missoula InternationalAirport, MissoulaTHIS FOUR-DAY DRIVE is packed withadventure. Learn to river surf and flyfish. See wild bison roam and mine forgenuine Montana sapphires. And, if youdare, take the steep and winding portionof MT-38 over 7,257-foot Skalkaho Pass.PEDAL POWER Slow down to enjoy thescenery in Missoula, a gold-level BicycleFriendly Community. Rent a bike and ridethe Riverfront Trail to the hand-carvedCarousel for Missoula. Pedal around theUniversity of Montana campus or alongthe Missoula Microbrew Tour trail. Parkthe bike long enough to hike the M, thecity’s signature hiking trail, and go surfing Montana-style at Brennan’s Wave,a man-made white-water venue on theClark Fork River. Eat & Stay: Biga Pizzaand Gibson Mansion Bed and Breakfast,Missoula.WILDLIFE WATCHSpend the morning at theNational Bison Range in Moiese. Bringbinoculars to look for bison, bighornsheep, elk, deer, and black bears. Fromthe range visitor’s center, it’s about tenmiles to Charlo and the Ninepipe National Wildlife Refuge. Drive the back roadsto see the kettle ponds where waterfowl—including tundra swans, white pelicans,and Canada geese—congregate. While in7Montana Drives REPRINT FINAL.indd 71/22/16 2:44 PM

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Charlo, go horseback riding (reservations required) at Cheff Guest Ranch. Eat & Stay: TheRaven and Mountain Lake Lodge, Bigfork.LAKE LIFE Plan ahead to play in, on, oraround a lake. Base Camp Bigfork offersall-season Flathead Lake activities including summer stand-up paddleboarding(SUP), kayak rentals, and winter DogsledAdventures. In Seeley Lake, rent a WaveRunner, boat, or bike in summer and asnowmobile, snowshoes, or cross-countryskis in winter. Save time to mine for Montana sapphires in Philipsburg. Eat & Stay:Lindey’s Prime Steak House, Seeley Lake,and Ranch at Rock Creek, Philipsburg.PASS OR PLAY Choose your route back toMissoula. The best views are from Skalkaho Pass; however, getting there requiresdriving 54 miles of the narrow SkalkahoRoad portion of MT-38. The dirt-and-gravel route is closed in winter. An easier optionis backtracking to I-90 near Drummond. InMissoula, take a serene, scenic float trip;wild, white-water rafting excursion; or exhilarating river boarding ride. Eat & Stay:Red Bird, Missoula and the Running HorseInn Bed and Breakfast, Huson.MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (RESERVATION, SHEEP), KEITH LADZINSKI (PADDLEBOARDING6. Main StreetAdventuresThe Route: Great Falls U.S. 87 U.S. 89 to WhiteSulphur Springs U.S. 89 U.S. 12 to Townsend backtrack to MT-284 to Helena I-15 U.S. 287 U.S. 89 to Bynum U.S. 89 to Great FallsTotal Distance: approximately 380 miles GatewayAirport: Great Falls International, Great FallsTHIS FIVE-DAY loop through central andsouthwest Montana travels in and onthe edge of the Rockies. Celebrate Westernart, explore state parks and the state capital, soak in hot springs, and take a magicalboat ride down the Missouri River.ECLECTIC COWBOY Begin in Great Falls, hometo the C.M. Russell Museum, a tribute to legendary Western artist Charlie Russell. Beforeleaving town, see mermaids swimming atthe Sip ‘n Dip Lounge. In Ulm, visit the FirstPeoples Buffalo Jump, a sandstone cliff withnearly 18 feet of compacted bison remainsbelow. Eat & Stay: Celtic Cowboy Pub andRestaurant and Hotel Arvon, Great Falls.Southeast of Great Falls,hop on the Kings Hill Scenic Byway. The 71mile drive crosses the highest pass in Montana that’s open all year and runs throughthe Lewis and Clark National Forest. Seethe Big Belt Mountains to the west and theCastle Mountains to the east, and stop toMOUNTAIN MAJESTYAbove: Look for bighorn sheep near Logan Pass in Glacier National Park. Top left: Learn aboutBlackfeet culture at the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Bottom left: Paddleboard on Flathead Lake,the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River.hike the easy Memorial Falls Trail. Eat &Stay: Branding Iron Café and Spa and HotSprings Motel, White Sulphur Springs.TINY TOWN Detour to Martinsdale (population 92), about 72 miles round-trip fromWhite Sulphur Springs. Tour the Bair Museum here to see Edward Curtis photogravures, and original Charlie Russell and Joseph Henry Sharp paintings, among otheritems. Buy an original glass piece at GooseBay Handblown Glass in Townsend. Eat& Stay: Highlander Bar and Grill, Canyon Ferry, and Hellgate Campground andGroup Use Shelter Area, located east ofHelena on the banks of the Canyon FerryReservoir, between the Big Belt and Elk-horn Mountains.HIKE & BIKE Spend the day exploring thestate capital, Helena, on foot or by bike.The city is known for its network of classic single-track mountain biking trailsand its self-guided walking tours. Or, useyour phone or rent a gps to see the sightson one of Helena’s 38 geocaching tours.Eat & Stay: Lucca’s and Sanders B and B,Helena.OPTICAL ILLUSION Book a two-hour boat tourdown the Missouri through the Gates of theMountains. The route appears to be blockedby 1,200-foot-tall cliffs. Only those makingthe journey can see the “gates” magicallyopen up to reveal a path down the river. Eat& Stay: Log Cabin, Choteau, and MissouriRiver Ranch, Craig.9Montana Drives REPRINT FINAL.indd 91/22/16 2:45 PM

Above: Conquer expert and extreme terrain on Lone Peak at Big Sky Resort. Right: Watch the wild rodeo action at Miles City’s Bucking Horse Sale.The Route: Bozeman U.S. 191 WestYellowstone U.S. 191 BozemanTotal Distance: approximately 180 milesGateway Airport: Bozeman YellowstoneInternational Airport, BozemanIT’S POSSIBLE to make this drive fromBozeman to Yellowstone National Parkand back in only a day. But why would youwant to? Take it slow. Set aside six days tosavor the incredible scenery and play—inthe snow in winter and on the hiking andbiking trails the rest of the year.ON THE ROCKS Begin in Bozeman, the adventure capital of the Northern Rockies. Inwinter, learn to ice climb in Hyalite Canyonor hit the slopes at the laid-back BridgerBowl. No snow? No problem. Take a guided outdoor rock-climbing trip with SpireClimbing Center. Eat & Stay: Nova Café andThe Lark, Bozeman.Spend the morning viewing theamazing array of paleontology exhibits inthe Seibel Dinosaur Complex, located atBozeman’s Museum of the Rockies. Gearup for the adventures ahead at Schnee’s,makers of handcrafted, rubber sole pacboots designed to handle any Montanaweather. Eat & Stay: Montana Ale Worksand Gallatin River Lodge, Bozeman.DIG INDrive south to Big Sky Resort, anall-season playground with four mountains. If there’s snow, ski, snowboard, sled,snowshoe, or skate. In warmer weather, goziplining, hike Lone Mountain, jump onthe bungee trampoline, or scale the climbing wall. Eat & Stay: Buck’s T-4 and HuntleyLodge, Big Sky.BIG FUNYELLOWSTONE Make West Yellowstone yourbase for any adventure in and around Yel-lowstone National Park. See wildlife atthe Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.Hike and bike. Go fly-fishing in a blue-ribbon trout stream. Mid-December throughmid-March take a snow coach to the OldFaithful area. Eat & Stay: Madison CrossingLounge and Three Bear Lodge, West Yellowstone.PLAY DAY Spend another day in West Yellowstone or the national park. Or, head back toBig Sky Resort to try activities—includingdog sledding in winter and the high ropescourse in summer—that you couldn’t fit inearlier. Eat & Stay: Woodside Bakery, WestYellowstone, and Lone Mountain Ranch,Big Sky.SHOP & SKATE Back in Bozeman, browsethe historic downtown shops and shop fororiginal pieces at the Emerson Center forthe Arts and Culture. From Christmas Daythrough the end of February, rent skatesand glide across the ice at one of the city’sMTOT7. On the Loosein Big Sky10Montana Drives REPRINT FINAL.indd 101/22/16 2:45 PM

free outdoor rinks. Eat & Stay: The WesternCafé and Element, Bozeman.8. Bighornand BeyondThe Route: Billings I-94 to Miles City backtrack west on I-94 to exit 72 MT-384 to Hardin I-90 to Crow Agency CrowSt. Xavier Road MT-313 Pryor St. Xavier cutacross to Pryor MT-418 MT-416 to BillingsTotal Distance: approximately 400 milesGateway Airport: Billings LoganInternational Airport, BillingsLEARN MORE ABOUT Montana’s richAmerican Iheritage and cowboyculture on this four-day drive through Little Bighorn Country. The history-packedroute crosses Indian nations, the state’sbiggest city, and the path taken by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery expedition.BRONCS & BADLANDS The next destinationis Miles City, best known for its annual Bucking Horse Sale weekend each May.Learn about the town’s Old West roots atthe Range Riders Museum before samplingthe latest vintages at Tongue River Winery.Detour east to the town of Terry to shop forMade in Montana goods at Prairie Unique.If you’re driving a high-clearance vehicle,explore the Terry Badlands WildernessStudy Area. Eat & Stay: Montana Bar andSteakhouse and The Horton House B andB, Miles City.SACRED GROUND In Crow Agency, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument pre-serves the memory of the American Indianwarriors and U.S. Cavalry soldiers (led byGeorge Custer) lost in the epic conflict herein 1876. See the site with Apsaalooke Tours,which employs mostly Crow Indians asguides. The one-hour tour includes stopsat Reno-Benteen Battlefield (where the Battle of Little Bighorn began) and Last StandHill. Eat & Stay: Lariat Country Kitchen,Hardin, and 7th Ranch RV Camp and Historical Tours, Garryowen.GRANDEST CANYON On the way back to Billings, detour south to the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, aptly billedas “the grandest canyon in the NorthernRockies.” Spend the morning hiking, fishing, boating, or watching for wildlife—including bighorn sheep and mule deer—before heading back to the road trip route.Outside of Pryor, visit Chief Plenty CoupsState Park, one of only three U.S. stateparks located on an American Indian reservation. Eat & Stay: Lilac and Dude Rancher Lodge, Billings.9. Footsteps ofLewis & ClarkThe Route: Glasgow U.S. 2 Culbertson MT-16 Glendive U.S. 94 Wibaux U.S. 94 Terry MT-253 MT-200 MT-24 GlasgowTotal Distance: approximately 450 milesGateway Airport: Glasgow International, GlasgowRETRACE THE PATH of Lewis andClark, and parallel two mighty rivers—the Missouri and the Yellowstone—on afive-day loop around the state’s northeastern badlands and spacious plains. Thisroute-less-traveled crosses the Fort PeckIndian Reservation and passes throughALLEN RUSSELLPICTOGRAPHS & PILLARS From Billings, headsouth to Pictograph Cave State Park, hometo over a hundred rock paintings and artifacts left by prehistoric hunters. Forge onto Pompeys Pillar National Monument,a rock formation rising 150 feet above theYellowstone River. Look for the spot whereWilliam Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame)carved his name and date into the pillar. Eat& Stay: The Burger Dive and the NorthernHotel, Billings.11Montana Drives REPRINT FINAL.indd 111/22/16 2:45 PM

WIDE-OPEN SPACES Head east from Glasgowto Wolf Point, home of July’s annual WildHorse Stampede. Detour up MT-13 fora back-in-time visit to Scobey, home ofthe Daniels County Museum and PioneerTown. Or, head north on MT-16 to lookfor white pelicans at the Medicine LakeNational Wildlife Refuge. Eat & Stay: Bergie’s Café & Gifts, Nashua, and MicrotelInn, Sidney.HYDRO POWER Before driving back toGlasgow, explore any of the six recreationareas surrounding Fort Peck Lake. SeeFort Peck Dam and take a free tour of theFort Peck Power Plant Museum (MemorialDay to Labor Day). Downstream from thedam, hike the Beaver Creek Nature Trailand look for elk and bison on the Leo B.Coleman Wildlife Exhibit driving route.Eat & Stay: Sam’s Supper Club and Cottonwood Inn, Glasgow.10. BitterrootParkwayBORDER CROSSING View Western art andpioneer artifacts at The MonDak Heritage Center in Sidney (closed Sundaysand Mondays). From here, take a side tripto the Fort Union Trading Post NationalHistoric Site, once the fur-trading hub ofthe Upper Missouri. The site straddles theMontana-North Dakota border. Eat & Stay:Monte Carlo Pizza and Astoria Hotel &Suites, Glendive.PLAY PALEONTOLOGIST In Glendive, pre-booka fossil hunt with Baisch’s Dinosaur Digs(April to October). See a Triceratops horridus skull and hike through the badlandsat Makoshika State Park, one of two Glendive stops (Frontier Gateway Museum isthe other) on the Montana Dinosaur Trail.Eat & Stay: Mexico Lindo and La Quinta Inn& Suites.BACK COUNTRY Head west to hook up withthe Big Sky Byway, a 105-mile scenic routefollowing a section of the historic Regina-Yellowstone (R-Y) Trail. Stop at theByway kiosk in Terry to learn more aboutthe drive. At the northern end of the route,visit the Fort Peck Interpretive Center andMuseum to see “Peck’s Rex, ” one of theworld’s most complete Tyrannosaurus rexskeletons. Eat & Stay: Gateway Club and FortPeck Hotel, Fort Peck (May to November).The Route: Missoula U.S. 93 Lost Trail Pass MT-43 Big HoleNational Battlefield MT-43 U.S. 93 MT-269 U.S. 93 MissoulaTotal Distance: approximately 230 milesGateway Airport: Missoula InternationalAirport, MissoulaDIG DEEP into Montana’s roots on afour-day drive through the history-richBitterroot Valley. The down-and-backroute crosses the Nez Perce and Lewisand Clark National Historic Trails, as wellas the Continental Divide. Along the way,bunk in a hand-hewn log cabin and campunder the stars. Watch for moose, elk, anddeer. Soak in natural hot springs. And, depending on the season, go skiing, skating,hiking, or horseback riding.ICE AGE At Missoula’s Montana NaturalHistory Center, get a free driving mapof the proposed Ice Age Floods NationalGeologic Trail, and visit some local Glacial Lake Missoula landmarks. Walk in thefootsteps of explorers near Lolo at Travelers’ Rest State Park, the only site on theLewis and Clark National Historic Trailwith a confirmed expedition campsite.Eat & Stay: Lolo Hot Springs, Lolo.PLAY DAY Continue south to the Historic Darby Ranger Station Visitor’s Centerand Museum. Inside, find out about Bitterroot Valley activities and see Forest Ser-vice historical exhibits. In Darby, buy Montana-made huckleberry treats—includingfudge, gummy bears, coffee, and taffy—atthe Old West Gallery & Old West CandyStore. Weather permitting, spend the afternoon biking, hiking, or swimming at LakeComo. Eat & Stay: Nap’s Grill, Hamilton,and Alta Ranch, Darby.SKI & SEE In winter, make this a ski day.There’s downhill at Lost Trail PowderMountain (just before Lost Trail Pass)and cross-country loop trails accessiblefrom 7,251-foot Chief Joseph Pass, whereyou cross the Continental Divide. Or, driveon to hike the trails and tour the exhibitsat Big Hole National Battlefield, sacredground to the Nez Perce people and part ofthe four-state Nez Perce National Historical Park. Eat & Stay: Sula Country Store &Resort, Sula.WHERE MONTANA BEGAN On the returntrip to Missoula, stop in Stevensville totour (April 15 to October 15) the historicSt. Mary’s Mission & Museum. The complex, established in 1841, includes a Salishencampment and American Indian artifacts. Visit nearby Fort Owen State Park,site of the first permanent white settlement in Montana. Eat & Stay: Bitter RootBrewery, Hamilton, and The StevensvilleHotel, Stevensville.EXPLORE MORE ONLINE Get additional roadtrip information—including interactive maps,special events, and more must-see .MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DONUTSBottom left to right: Try a homemade donut at Windmill Village Bakery, Ravalli. T

TRAVEL GUIDE History & Heritage Page 15 State & National Parks Page 16 Winter Wonderland Page 19 Food & Drink Page 20 Can’t Miss Events Page 22 Planning Your Trip Page 23 The sky’s the limit in Montana. To help you explore the state, National Geographic and the Montana O”ce of