Montana, U.S. state in the Mountain West region, US
Montana is a state in the Mountain West region of the United States, stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the Great Plains in the east. The landscape shifts between forested mountain ridges, wide grassland prairies, and deep river valleys threaded by streams and waterways.
The territory was established in 1864 as prospectors flooded the region and mining towns sprang up. It became a state in 1889 after the economy shifted from gold extraction to ranching and agriculture.
Many communities celebrate their ranching and mining past through local rodeos and folk gatherings held during summer months. Families often gather at community halls or public squares on weekends to share meals and listen to live music together.
Most visitors explore the area between May and September when roads and trails in higher elevations remain accessible. During winter many mountain passes close but ski resorts and snowmobile routes open at lower elevations.
At one point in the mountains water divides and flows in three different directions toward three separate oceans. This spot sits in a remote part of the wilderness and remains unknown to many visitors.
Location: United States
Inception: November 8, 1889
Capital city: Helena
Elevation above the sea: 1,035 m
Part of: contiguous United States
Shares border with: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho
Address: Montana, USA
Website: https://mt.gov
GPS coordinates: 47.37527,-109.63876
Latest update: December 2, 2025 20:47
Montana hosts natural and historic sites ranging from the limestone gorges of Bighorn Canyon, where red cliffs rise over 300 meters, to the Makoshika badlands dotted with dinosaur fossils. Visitors explore the boiling River near Gardiner, where thermal springs blend with the cold waters of the Gardner River, or cross the Kootenai suspension bridge that spans the river for 64 meters. The state also preserves traces of its past with the Pompeys Pillar, a sandstone formation bearing William Clark's signature from 1806, and the Gates of the Mountains, a canyon named by Meriwether Lewis during the 1805 expedition. From craft distilleries like Glacier Distilling Company in Coram, old railway infrastructures converted into accommodations, to artistic installations such as the Blue Horses in Three Forks, Montana offers a variety of discoveries for travelers exploring its regions.
Montana offers a range of landscapes from the peaks of Glacier National Park to the central plains. The state has several mountain routes including the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway, both exceeding 3,000 meters in elevation. Glacial lakes such as Flathead Lake and Lake McDonald stretch over miles, with geological formations revealing millions of years of natural history. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman holds significant dinosaur fossil collections. Montana's mining history is evident in the streets of Virginia City, a former territorial capital founded in 1863, where over 200 buildings from the 19th century are preserved. The Little Bighorn Battlefield commemorates the 1876 conflicts between the U.S. Army and Native American nations. To observe local wildlife, the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center houses bears and wolves in protected habitats. Hikers can take the 18-kilometer Highline Trail along the continental divide or walk to the Grinnell Glacier through alpine lakes in Glacier National Park.
Yellowstone National Park
316 km
Yellowstone volcano
341.2 km
Old Faithful
337.3 km
Grand Prismatic Spring
330.6 km
Going-to-the-Sun Road
343.9 km
Bannack
357 km
Beartooth Highway
268.3 km
Fort Peck Dam
251.4 km
Mammoth Hot Springs
280 km
Steamboat Geyser
306.4 km
Our Lady of the Rockies
263.4 km
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
197 km
Old Faithful Inn
337.4 km
Mystic Falls
335.7 km
Granite Peak
246.2 km
Lava Creek Tuff
341.2 km
Lake Missoula
344.4 km
Montana State Prison
264.8 km
Anaconda Smelter Stack
286.7 km
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
303.3 km
Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness
483.3 km
Bob Marshall Wilderness
262 km
Morning Glory Pool
336 km
Triple Divide Peak
318.2 km
Yellowstone Falls
303.1 km
Dumas Brothel
268.1 km
Washington–Grizzly Stadium
333.8 km
Great Falls
113.8 kmReviews
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Beaverhead County
Big Horn County
Blaine County
Broadwater County
Carbon County
Carter County
Cascade County
Chouteau County
Custer County
Daniels County
Dawson County
Deer Lodge County
Fallon County
Fergus County
Flathead County
Gallatin County
Garfield County
Glacier County
Golden Valley County
Granite County
Hill County
Jefferson County
Judith Basin County
Lake County
Lewis and Clark County
Liberty County
Lincoln County
McCone County
Madison County
Meagher County
Mineral County
Missoula County
Musselshell County
Park County
Petroleum County
Phillips County
Pondera County
Powder River County
Powell County
Prairie County
Ravalli County
Richland County
Roosevelt County
Rosebud County
Sanders County
Sheridan County
Silver Bow County
Stillwater County
Sweet Grass County
Teton County
Toole County
Treasure County
Valley County
Wheatland County
Wibaux County
Yellowstone County
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