9 Coolest Montana Towns For A Weekend Getaway

Sandwiched between Idaho to the west and North Dakota to the east, Montana, America's exclusive producer of palladium and platinum — and the leading producer of talc — is just as famous for its spellbinding beauty as for its abundance of mineral deposits.

Appropriately called the "Treasure State," Montana's landscape travels the gamut from the flat, wind-swept prairies to the east, to the heart-melting mountains to the west. Dotting an area reputed to be the fourth largest in the United States, is a spread-out cornucopia of charming towns most of which are perfect for a weekend getaway. Discover the 8 coolest Montana towns ideal for a weekend getaway.

Philipsburg

Philipsburg, Montana, smack in the middle of Montana Sapphire country, is a secluded mountain town that plays host to about 860 residents. It is hidden in Southwest Montana about three and a half hours from Gardiner — the gateway to Yellowstone National Park. The area around Philipsburg is home to more than 75 lakes and reservoirs. You can spend your weekend panning for your own sapphires, exploring old gemstone mines strewn all over the area, or locking eyes with moose, elk, deer, and bald eagles. For a taste of the Old West, check out the Ranch at Rock Creek, a 6,600-acre facility that features a meandering river, a nearby ski resort, and many horses you can ride on the rugged wilderness terrain.

Red Lodge

Think Old West, but with a more contemporary feel and modern amenities. That is Red Lodge, a cool, tiny town in Southern Montana that is often swarmed with cowboys, wearing their boots and wide-brimmed hats, and ski bums. Some buildings in Red Lodge date back to the 19th century, such as the Pollard, a historic hotel that has graced Red Lodge's townscape since 1893 and whose pub serves prohibition-era cocktails. Others, however, are modern and feature contemporary architectural styles. If you crave a night-out experience that is close to "wild," try the Snow Creek Saloon, and ready yourself for an experience you will treasure. That said, one of Red Lodge's most sought-after attractions, especially in the winter, is the Red Lodge Mountain Resort, a facility that provides excellent skiing adventures amid one of the most spectacular mountain sceneries.

Bigfork

Encircled by the spellbinding beauty of Flathead Lake and its sparkling blue bay as well as the Glacier National Park, Bigfork, Montana is a charming resort town often ranked among the best in the United States. Bigfork is secreted in the Northwest corner of Montana, close to Kalispell, the gateway of Glacier National Park. The town is charming and incredibly beautiful and boasts attractions that often keep visitors returning. You may want to kick-start your Bigfork adventure by sitting down to some well-made Chinese Tootsie Rolls at the Bigfork Inn just off Highway 35, a Swiss chalet-style eatery reputed to be among the finest restaurants in the Flathead Valley. You can then stroll the quaint downtown area, hit the trails at the scenic Wayfarers State Park, and then catch a show at the Bigfork Centre of Performing Arts.

Whitefish

Here is the truth. Among the most fortunate people on Earth are the approximately 9,900 residents who call Whitefish home. This is because Whitefish does not just reveal the best-packaged beauty of the Treasure State, it is also reputed to be the state's recreation capital. Whitefish Mountain Resort, for instance, has often been ranked among the best in the country. Then again, Whitefish sits on the picture-perfect shoreline of the lake that lends it its name, a spot that opens out to a sumptuous scenery featuring lush valleys and craggy mountaintops. You can drive down Going-to-the-Sun road, visit the Glacier National Park about half an hour away, hike the Whitefish Trail, stroll through the historic Railway District, or just wander about while drinking the spectacular views around.

Big Timber

Big Timber is located at the meeting point of Interstate 90 Business Loop and Highway 191 — close to where the Boulder and the Yellowstone rivers meet. Its historic downtown area is quaint and charming and is lined on either side by beautiful red-brick buildings, shady trees, and simple, locally-owned shops. While Crazy Mountain looms large in Big Timber's Background and often draws the attention of the town's visitors, the Crazy Mountain Museum hosts a replica Norwegian stabbur — and features Instagram-worthy grounds — as well as plants that celebrated explorer Clark individually identified in his journals. Then again, Big Timber boasts some of the best blue-ribbon trout fishing in the Treasure State besides providing access to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.

Kalispell

Kalispell has been called a nature lover's paradise. And true to its billing, the gateway to Glacier National Park is a nature playground chock-full of attractions that often leave first-timers in complete awe. Kalispell hugs the northern shores of the picturesque Flathead Lake not far from the Canadian border. It also sits between two national forests, and as if that is not enough, Glacier National Park is right in its backyard, an imaginable expanse of incredible beauty. Aside from Kalispell's outdoor wanders, including the Wild Horse Island, you may want to tour the Historic Conrad Mansion at the corner of Woodland Avenue and Fourth Street, arguably the most authentic mansion in the Pacific Northwest built before 1900.

Havre

Havre is another cool north-central Montana town that can make for a one-of-a-kind weekend getaway. While there are several ways to explore the beauty of this Montana gem, the underground tour will be quite an experience. Known as Havre Beneath the Streets, this tour recreates Havre's history and relives the time when the town was destroyed by fire forcing business owners to move underground to continue their trade — pending the town's reconstruction. Havre sits on Highway 2 along the Milk River in a wide-open region defined by horizon-chasing plains on one side — and rolling mountains on the other. It hosts Montana State University-Northern, and hence enticingly vivacious and suitable for the young at heart. In the town's backyard is the Bears Paw Mountains which in turn plays host to the 10,000-acre Beaver Creek Park.

Anaconda

Anaconda, Montana is best known for its copper smelting glory days. The town was established by American mining tycoon Marcus Daly who would go on to found the Anaconda Company, once the world’s largest producer of copper. Located 23 miles northwest of Butte, in a region strewn with several ghost towns, Anaconda brims with attractions that make it an ideal weekend getaway. One of the town’s most defining landmarks is the Anaconda Smelter Stack, a relic of the Anaconda Copper Company which is so large, the Washington Monument could fit inside. Even though you cannot access it, you will still be impressed by its height from several spots in town. Besides, Washoe Theatre is among the best-preserved theaters in the country, and hence, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Plus, the Hearst Free Public Library, a gift from Mrs. Phoebe Hearst, the mother of American newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, is among the finest models of library structures in Montana.

The Take-away

The “Big Sky Country,” as Montana is known, features jaw-dropping majestic mountaintops, which, in some regions, are juxtaposed against wide-open spaces. Boasting an area bigger than all six New England states, the Treasure State is vast and wide, yet incredibly beautiful. Studding this breathtaking expanse is a delightful array of towns that provide a window through which to admire some of America’s best-kept secrets. While these towns are many and spread out, the coolest Montana towns — that are also ideal for a weekend getaway — include Philipsburg, Havre, Whitefish, and Anaconda, the brainchild of American mining tycoon Marcus Daly.