These 11 Towns In Montana Were Ranked Among US Favorites In 2024
Once a homeland for the Cheyenne, Kutenai, Atsina, Blackfoot, and Assiniboine tribal communities of the Native Americans, Montana has been a site of contention for gold and plunder in the hectic days of the Wild West. As a land fed by the wellsprings from the Triple Divide Peak, which goes all the way down to the Hudson Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Ocean, Montana contains several towns ranked among US favorites in 2024 due to the historical tidbits you can learn and the sublime sceneries you can experience. So get your gear and go hiking through a land so named after the Spanish word for "mountains."
Polson
Besides the biggest natural freshwater lake in the western US, Flathead Lake lies the promising small town of Polson. Whether you are learning about the Flathead Native American Reservation at the Miracle of America Museum or attending the yearly celebration of the Cherry Festival on the last week of July, Polson will not disappoint visitors with its plethora of attractions.
Admire human engineering with the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam, originally known as Kerr Dam, which regulates and manages the flow of the Flathead River. Afterward, get several opportunities to see elk, deer, barn sheep, bison, and antelopes at the National Bison Range at Moiese or birds at the Ninepipes and Pablo Wildlife Refuge. There are even creatures that might as well belong to cryptozoology, such as the "Flathead Monster," most frequently seen at the Mission Valley and the Mission Mountains. Those of you interested in seeing Polson can book a room at either the Kwataqnuk Resort & Casino or the Mission Mountain Resort.
Whitefish
Whitefish, about 68 miles from the town of Polson, sits high up on the slopes of the Rockies or the Rocky Mountains. With Whitefish Mountain Resort’s skiing and mountain-biking escapades on the Big Mountain and angling for fish in perfect bodies of water, such as Whitefish Lake State Park, City Beach, and Whitefish Lake, you will be astounded by several memorable regions open to visitors year-round. Get a glimpse of life during and before the last ice age at the Glacier National Park, a land of valleys and lakes formed by glaciers from thousands of years ago.
Learn about the Indigenous culture at either the Kootenai National Forest or the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Finally, when you get exhausted from all the exploration, you can always settle and sleep at the Hidden Moose Lodge, the Duck Inn Lodge, or Grouse Mountain Lodge.
Choteau
Choteau, so named after Pierre Choteau Junior, who was once a French merchant, explorer, and fur trader, entreats newcomers to the heartland of Montana right at the foothills of the Rocky Mountain Front. Between the Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area, where birdwatchers can watch birds all the time, and the Soroptimist Walking Path, where nature lovers adore Montana’s wilds, you will definitely feel a sense of accomplishment and enlightenment from your newfound experiences in Choteau.
The Old Trail Museum is one of the best museums in Montana as it contains a diversity of exhibits such as an authentic sheep wagon, a Metis Cabin, a teepee from the Blackfeet people, and a workstation by Pulitzer Prize-winning author A.B. Guthrie Junior. Besides this museum is the nearby Montana Dinosaur Center, where the skeletal model of Seismosaurus halli, the “earth-shaker” dinosaur, can be admired. Should you wish to stay a little bit longer in Choteau, stay a while in fine lodgings like the Stage Stop Inn or Gunther Motel.
Hamilton
Ever since Marcus Daly, one of the three Copper Kings, came into power with his Anaconda Copper Mining Company, the small town of Hamilton has prospered due to the copper mining operations in the Bitterroot Mountain and Canyon Peak. Daly himself used to reside in Hamilton, as evinced by the Daly Mansion. Even more of Hamilton’s past, notwithstanding Daly’s contributions, can be explored in the exhibits and galleries of the Ravalli County Museum, which is part of the National Register of Historic Buildings and is deemed one of the best museums in Montana.
But if you prefer the wilderness, be enamored by the untamed landscapes of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness and the Bitterroot National Forest. Should you ever need a place to stay in Hamilton, look to the Bitterroot River Inn and Conference Center.
Stevensville
Stevensville, just 21 miles from Hamilton and adjacent to the Bitterroot Mountains, welcomes travelers near and far to the Creamery Picnic Festival in the month of August, in addition to the Scarecrow Festival each October. Get to know more about the Salish Native Americans and Jesuit missionaries who collaborated in the creation of Stevensville at the Saint Mary’s Mission. Delve into the woodlands of the Lee Metcalf Wildlife Refuge to admire the Bitterroot Mountains.
Dive into more history at the Fort Owen State Park. Last but not least, refresh and recharge for a new day of adventure in accommodating establishments such as the Bitterroot River Bed and Breakfast or The Stevensville Hotel.
Anaconda
Although named after the world’s largest snake, Anaconda is far from a constricting and terrifying destination. Rather, Anaconda happens to be the home of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company, which was owned by the Copper King Marcus Daly. Deep within the Anaconda Ranges, one can stumble upon the old copper mines and quarries from Daly’s glory days at pristine locations such as Warm Springs Creek.
To learn all about the Copper Kings, you can head over to the Copper Village Museum and Art Center. But if you are eager to go traipsing about, you can enjoy the trails and treks at the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and Smoke Stack State Park or perhaps leisurely strolls along Georgetown Lake. However you wish to roam about in Anaconda, remember to slither back to warmth and comforts at either the Forge Hotel or the Hickory House Inn.
West Yellowstone
West of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming lies the town of West Yellowstone, Montana. With its miniature mirroring of its far bigger neighbor, West Yellowstone is a pleasant and walkable prelude to one of America’s most endearing natural and national parks. Whether you are admiring Yellowstone’s Old Faithful geyser or learning about the bears and wolves of the area at the Grizzly and Wolf Discover Center, you will definitely be head-over-heels in love with the West Yellowstone Heritage Park, Hebgen Lake, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
More lessons can be learned at the Museum of the Yellowstone, and opportunities for rest and relaxation can be gained in welcoming abodes like the White Buffalo Hotel, the Brandin’ Iron Inn, or Brook Trout Inn Cabins.
Big Timber
Lying beside the Big Timber Creek, the small town of Big Timber was one of the few small towns visited by the legendary explorer William Clark. It was he who named the town Big Timber due to the abundance of cottonwood trees in the area. Following the Yellowstone River, one will come across the lush biomes of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness and find some of the best blue-ribbon trout in the state of Montana. Travelers can brave the arduous climb up the Crazy Mountains or journey more profoundly into the forests of Custer Gallatin National Forest.
Most of all, one might chance upon the first woolen mill in Montana that has been in operation since the year 1901 or learn more about the natural parks near town at the Crazy Mountain Museum. Even for a small town, Big Timber has a ton of big wonders for you to savor in your journey throughout Montana.
Helena
Helena, situated close to the Continental Divide and the Missouri River, was once a land where bison herds tended by the Blackfeet, Salish, Crow, and Bannock peoples grazed. In the year 1805, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark visited Helena on their sojourn westward. And in the height of the US Gold Rush in 1864, Helena was the site of a major gold-mining camp that allowed over 50 millionaires to earn big by 1888; much of what remains of those prosperous days can be seen in the miners’ shacks and residences at Reeder's Alley.
Nowadays, tourists flock to Helena to see the largest collection of Charlie M. Russell’s belongings or tour the expansive Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest. The Archie Bray Foundation offers a wide array of ceramics for aesthetic appeal. Meanwhile, the Silver-level Ride Center by the International Mountain Bike Association gives you insights on the best places to go biking in Helena.
Red Lodge
Close to the state border of Wyoming and an hour and a half away from Big Timber, the jolly town of Red Lodge gives visitors access to the Beartooths, the highest mountain peaks in Montana that ring the northern periphery of the Yellowstone Caldera. Visitors to Red Lodge should be enthusiastic to go sightseeing in scenic locations such as Rock Creek Vista and the Mystic Lake Trailhead. Go trekking through the impressive Beartooth Mountains all the way to the Custer Gallatin National Forest.
You might also fancy heading far east towards either the Custer National Forest or Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, both of which neighbor the Crow Reservation Area. Whichever course you want to follow when going about in Red Lodge, you ought to first book a room in magnificent domiciles like The Pollard Hotel, Beartooth Hideaway Inn & Cabins, or the Yodeler Motel Red Lodge.
Butte
Approximately 24 miles from Anaconda, you will be butting into a ton of attractions in the beautiful town of Butte. With the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail surrounding the whole town, travelers can consider taking a scenic tour of the area by taking one or all of 13 trailheads that lead to splendid destinations such as Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, the tops of Table Mountain and Hollowtop Mountain, and Our Lady of the Rockies statue, an illuminated marble figure watching over Butte from atop the Continental Divide.
Being home to one of the nation’s largest National Historic Landmark Districts, Butte informs travelers of the riveting past with several notable museums, such as the World Museum of Mining and the Mai Wah Society museum, that talks about the immigrants from Asia who relocated to the Rocky Mountains. Those of you intrigued by Butte’s beautiful allures can spend a long vacation once you get comfortable in The William A. Clark "Copper King" Mansion.
Many people tend to describe highly-praised small towns as jewels and gems. However, in the case of the Treasure State of Montana, where huge quantities of actual jewels and gems have been found, there are a number of good reasons why these towns in Montana were ranked among US favorites in 2024. From their historic and cultural appeals in Anaconda and Hamilton to thrills and some of the best national parks in Montana, as seen in West Yellowstone and Helena, you will undoubtedly discern for yourself why these small towns have been lauded and laden with bejeweled praise. But seeing is believing, so see for yourself why these towns in Montana were ranked among US favorites in 2024.
