Montana Cities, Towns and Area Information

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Montana Area Information

Southwest Montana

Bozeman

Bozeman, MT which is host to a commercial airport and home to the famous Museum of the Rockies, has received national accolades for its scenic location, limitless outdoor activities and historic downtown. The cafes, restaurants, and boutiques have become favorite places for those who love nature—whether fishing, hunting, skiing, mountain biking, or hiking. The Montana Handbook describes Bozeman as a lovely setting that makes the most of its physical attributes, with hiking, fly fishing, and skiing practically out the back door. However, what makes Bozeman such a great place is the town itself. More than any other Montana city, Bozeman has maintained its handsome old downtown as a business center, which makes the city seem centralized and community focused.

Big Sky
Big Sky Ski and Summer Resort and Moonlight Basin, together boast the most vertical drop in the lower 48 states, are within a 2-hours drive. Bridger Bowl ski area, known for its ’cold smoke’ and relaxed atmosphere, is a local favorite just outside Bozeman. Whitehall, MT (population 1,167 and elevation 4,360’) is surrounded by recreation. The nearby Deerlodge National Forest has an endless system of trails, lakes and peaks to explore. The Madison, Jefferson, Big Hole, Beaverhead and Ruby Rivers are all also located within an hour of town.

About 20 minutes to the west of Bozeman on Montana Highway 2 is the entrance to Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park which is Montana’s first officially designated state park. The park is set up for overnight camping during the summer months but also hosts events throughout the year. There are many activities available in the park including a visitor center, evening programs and a 9-mile hiking trail. The caverns are a magnificent site and tours are held throughout the year. The park itself is 3,034± acres. An hour’s drive from the property also encompasses Virginia and Nevada City’s offering their own eclectic mix of tourism from Vaudeville to Theatre, a ride on the train or the stagecoach, homemade ice cream and a step-back-in-time photography shop and historic tours.

Western Montana 

Missoula
Missoula, the cultural, educational, and recreational epicenter of Western Montana, is about an hour from Running Elk Ranch. Dubbed ‘Missoula’ from the Salish Indian word meaning “near the cold, chilling waters,” Missoula lies in a mountain valley setting where five large valleys converge. Known as the Garden City due to its lush landscape in the heart of a fertile valley, Missoula is also home to the University of Montana, hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as the “Most scenic campus in America” and noted by Outside Magazine as “among the top 10 colleges nationally for combining academic quality and outdoor recreation.” Missoula has also been honored as “one of the best mountain towns in the nation” by National Geographic Adventure magazine, and Forbes magazine named Missoula one of America’s “best small places for business.” The closest commercial airport and medical facilities, as well as the best shopping, dining, and entertainment options are all located in Missoula.

Missoula is surrounded by several excellent ski areas, including Montana Snowbowl, Discovery and Lost Trail Pass Ski Area, as well as many excellent golf courses, national parks, and other outdoor recreational destinations.

The Bitterroot Valley
Known for its temperate climate and breathtaking scenery, the Bitterroot Valley is one of the most diverse and desirable areas in the Rocky Mountain west. The valley itself is nestled between two dramatic mountain ranges, the Sapphires and the Bitterroots, and split down the middle by the meandering cold water fishery of the Bitterroot River. The Bitterroot Mountains are home to the 1.3 million acre Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area which is part of a contiguous five million acre wilderness complex spanning two states and populated by one of the largest elk herds in the United States as well as healthy numbers of mule deer, white tail, big horn sheep, and other big game animals. The town has a variety of services available, from shopping, galleries and fine dining to quality medical facilities and an airport that supports private aircraft. The quaint town of Darby lies in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley. Darby sits on the banks of the Bitterroot River and has slowly changed over the years from a sleepy little town, to a thriving community. Its unique shops and friendly people make this town one of the valley’s best places to frequent.

Central Montana

Fergus County is located in beautiful Central Montana. It is bordered on the north by the Missouri River and on the south by the Snowy Mountains. Agriculture is the primary industry in Fergus County, with livestock and grain sales accounting for most of the agricultural income. The population of Fergus County is slightly over 12,000 with the majority of the population living in Lewistown, (6,051) the largest city in the County.

Lewistown
Partially encircled by mountain ranges, topography plays an important part in the climate of the Lewistown area. Frequent chinook winds during the winter season are created in large part because of the Continental Divide to the west and the Little Belt and Snowy Mountain Ranges to the South. Because of these Chinook winds winters are not as cold as can be common in an area at an elevation of 4,146± feet. In Central Montana, snow often falls six months out of the year, with an average annual snowfall of 61”, allowing for many outdoor recreational opportunities and creating a haven for winter sports. Summers are very pleasant with moderately warm sunny days and cool nights. Long hours of summer sunshine coupled with adequate spring and early summer precipitation make the Lewistown area favorable for dry land farming and gardening during the 120-day growing season. Average precipitation is estimated at 17” annually.

Lewistown is an agricultural community located at the geographic center of Montana in a fertile valley nestled at the base of the Snowy and the Judith mountains, known as the Judith Basin area. Surrounded by large cattle ranches and wheat farms Lewistown is a major trading center for the local population. With several nice restaurants, unique shopping and many local festivities, Lewistown is a place visitors easily fall in love with immediately. Lewistown is conveniently located 130 miles from Billings and 105 miles from Great Falls. Both have service for major airlines as well as more shopping access. The Lewistown Municipal Airport has a runway of 6,100 ft with a 1400 ft overrun that services most private jets. As of May 1 2011, this airport will have regular commercial air service provided by Gulf Stream Airlines.

The Central Montana area has long been known for its wide range of hunting and fishing opportunities. Fergus County is a bird hunter ’s dream with lots of cover for Sharptail, Pheasant and Hungarian partridge. Big game hunting opportunities abound throughout the Judith and Snowy Mountains. Game numbers are very healthy in the area for both elk and deer, as attested by recent fish and game surveys. The third largest freshwater spring in the world sprouts in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, it trickles down to an underground strata and emerges again at Big Spring, which is the major source of Big Spring Creek. Upper Spring Creek originates at Big Spring and flows to and through Lewistown; it is one of the premier trout streams in all of Montana with opportunities to fish all year round. Big Spring is also the site of one of the largest trout hatcheries in the West, where more than 3 million trout are raised annually.

Lewistown and Central Montana are becoming popular for its tourist activities as well. Crystal Lake is a shallow alpine lake that is stocked with rainbow trout each year. It lies on the northwestern slope of the Big Snowy Mountains at about 6000 feet and can be enjoyed year-round with the campground available for the summer month’s activities. From marked trails to roads accessible by foot and for horseback riding, to exploring the massive ice caves near the lake, it is definitely something to see. Showdown Ski Area, located 110± miles southwest of Lewistown and the CM Russell Wildlife Refuge are also popular attractions.