National Geographic Logo - Home
    • Travel

    5 Reasons Why Fall is a Fantastic Time to Visit Montana

    Pack a jacket, pull on a pair of hiking boots, and prepare to fall in love with fall in Montana. Fewer travelers visit the state this time of year, making autumn under the big sky a bit of a best kept secret. Whether you’re seeking solitude or an action-packed getaway, here are five reasons why fall is the picture-perfect season to discover Montana.

    Published October 4, 2017
    • 7 min read
    This content was written by and is brought to you by our sponsor.

    1. Leaf Peeping in the National Parks

    Lake McDonald sets a picture-perfect fall scene.
    Photograph Courtesy of Glacier National Park Service
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Cloaked in colorful quilts of foliage, Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks look markedly different in fall than in summer. And, since visitor traffic thins considerably in autumn, it’s easy to view the kaleidoscope of colors at a leisurely pace. On the eastern side of Glacier, see Quaking Aspens shimmer in the breeze in the Many Glacier, Two Medicine, and St. Mary areas. Two park trails typically awash in glowing fall colors are the 7.2-mile (roundtrip) hike to Bullhead Lake and the easy (three-tenths of a mile one way) hike to Running Eagle Falls. In Yellowstone, the drive from West Yellowstone to Mammoth Hot Springs pops with pockets of red fireweed and yellow-gold aspens. One of Yellowstone’s best fall color spots is the Lamar Valley, accessible from Montana’s Gardiner gateway. In Gardiner, stop at Tumbleweed Bookstore and Café for a breakfast burrito or a sandwich (like the Jacque, a triple-decker peanut butter and raspberry jam on wheat bread) before heading into the park.

    2. Scenic Drives

    A breathtaking roadside attraction. Take a break from the road and take a hike in the Beartooth Mountains.
    Photograph Courtesy of Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Western Montana is a road tripper’s dream destination, particularly in fall when wildlife sightings are common and brilliant colors paint the landscape. Take U.S. 89 through the Paradise Valley from Livingston south to Gardiner to see the warm yellow cottonwoods and aspens glow. In the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, take it slow on the 49-mile Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway to soak in the only-in-autumn views of golden willow trees lining streams and river bottoms. Considered one of the nation’s most scenic drives, the 68-mile Beartooth Highway through southwest Montana delivers breathtaking views of snowcapped peaks, several topping 12,000 feet. Wintry weather arrives early along the Beartooth, Montana’s highest elevation (10,350 feet) highway. Check road conditions before attempting the drive.

    3. Fall Flavors and Festivals

    It’s always the right season for a cold one.
    Photograph Courtesy of Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Meander south on U.S. 93 through the Flathead Valley to sample craft brews, small-batch distilled spirits, and local wines made with wild huckleberries, Flathead Cherries, and other Montana-grown ingredients. Postcard-perfect locales like Whitefish, Kalispell, and Bigfork are home to wineries, breweries, and distilleries, and host fall farmer’s markets and festivals. The last weekend in September and the first weekend in October, sip local beers and ales, listen to live music, and try smoked elk bratwurst at The Great Northwest Oktoberfest in Whitefish. Continue south on U.S. 93 through the Bitterroot Valley to shop for antiques and Montana-made gifts in the charming small towns of Hamilton and Stevensville. Hamilton also hosts one of western Montana’s top—and tastiest—fall events: McIntosh Apple Day (Oct. 7), otherwise known as the Biggest Bake Sale Under the Big Sky.

    4. Outdoor Adventure

    A pristine day on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.
    A pristine day on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Western Montana’s crisp, clear autumn days are perfect for playing outdoors. Fish the Big Hole, Jefferson, Gallatin, or another blue-ribbon trout stream, all of which see fewer anglers after Labor Day. Mid-October to early November, try to land a big brown (some measuring nearly two feet long) on the Madison and Missouri Rivers. Hike through a grove of 175-foot-tall Western Red Cedars in the Ross Creek Cedars Scenic Area near Troy. Rent a ride at Open Road Bicycle & Nordic in Missoula to pedal the Clark Fork Riverfront Trail or part of the 50-mile-long paved Bitterroot Trail connecting Missoula and Hamilton. Go wildlife watching in Yellowstone, where hundreds of bison regularly roam in the Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful areas of the park. At Mammoth Hot Springs, use binoculars to watch the antler-crashing battles of one of nature’s greatest spectacles—the elk mating season, or rut.

    • Nat Geo Expeditions
    Book your next trip with Peace of Mind
    Search Trips

    5. Nature-Based State Parks

    Explore another world at Makoshika State Park.
    Photo Courtesy Montana Office of Tourism & Business Development
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Experience the serenity of the shoulder season in any of the 55 Montana State Parks. Nature-based parks, such as Beavertail Hill on the Clark Fork River southeast of Missoula and Lost Creek near Anaconda, are particularly well suited for fall campouts, picnics, and wildlife viewing. Stay overnight in a Sioux-style tipi (sleeps 8) at Beavertail Hill, or spend an hour walking the park’s nature trail. At Lost Creek, hike the short, paved trail to Lost Creek Falls, and scan the grey limestone cliffs for mountain goats and bighorn sheep. In eastern Montana, travel back in time to an otherworldly land of the dinosaurs, Makoshika State Park in Glendive. Before hiking through the park’s badlands rock formations, stop at the visitor center to see the fossilized remains of Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, and other dinosaurs.



    Read This Next

    Is melatonin giving you nightmares?
    • Science

    Is melatonin giving you nightmares?

    The dosing in these popular over-the-counter sleep supplements can vary wildly from what’s printed on the label, which can result in side effects. Here’s how to use it safely.
    Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?
    • Animals

    Why are these orcas killing sharks and removing their livers?

    When sevengill shark carcasses with pectoral tears and missing livers began washing up on the South African coast, questions abounded. Then a marine biologist found something: orca tooth impressions.
    How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places
    • Travel

    How to eat in 6 of the world’s most stunning places

    If you’ve ever wanted to dine beneath the Indian Ocean or in a Tanzanian crater, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up some of the most extraordinary restaurants in the world—and given you the guide to find them.
    Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm
    • Environment
    • Perpetual Planet

    Cliff art reveals the majesty of the Amazon’s aquatic realm

    In a two-year expedition, a National Geographic photographer is documenting the mighty river and the greater ecosystem from the Andes to the Atlantic.

    Legal

    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your US State Privacy Rights
    • Children's Online Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    • About Nielsen Measurement
    • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    Our Sites

    • Nat Geo Home
    • Attend a Live Event
    • Book a Trip
    • Buy Maps
    • Inspire Your Kids
    • Shop Nat Geo
    • Visit the D.C. Museum
    • Watch TV
    • Learn About Our Impact
    • Support our Mission
    • Nat Geo Partners
    • Masthead
    • Press Room
    • Advertise With Us

    Join Us

    • Subscribe
    • Customer Service
    • Renew Subscription
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Work at NatGeo
    • Signup for Our Newsletters
    • Contribute to Protect the Planet
    • Pitch a Story

    Follow us


    National Geographic Logo - Home

    Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved