Where can you find art and adventure? Connect with Great Falls' relaxing springs and rivers, fun frontier history, and 60 miles of trail. The wider Central Montana tourism region is full of family fun that spans centuries. The question quickly becomes, how far back in time would you like to go?

Lewis and Clark navigated the Missouri River in 1804. More than two centuries later, there’s still a lot to discover along the river’s Wild and Scenic portion, where even novice canoeists can paddle past 200-foot-high chalky white cliffs, sprawling cottonwoods, bald eagles, and beavers. Off the river, this region is about subtle beauty, from the rolling grasslands to charming towns right out of the Old West.

Riding Trails suitable for all skill levels is just the start. This route also highlights some of central Montana's most vibrant towns and outdoor activities for every interest.

This five-day loop through central and southwest Montana travels in and on the edge of the Rockies. Celebrate Western art, explore state parks and the state capital, soak in hot springs, and take a magical boat ride down the Missouri River.

When visiting Montana, it can be easy to jam-pack your trip with non-stop adventure. Hiking through Glacier! Drinking your way along the Beer Trail! Staying up all night stargazing! It's all worth doing, but it's also important to take a moment to relax... and Montana has tons of thermal hot springs that are great for taking a moment to unwind.

The best piece of advice for planning a road trip through Montana? Be prepared to change up your plans and make unexpected stops, because you never know what you'll stumble across on an adventure through Montana-- it's really full of extraordinary surprises! You might even find yourself exploring the hidden history of one of Montana's quaintest little towns, or solving a mystery about musical rocks.

Looking to take a walk on the wild side? There's no better place to experience some truly untamed wildlife and wilderness than Montana! With large stretches of land set aside to protect endangered species and save natural habitats, Montana is a great place to really get away from it all and experience your own wild side.

Sure, Montana is most famous for being home to Glacier National Park (and for being the Gateway to Yellowstone, too!) but just because you can visit National Parks here doesn't mean the state parks are any less awesome. From unique wildlife and stunning scenery to historic caves and rugged hikes, you'll find that Montana has some really awesome state parks that are unlike anything you've ever experienced.

Start out in Central Montana with this four-day trip that makes the rounds from Great Falls to Teton Pass back down to Showdown and finally over to Great Divide. Toast to your epic powder adventures with a final night out in the capital city.

Starting in Glacier National Park, take the historic U.S. 89 that connects some of the most spectacular national parks in the West. On this six-day trip, see sights such as thousands of snow geese at Freezeout Lake, the rock formation of First Peoples Buffalo Jump, Giant Springs State Park, and Paradise Valley south of Livingston.

In Central Montana, cowboy culture clashes right into 1960s kitsch to create the singular appeal of Great Falls. By day, absorb Western art at the CM Russell Museum and learn Native American history at the First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park in nearby Ulm. By night, you'll slide into a cracked red vinyl booth at Eddie's Supper Club to feast on Campfire steaks. And the colorful atmosphere doesn't stop there, the Sip N' Dip features live mermaids Tuesdays through Saturdays for your amazement.

Check out opium dens, speakeasies and brothels (safely and legally) at the Havre Beneath the Streets Underground Tour. Then hit the Frank DeRosa Railroad Museum for more history. Check out the Blaine County Museum in Chinook, a stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail which also serves as the interim visitor center for the Bear Paw Battlefield part of the Nez Perce National Historic Park.

Odds are, if you're in Fort Benton, you're here to canoe the Wild and Scenic stretch of the Missouri River, following in the oar-strokes of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery. Begin with Fort Benton, Montana's oldest town and once the world’s most innermost port and a great starting point for river adventure. Tour four museums including Old Fort Benton or the Upper Missouri River Breaks Interpretive Center, dine at the Union Grille on the banks of the Missouri River and turn in at Montana's oldest operating hotel, the Grand Union, opened in 1882.