Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks are undeniably awesome, but locals know that the state’s ten national forests are just as much fun to explore. On this western Montana road trip, you can easily access five of them by car, with nearly endless opportunities to fly-fish, horseback ride, whitewater raft, hike, mountain bike, and possibly even surf along the way. Added bonus: The loop also passes the oldest continually operating bar in Montana (est. 1877), the National Bison Range, and the site of the 1877 Battle of the Big Hole.

This four-day drive is packed with adventure. Learn to river surf and fly fish. See wild bison roam and mine for genuine Montana sapphires. And, if you dare, take the steep and winding portion of MT-38 over 7,257-foot Skalkaho Pass.

Dig deep into Montana’s roots on a four-day drive through the history-rich Bitterroot Valley. The down-and-back route crosses the Nez Perce and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trails, as well as the Continental Divide. Along the way, bunk in a hand-hewn log cabin and camp under the stars. Watch for moose, elk, and deer. Soak in natural hot springs. And, depending on the season, go skiing, skating, hiking, or horseback riding.

Montana is famed for its stunning natural beauty, but there's more to the state than just majestic mountains, sweeping green valleys, crystal lakes, and lush forests. The quaint towns tucked within these beautiful landscapes are just as worth a visit as the outdoor wonders.

Montana is full of vibrant, charming towns. Take your time roadtripping from Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park by stopping in each town. Fall in love with every main street on this six-day adventure.

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.

From Ice Age Floods to Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery, find history on every bend of this road trip between Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Cruise down U.S. 93 along the shore of Flathead Lake and the Bitterroot River. This route has some of the best campgrounds in Montana to enjoy a night under the stars.

Where can you get horses and dinosaurs in one spot? Saddle up for a wild ride around Billings, where both riding trails and fossils await. Eastern Montana is home to both Southeast Montana and Missouri River Country tourism regions, where rolling plains, prairies and badlands intersect to form some of the Lower 48's vastest stretches of pristine landscape.

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.

The wide-open spaces and canyons of eastern Montana take travelers through epochs, from dinosaur bones to the Little Bighorn battle site to classic western ranching towns like Miles City. If history, solitude, and space are what you’re after, you’ll find them in abundance on this road trip.

Learn more about Montana’s rich Native American heritage and cowboy culture on this four-day drive through Little Bighorn Country. The history-packed route crosses Indian nations, the state’s biggest city, and the path taken by the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery expedition.

Billings provides access to many State Parks and National Monuments. Make sure you carve out some time to visit the locations below. They'll provide you with breathtaking views and a learning experience unlike any other.

The Crow and Northern Cheyenne tribes are some of the most influential people in our region's history. Explore the options in this itinerary to gain more knowledge of these people and Montana history as a whole.