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CENTRAL MONTANA

Go big and you’ll never want to go home after visiting the heart of the state. Hike a sliver of a 1.5-million-acre wilderness complex and get your toes wet at one of the country’s largest freshwater springs.

WOW MOMENT

When you’ve got a friend like “The Bob,” you’ll never be bored. The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex traces the Continental Divide for 60 miles, with elevations reaching 10,000 feet. Guides are highly recommended for multiday treks. Yet even if you only hike a mile or two of the easyaccess South Fork Sun River trail near Augusta, you’ll get a sensory sampler of the region’s skyscraper forests, lush meadows and rugged peaks.

HISTORY LESSON

Once a dormitory for high school students during the rail boom of the early 1900s, The Calvert Hotel now offers luxe stays in Lewistown. Custom-tiled bathrooms and 50-inch smart TVs lend modern comforts in the geographic center of Montana.

FUN FOR EVERYONE

Wheelchair-accessible seats and open captioning allow for inclusive video intros at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls. After learning about the duo’s portage across the Missouri River’s five great falls, follow accessible pathways to overviews of the river

SPLASH ZONE

Each day, Giant Springs produces enough water to fill 3.7-million standard bathtubs. After exploring one of the country’s largest freshwater springs, enjoy a picnic among the silver poplars and blue spruce at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls.