GLACIER COUNTRY
M O N TA N A OFFICIAL 2015-2016 TRAVEL GUIDE
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PERFECT
VIEWS
MONTANA’S TOWNS:
LOCAL CHARMERS DISCOVER MONTANA’S CULTURAL
WONDERS PLAY IN
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK
SCENIC
BEAUTY ABOUNDS
800.338.5072 · GLACIERMT.COM · #GLACIERMT ·
Head north until your jaw drops.
mywaterton.ca Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Alberta: UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s first peace park.
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Discover Montana. Stay Hilton Garden Inn®.
Relax in tastefully decorated, spacious accommodations with the latest technology and modern conveniences. Wake up close to the cool stuff you came to see. Just moments away from golf, fishing, skiing, biking, hiking, and more. Easy access to boutiques, galleries, festivals, and sporting events. • Flexible meeting space to fit your needs • Complimentary WiFi, refrigerator and microwave in all guest rooms • Garden Grille® for cooked-to-order breakfast, dinner, room service and drinks • 24-hour Pavilion Pantry® has a supply of quick and easy meals at great prices • Indoor heated pool and whirlpool • Complimentary fitness center • Ask for Special pricing CODE: PGC
Managed by Gateway Hospitality Group
Hilton Garden Inn Billings 2465 Grant Road Billings, MT 59102 Tel: 1-406-655-8800 www.billings.hgi.com Hilton Garden Inn Bozeman 2023 Commerce Way Bozeman, MT 59715 Tel: 1-406-582-9900 www.bozeman.hgi.com Hilton Garden Inn Kalispell 1840 Highway 93 South Kalispell, MT 59901 Tel: 1-406-756-4500 www.kalispell.hgi.com Hilton Garden Inn Missoula 3720 N. Reserve Street Missoula, MT 59808 Tel: 1-406-532-5300 www.missoula.hgi.com
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Find yourself at home
IN MONTANA W
ITH OUR ROOTS IN REAL ESTATE DATING FROM
1974 and with eight regional Flathead and Mission valley offices, we’re proud to be the experts in Northwestern Montana buying, selling and advising. Let us introduce you to the Montana lifestyle and provide a superior real estate experience to find the home or property that fits your lifestyle.
Relationships for life!
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HELLO.
CONTENTS
WELCOME TO WESTERN MONTANA’S GLACIER COUNTRY. It’s here, among our millions of acres, that you can find experiences and adventures that are distinctly Montana.
Getting Here.....................................7 Map of Montana...............................8 Glacier National Park...................... 10
Within our boundaries are wonders like Glacier National Park, the jagged peaks of the Mission Mountains, the teal-colored waters of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and the expansive backcountry of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. In the midst of our scenic places you’ll find plenty of charm in the form of small towns, two Indian nations, working ranches, incredible cultural events and one-of-a-kind moments that are only found under Montana’s big blue sky. Rounding out the region are blue-ribbon trout streams, natural hot springs, two international airports, incredible powder, diverse accommodations, thousands of miles of trails and plenty of off-thebeaten path adventures to put you front and center with what we’re most well-known for: our stunning scenery.
15 Perfect Views. . ........................... 13 Natural Beauty. . .............................. 14 Waters of Glacier Country. . ............. 22 6 Montana Experiences.. ................. 30 American Indian Culture. . ................ 34 Winter Recreation........................... 40 Arts & Culture................................. 46 Montana Getaways......................... 48 Planning Your Special Event........... 50 Communities & Services................. 53
For now, turn the page, explore and let us help you plan your visit to Glacier Country. And if you need more travel inspiration, be sure to connect with us on social media. You can find us on facebook, instagram, twitter and pinterest. Or for a first-person look at playing in Western Montana, be sure to check out our blog. And when you’re ready, come see us. We’ll be here waiting.
www.glaciermt.com #GlacierMT A group of friends play in the waters of Tally Lake. © GLACIER COUNTRY TOURISM
© 2015 Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission. Distributed with Accommodation Tax Funds. Any reproduction or reprint of this guide or any portion thereof, without the written permission of Glacier Country is strictly prohibited. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication. However, due to the passage of time and the anomalies inherent in the publishing process we cannot be responsible for errors or incorrect information. Please contact the individual establishments to confirm information. For advertising information call 406.532.3234.
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GETTING HERE. YOU’RE READY TO VISIT. SO HOW DO YOU GET HERE? Getting to Western Montana is easier than you may think. With two international airports—Missoula (MSO) and Glacier Park (FCA)—serviced by Alaska/Horizon Air, Allegiant Air, Delta/SkyWest, Frontier and United, there are plenty of routes to help provide a smooth and quick start to your adventure. Plus, direct flights regularly arrive from Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix/Mesa, Salt Lake City and Seattle. Seasonal flights arrive from Atlanta, Chicago, Portland and San Francisco/Oakland. Amtrak’s Empire Builder carries passengers through the northern section of Glacier Country and is a relaxing way to see the area’s stunning terrain. The train operates daily from Seattle and Portland, as well as Minneapolis and Chicago, making stops in Cut Bank, Browning, East Glacier Park,
Essex, West Glacier, Whitefish and Libby. For reservations, visit www.amtrak.com. And whether you come by train or plane, you’ll find many car rental companies— including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Thrifty—ready to help you explore the region with independence. Airport Shuttle Express also offers transportation options between Montana and Alberta, Canada as part of your two nation vacation. If you plan on road tripping through Glacier Country, you’re sure to have an enjoyable time. With our well-maintained highway system, anchored by Interstate 90 running east and west and Highway 93 running north and south, driving in Western Montana is easy and offers routes that take you off the main drag. For road travel information, call 800.226.7623 or visit www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo.
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GLACIER COUN T RY
to Cranbrook, BC Rexford
Yaak
Eureka
to Sandpoint, ID
Troy
GLACIER PARK
Stryker
Somers
to Coeur d’Alene, ID
Trout Creek
Rollins Proctor Dayton Elmo Big Arm
Thompson Falls Hot Springs Haugan De Borgia St. Regis
AH
O
Shelby
East Glacier Park
the
ad
Charlo
Paradise
Superior
Augusta
Fort Shaw
St. Ignatius
Dixon
Ulm
Missoula
Alberton
Stevensville
Helena
Corvallis
PINTLER SCENIC ROUTE
Elliston
Garrison
Deer Lodge
Philipsburg
Hamilton
569
Wisdom
to Salmon, ID
Melrose
Twin Bridges
PIONEER MTNS SCENIC BYWAY
278
Jackson
Polaris
Sheridan
Dillon
Bannack
SOUTHWE S T MONTAN A
Harrison Pony
Alder
278
Two Dot Martinsdale Ringling
Wilsall
Logan
Whitehall
Silver Star
Divide
White Sulphur Springs
Townsend Boulder
Butte
Wise River Dewey
Sula
Utica
Judith Gap
Montana City Winston
Jefferson City
Basin
Anaconda
Conner
Ho
Neihart
East Helena
Clancy
Georgetown Lake
Darby
Stanford
Monarch
Wolf Creek
Marysville
Three Forks
Manhattan
Gallatin Gateway Norris
Virginia City Cameron
Abs
Ny R
Pray Emigrant
Silver Cooke Gate City
Gardiner
324
Quake Lake Dell Lima
IDAH O
Mammoth Hot Springs Canyon
Tower Junction
YELLOWSTONE
Norris NATIONAL Madison Junction West PARK Lake Yellowstone West to Idaho Falls, ID Thumb to Rexburg, ID Old Faithful Grant Village Monida
Lakeview
to Grand Teton Natl Park and Jackson, WY
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State Capital: Capital: Helena Helena Montana Population: Population: 998,199* 1,015,165* *2011 U.S. Census CensusEstimate Estimate *2013 U.S.
G
McLeod
Bozeman
Big Sky
Grant
Big Timb
Clyde Park
Belgrade Livingston
Nevada Ennis City
324
Dento
Raynesford Geyser
Canyon Creek
Drummond
Florence
Belt
Stockett
Craig
Lincoln
Ovando Greenough Helmville
Bonner Clinton
Lolo
Victor
Cascade
Seeley Lake
Arlee
Virgelle
Great Falls
Fairfield Vaughn
Condon
FLATHEAD INDIAN RESERVATION
Loma
Fort Benton
Moiese
to Kooskia, ID
Big Sand
Brady
Bynum
Polson
Plains
Box Elder
Conrad
er
Choteau Ronan
Rudyard
Dupuyer
Riv
Swan Lake
Chester
Galata
Valier
Heart Butte
Fla
Lakeside
Noxon
ID
Bigfork
Sunburst
Cut Bank
Browning
Martin City Hungry Horse Essex
Kila
Marion
St. Mary
Columbia Falls Coram
Kalispell Heron
Sweetgrass BLACKFEET INDIAN RESERVATION
Lake McDonald West Glacier
Whitefish
C EN TRAL M O N TAN A
CAN ADA to Lethbridge, AB
Babb
Apgar
Olney
Libby
NATIONAL
Polebridge
Fortine Trego
to Cardston, AB
Land Area: 145,392 sq. miles Water Area: 1,746 sq. miles Total Area: 147,138 sq. miles
Map provided for general information only. Consult the Official Montana Highway Map for accurate and detailed information.
BE AL
Opheim
Turner Loring
Chinook
Havre
Plentywood Medicine Lake
FORT PECK INDIAN RESERVATION
Fort Belknap Agency
Hinsdale
Saco
Dodson
Saint Marie
Vandalia
Malta
FORT BELKNAP INDIAN RESERVATION
ROCKY BOY’S dy I N D I A N RESERVATION
Glasgow
Froid
Lustre Culbertson
Wolf Point
Nashua
Poplar
Bainville Fairview
Fort Peck Landusky
Sidney
Zortman
Winifred
Brusett Roy
Jordan
Crane
Savage
Bloomfield
Circle
TA NO RT H DA KO
Lambert
on
Brockway
Sand Springs
Winnett
Grass Range
Glendive Cohagen
Mosby
Terry
Melstone Harlowton
Fallon
Ingomar
Ismay
Miles City
Roundup
Plevna
Baker
Forsyth
Hysham
Wibaux
253
to Bowman, ND
Lewistown
to Dickinson, ND
253
obson
Rosebud
Bighorn Custer Worden
Laurel
sarokee
Park City
Columbus
Fishtail
ye Roscoe
Roberts
Red Lodge
Joliet Bridger
Billings
Hardin
Lame Deer
Crow Agency
CROW INDIAN RESERVATION
Busby
Garryowen Rockvale Saint Xavier Pryor Lodge Fort Smith Grass
Under 50 50-1,000 1,000-2,500 2,500-10,000 10,000-25,000 Over 25,000 State Capital
H WA Y
Biddle
Decker to Sheridan, WY
HIGHWAYS
Interstate Route Principal Highways Other Highways
ROUTE MARKERS
Broadus
Birney
Y E L L O W S TO N E C O U N TRY POPULATION
NORTHERN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATION
HI G
WYOM ING
WYOMING to Cody, WY to Lovell, WY EARTOOTH LL-AMERICAN ROAD
CITY/ TOWN
Olive
T R A IL
Otter
Wyola
Belfry
Ashland
WA R RI O R
TA SO UT H DA KO
Greycliff Reed Point
Ekalaka
Colstrip
Pompeys Pillar
ber
e
Scobey
Peerless
Whitewater
Westby
Whitetail Flaxville
Four Buttes
to Fortuna, ND
CANADA
to Regina, SK
to Assiniboia, SK
to Kildeer, SK
to Swift Current, SK
to Williston, ND
MI SSOUR I R I VE R COUNTRY
Interstate U.S. Route State or Provincial Route Other Route
SOUTHEAST MO N TA N A
Alzada to Belle Fourche, SD
to Gillette, WY
MAP SYMBOLS AND OTHER FEATURES State Boundary Major Airports Secondary Airports Amtrak Line Amtrak Station
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GLACIER NATIONAL PARK.
CROWN JEWEL OF THE CONTINENT. BACKBONE OF THE WORLD.
THREE NAMES. ONE UNDENIABLE BEAUTY. There are some places in the world that take your breath away at the very sight of them. One such place: Glacier National Park. With diverse terrain encompassing more than one million acres that vary from rolling foothills to a celestial summit and wildflower-filled meadows to stunning 400-foot waterfalls, the beauty of the park is best described as stunning, dramatic and breathtaking. Its lush repertoire also includes emerald valleys, 25 glaciers, striking rock faces and dramatic mountain peaks. And while Glacier has one of the largest intact ecosystems in the temperate zone, it’s easy to explore by road, trail or boat. The Going-to-the-Sun Road—an engineering marvel and National Historic Landmark—takes visitors through the heart of the park and crests Logan Pass at 6,646 feet. It’s also one of the most scenic drives you’ll ever take.
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If you prefer to explore on foot, set out on the park’s 734 miles of maintained trails or take a guided hiking trip with Glacier Guides. For a different way to see the park, step aboard a scenic boat tour with Glacier Park Boat Company, take a trail ride with Swan Mountain Outfitters, ride shotgun on a red bus tour or spend the day learning about the park from the perspective of the Blackfeet Tribe with Sun Tours. Glacier Jet Center, Glacier Heli Tours and Montana By Air offer guided aerial tours that provide striking views of rugged mountains and high ridgelines, snowfields and backcountry waterfalls.
An SUV passes over the bridge just inside Glacier National Park’s east entrance. © GLACIER COUNTRY TOURISM
For overnight stays in Glacier National Park, lay your head at one of the park’s historic lodges, motor inns, 13 campgrounds or two backcountry chalets. During the cold months, winter camping is available at Apgar and St. Mary. To explore a true off-the-beaten path section of the park, make plans to visit Goat Haunt. Situated at the southern end of Waterton Lake in Alberta, Goat Haunt can be accessed from the Canadian side of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park or via a scenic (and somewhat lengthy and strenuous) hike from the Highline Trail. Visitors can also reach this area from the Belly River Valley or from connecting trails in the North Fork, best combined with an overnight stop at a designated campground along the way. While summer welcomes the most visitors, Glacier National Park is open year-round. Spring offers hikers and bikers early season access to the Going-to-the-Sun Road before it opens in its entirety to vehicular traffic, while autumn provides stunning views of colorful fall foliage. During winter, the park is an ideal destination for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and backcountry skiing. For a guided winter trek in the park, book a tour with Glacier Adventure Guides. For more information on planning your trip to Glacier National Park, visit www.glaciermt.com/glacier-park.php or call us at 800.338.5072.
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MEET OUR LOCALS. You’re here to visit Glacier National Park. And we couldn’t be happier. Because we like to mind our manners, it’s our hosting duty to introduce you to the park’s native inhabitants. The park supports more than 70 species of mammals, each making their home in diverse parts of Glacier’s more than one million acres. Grizzly bears and their cubs gather on sparsely timbered hillsides and tend to favor wild huckleberry patches. Wolverines, gray wolves and lynx roam hundreds of thousands of acres throughout quiet, secluded meadows and valleys. Closer to trails and roads—and often visible to visitors—mountain goats and bighorn sheep frolic on the mountainsides and rock outcroppings. And to round it off, more than 260 avian species spend time in this birder’s haven, including harlequin ducks congregating creekside, osprey diving for fish or golden eagles perched in the treetops. One thing to keep in mind: while wildlife are used to the general presence of people, they do appreciate their space. Please keep a safe distance from all park wildlife and do not feed them. Glacier National Park has gateway communities that offer a range of lodging accommodations, restaurants, local watering holes, gift shops, recreational services, outfitters and gift shops. When visiting Glacier National Park, be sure to stop and explore Browning, Columbia Falls, East Glacier Park, Polebridge, St. Mary and West Glacier. Top left: Located in the North Fork, Polebridge—and its famous mercantile—is a favorite stop for hikers, rafters and travelers exploring this corner of Glacier Country. © DONNIE SEXTON Bottom left: A grizzly bear in Glacier National Park. © TONYBYNUM.COM
Marveling at the 58 hand-painted murals in the St. Ignatius Mission. #GlacierMT Daily, personalized educational hikes for youth and adults in Glacier National Park
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(406) 755-1211 | glacierinstitute.org