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The Great Outdoors

To help make it easier for you to know where to begin your outdoor adventures, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite locations to hike, bike, fish and golf.

HIKE: With thousands of miles of hiking trails ranging from easy day hikes to multiday backcountry excursions, Glacier Country is a true hiker’s haven. Just south of Glacier National park is the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The Bob offers more than 1,000 miles of multiuse trails shared by hikers and horseback riders. For easily accessible hikes, set your sights on the Bitterroot Valley. Contact Bitterroot Backpacking if you’re looking for a guided hike or backpacking adventure. Home to jagged peaks, high alpine lakes and some of the Most stunning canyon views in Montana, the Bitterroot Mountains are an ideal location for a day hike. For hiking options close to town, check out Mount Sentinel in Missoula (with an expansive view of the Missoula Valley), Lone Pine State Park near Kalispell, the Jewel Basin near Bigfork and Big Mountain just north of Whitefish. Enlist the help of RightOnTrek for a seamless hiking experience—they build itineraries for epic front and backcountry treks matched to your pace and they also sell backpacking meals and rent gear for your adventure. Learn more at glaciermt.com/hiking

BIKE: A prime destination for bikers, our diverse trail systems offer family-friendly routes and hardcore downhill mountain biking opportunities. Whitefish is one of our top spots. With more than 30 miles of lift-accessed and crosscountry trails, Whitefish Mountain Resort’s award-winning bike park provides sweeping views of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park. West of town, the Whitefish Trail offers stacked loops, scenic overlooks and singletrack trails, plus fat biking in the winter. Fourteen trailheads provide access to more than 43 miles of trails. Check out the Whitefish Bike Retreat for trailside lodging and camping on the Whitefish Trail. Or, near Kalispell, pedal 22 paved miles of the Great Northern Rail Trail from Somers— on Flathead Lake—to Kila. We also recommend Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road in the spring (before it opens to vehicles) and Apgar Bike Path, Blue Mountain Recreation Area near Missoula and the Route of the Hiawatha near St. Regis. A family-friendly ride, the 15-mile-long Route of the Hiawatha takes riders through 10 old railroad tunnels and across seven high trestles. The paved 50-mile-long Bitterroot Trail connects Missoula and Hamilton, and the quaint towns along the way. Learn more at glaciermt.com/biking

FISH: Western Montana, in part thanks to Norman Maclean’s “A River Runs Through It,” is known for its incredible fishing. With blue-ribbon trout streams and legendary rivers, there’s no lack of places to cast a line. You’ll find trophy fish in the Bitterroot, Blackfoot and Clark Fork rivers, as well as Rock Creek. Meanwhile, in the northwest corner of the state, you’re well-advised to head to the teal-colored waters of the Middle Fork of the Flathead River and the Kootenai River. If you prefer lake fishing, try Flathead Lake, Lake Koocanusa and Noxon Reservoir. Ice fishing is also popular around these parts and offers the opportunity to sit back, relax and enjoy the serenity of a Montana winter. Grab your auger and head to Horseshoe Lake for ice fishing the elusive tiger muskie. Learn more at glaciermt.com/fishing.

GOLF: Golfing in Montana comes with a rare combination of renowned courses, stunning scenery, and affordability. Our season on the green typically lasts from mid-April through midOctober. And with 29 golf courses, including the renowned Whitefish Lake Golf Course and the Wilderness Club (ranked the No. 1 golf course in Montana by Golfweek and No. 42 in the nation by Golf Digest), it’s safe to say Glacier Country is one incredible place to golf. Check out the Northwest Montana Golf Association to book tee times at nine courses throughout the region. Learn more at glaciermt.com/golf