North-west Montana Trip Ideas
From Missoula to Kalispell, north-west Montana is an adventure awaiting. Home to Flathead National Forest, Lolo National Forest, and others, along with five wilderness areas including the Great Bear and Bob Marshall Wildernesses, there is no lack of the undiscovered.
Featuring unbelievable land formations from the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall to the amazing Swan and Mission Mountains, to the glaciers and cliffs of Glacier National Park.
Discover the cultures of the Salish and Kootenai in the Flathead Indian Reservation, or stop by the Blackfeet Nation for the amazing Indian Days.
Wherever you are in northwest Montana, adventure awaits!
Montana is home to Glacier National Park and part of Yellowstone National Park, or “West Yellowstone”. Glacier is just an hour and a half from Swan River’s Rest, and is an absolute “out-of-this-world” experience awaiting to be had. Travel the “Going-to-the-Sun Road” which winds through 50 miles of the park. Look out over sheer-cliffs into lush valleys below and gaze out to the great mountains that Glacier is home to.
Northwest Montana is home to the Flathead National Forest where Swan River’s Rest is located, Lolo National Forest which is centered near Missoula, Kootenai National Forest which is up by the high-line, and Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest which is on the other side of the Great Divide.
These forest offer stunning views and scenic landscapes. They carpet the valleys and mountains alike, and are not to be ignored when visiting the Treasure State!
When visiting the Swan Valley there are two prominent mountain ranges that will take your breath away, the Swan Mountains and the Mission Mountains.
Highway 83 winds through the foothills of the Swan Mountains and there are awesome views of the sharp peaks and cliffs of the range as they rise above the highway.
The Mission Mountains across the valley are best seen from Montana Highway 93 from their western side. Locally known as the American Alps they rise rugged and jagged on your left when traveling from Seeley Lake to Condon on Highway 83.
These are by no means the only or main ranges in northwestern Montana. Travel to Glacier National Park and you will see what I mean. Between Thunderbird Mountain to Chief Mountain, the Ranges rise high!
Enjoy your Mountain Montana stay!
One of the greatest road trips that is only a half hour long each way is between Condon and Seeley Lake. The views are absolutely fantastic and the road will keep your attention as it winds and turns around lakes and the Swan Mountain foothills.
Or drive down to Missoula which is about an hour and a half from Swan River’s Rest. The Blackfoot river runs next to the highway as you travel west, and here as everywhere in northwest Montana there is no lack of mountains. However you are in for another surprise the “purple mountain majesties” behind the golden fields, like something from a Charles Russel Painting. And while your in Missoula see the museums and check-out some real Charles Russell Paintings, and genuine Native American History and Culture!
I could go on forever here about road-trips in northwest Montana from Highway 93 and beyond, but I’ll just finish up with the “Going to the Sun Road”.
It winds 50 miles through Glacier National Park, alongside sheer escarpments overlooking valleys from paradise. Through West Tunnel along Weeping Wall. It is a drive that will inspire and terrify all in one! For references and more information on the “going to the Sun Road” see: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Montana is not all rural and country side. Stop by Kalispell, Missoula, Whitefish, or Bigfork for some Montana City Adventures.
Kalispell is about an hour from Glacier. They have great cultural attractions, and the Rocky Mountains surround the Kalispell area. Downtown Kalispell is antiquated with a touch of modernity.
Missoula is about an hour and a half from Swan River’s Rest and is known as the Cultural Center of Montana. Home to the University of Montana “The Griz” and multiple museums in the area. The Missoula area offers great fishing and wonderful attractions.
Whitefish is just outside of Kalispell and is even closer to Glacier. A true resort town, beautiful, small, and quiet except in the Tourist Season.
Bigfork lies on the shores of Flathead Lake, the beautiful Swan River flows through the town in a series of mini rapids, and joins the lake. Bigfork is also a very touristy town and is wonderful spot to enjoy Montana attractions and culture. It is about 45 mins from Swan River’s Rest and 15 mins from Kalispell.
Get out and see Montana for all it is!
