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Logan Pass – Going-to-the-Sun Road – scenery of mountain📷 Photo by Gary Corken on Unsplash

Road trips in Montana

14 road trips and 20 hand-picked places in Montana, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
14
Places
20

Campsites in Montana 577

Trip guides

Road trips through Montana

Going-to-the-Sun Road, west to east – a scenic view of a mountain range with trees in the foregroundPhoto by Michael Kirsh on Unsplash
GTTS
National park loops

Going-to-the-Sun Road, west to east

51 mi3 stops2 days
Glacier’s quiet corners: North Fork and Two Medicine – a lake surrounded by mountains and treesPhoto by Bill Stephan on Unsplash
2
National park loops

Glacier’s quiet corners: North Fork and Two Medicine

149 mi7 stops4 days
Missoula to Whitefish via the Bison Range and Flathead Lake – Exterior 2017-09- 883© Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
93
Scenic byways

Missoula to Whitefish via the Bison Range and Flathead Lake

142 mi9 stops3 days
Montana’s gold rush trail: Virginia City, Bannack and Big Hole – Stipa comata (Hesperostipa comata) (17348382932)© Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
287
Themed road trips

Montana’s gold rush trail: Virginia City, Bannack and Big Hole

269 mi8 stops4 days
Glacier light and grizzly country: by camper van over the Going-to-the-Sun Road and around Flathead Lake – Pray Lake (Two Medicine Area) - 1 (7834000944)© GlacierNPS · Public domain
2
In-depth road trip guides

Glacier light and grizzly country: by camper van over the Going-to-the-Sun Road and around Flathead Lake

195 mi11 stops6 days
2
In-depth road trip guides

Wide skies on the Missouri: by camper van on the Hi-Line and in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark

361 mi8 stops5 days
Trout rivers and rock walls: by camper van through Paradise Valley, Gallatin Canyon and the Madison Valley – brown field near mountains under white clouds during daytimePhoto by Matthew Lancaster on Unsplash
191
In-depth road trip guides

Trout rivers and rock walls: by camper van through Paradise Valley, Gallatin Canyon and the Madison Valley

399 mi10 stops7 days
Road above the sky – by camper over the Beartooth Highway and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Cody – a landscape with trees and a body of water in the backgroundPhoto by Daniel Jerez on Unsplash
212
In-depth road trip guides

Road above the sky – by camper over the Beartooth Highway and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Cody

323 mi8 stops5 days
Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range – Dead Indian Summit Overlook (2460 m) 10-9-2014© Paul Hermans · CC BY-SA 4.0
296
National park loops

Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range

173 mi9 stops4 days
Geysers, grizzlies and granite peaks – through Grand Teton and Yellowstone to Cody – John Moulton Barn© Hardy008 · CC BY-SA 4.0
191
In-depth road trip guides

Geysers, grizzlies and granite peaks – through Grand Teton and Yellowstone to Cody

297 mi12 stops7 days
Deeper than the Grand Canyon: by camper van through Hells Canyon, along the Salmon River and over Lolo Pass – South end Wallowa Lake, Oregon (25920361117)© Bonnie Moreland from Oregon, United States · Public domain
95
In-depth road trip guides

Deeper than the Grand Canyon: by camper van through Hells Canyon, along the Salmon River and over Lolo Pass

506 mi14 stops7 days
Grand Teton, Yellowstone and the Beartooth Highway – gray mountain under white cloudy skyPhoto by Nate Foong on Unsplash
212
National park loops

Grand Teton, Yellowstone and the Beartooth Highway

210 mi8 stops5 days
Mesa Falls to Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, Hayden Valley and Cody – Upper Mesa Falls - Idaho (12145650713)© Brenton Cooper from North Ogden, USA · CC BY 2.0
20
National park loops

Mesa Falls to Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, Hayden Valley and Cody

274 mi9 stops5 days
Bighorn Mountains: Medicine Wheel and Bighorn Canyon – Bighorn Medicine Wheel - Flickr - brewbooks (1)© brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
14A
Scenic byways

Bighorn Mountains: Medicine Wheel and Bighorn Canyon

281 mi9 stops3 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
Going-to-the-Sun Road, west to east251 mi0 h 55 min3
Glacier’s quiet corners: North Fork and Two Medicine4149 mi2 h 40 min7
Missoula to Whitefish via the Bison Range and Flathead Lake3142 mi2 h 32 min9
Montana’s gold rush trail: Virginia City, Bannack and Big Hole4269 mi4 h 48 min8
Glacier light and grizzly country: by camper van over the Going-to-the-Sun Road and around Flathead Lake6195 mi3 h 29 min11
Wide skies on the Missouri: by camper van on the Hi-Line and in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark5361 mi6 h 27 min8
Trout rivers and rock walls: by camper van through Paradise Valley, Gallatin Canyon and the Madison Valley7399 mi7 h 08 min10
Road above the sky – by camper over the Beartooth Highway and the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to Cody5323 mi5 h 46 min8
Chief Joseph Byway and Yellowstone’s northern range4173 mi3 h 06 min9
Geysers, grizzlies and granite peaks – through Grand Teton and Yellowstone to Cody7297 mi5 h 18 min12
Deeper than the Grand Canyon: by camper van through Hells Canyon, along the Salmon River and over Lolo Pass7506 mi9 h 02 min14
Grand Teton, Yellowstone and the Beartooth Highway5210 mi3 h 46 min8
Mesa Falls to Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon, Hayden Valley and Cody5274 mi4 h 53 min9
Bighorn Mountains: Medicine Wheel and Bighorn Canyon3281 mi5 h 01 min9
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in Montana

Logan Pass – Going-to-the-Sun Road – scenery of mountainPhoto by Gary Corken on Unsplash
Editor's pick
Views

Logan Pass – Going-to-the-Sun Road

West Glacier, MT
Wind Blowing Bowman Lake Glacier NP (54071645603)© Mobilus In Mobili · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Bowman Lake

Polebridge, MT
Two Medicine Lake – Pray Lake (Two Medicine Area) - 1 (7834000944)© GlacierNPS · Public domain
Editor's pick
Nature

Two Medicine Lake

East Glacier Park, MT
Editor's pick
Views

Devil Canyon Overlook, Bighorn Canyon

Lovell, MT
CSKT Bison Range – American Bison in Montana (34643532046)© cloud.shepherd · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

CSKT Bison Range

Moiese, MT
Bannack State Park – 32 52 - Hotel Meade (6054990800)© Scott Akerman from Raleigh, NC, USA · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Bannack State Park

Dillon, MT
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument – The eerie, quiet open fields near the Crow Agency of Montana were once a fierce battleground between Lt. Co. George A. Custer, 276 soldiers and thousands of Lakota and Cheyenne Warriors who fought to preserve their land© Carolschmidt333 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

Crow Agency, MT
Many Glacier Campground – brown wooden house on green grass field near mountains during daytimePhoto by Janne Simoes on Unsplash
Camping

Many Glacier Campground

Babb, MT
Goat Lick Overlook – Goat Lick Trestle - Tug O War - Essex Montana - panoramio© Loco Steve · CC BY 3.0
Nature

Goat Lick Overlook

Essex, MT
Museum of the Plains Indian – a long walkway between two buildings in a grassy areaPhoto by Ray Graciano on Unsplash
History

Museum of the Plains Indian

Browning, MT
Detail of Roosevelt Arch showing walkway where vandalism occured (28555353746)© Yellowstone National Park from Yellowstone NP, USA · Public domain
History

Roosevelt Arch

Gardiner, MT
St. Ignatius Mission – Exterior 2017-09- 883© Chris Light · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

St. Ignatius Mission

St. Ignatius, MT
Wayfarers State Park – Arenaria serpyllifolia (8489347473)© Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature

Wayfarers State Park

Bigfork, MT
Conrad Mansion Museum – Charles E Conrad Mansion Kalispell Montana August 2013© Royalbroil · CC BY-SA 3.0
History

Conrad Mansion Museum

Kalispell, MT
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park – Stipa comata (Hesperostipa comata) (17348382932)© Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature

Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

Whitehall, MT
Nevada City – Dr. Don L. Byam House© Dskdrive · CC BY-SA 3.0
History

Nevada City

Virginia City, MT
Big Hole National Battlefield – Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - kinninnick - Flickr - Matt Lavin© Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Big Hole National Battlefield

Wisdom, MT
Don't Become Extinct - Buckle Up - Speed Limit 20 - Makoshika State Park (32782681432)© Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0
Nature

Makoshika State Park

Glendive, MT
Giant Springs State Park – Great Falls 5 (8037146678)© Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK · CC BY 2.0
Nature

Giant Springs State Park

Great Falls, MT
02 Montana State Capitol Bell© NateBergin · CC BY 4.0
History

Montana State Capitol

Helena, MT

FAQs

What are the best road trips in Montana?

Popular routes include Going-to-the-Sun Road, west to east, Glacier’s quiet corners: North Fork and Two Medicine, Missoula to Whitefish via the Bison Range and Flathead Lake and Montana’s gold rush trail: Virginia City, Bannack and Big Hole. CampingSpirit has 14 trip guides that pass through Montana, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in Montana are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Logan Pass – Going-to-the-Sun Road, Bowman Lake, Two Medicine Lake, Devil Canyon Overlook, Bighorn Canyon, CSKT Bison Range and Bannack State Park.

Nearby

Wyoming 15Idaho 8Alberta 8Saskatchewan 3Washington 16North Dakota 3Oregon 27South Dakota 5