Let's Talk about Montana
“Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam...” Montana named after the Spanish word for “mountains” isn’t called the “Treasure State” simply because of its rich mining history of copper, zinc, silver and gold. “Big Sky Country” is home to more than 1 million Montanans, and has the largest variety of mammals in America including elk, wolves, moose, deer, bison, trumpeter swans, grizzly bears, antelope and wild buffalo.
The state is home to the largest population of Golden Eagles, provides temporary accommodation for over 10,000 white pelicans migrating from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake, and has more heads of cattle than people. Adventurists and nature lovers from all over visit Montana with its top destination being Glacier National Park, tucked in the Rocky Mountains. Its 1 million acres of natural wonders make it one of America’s most Instagramed locations. In 1932, it was combined with Waterton National Park in Alberta Canada to form the world’s first International Peace Park and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
With more than 700 miles of biking and hiking trails, 760 lakes, 175 mountains and 200 waterfalls, there is something for everyone. Flathead Lake is popular for boating and fishing year-round and Wildhorse Island is only accessible by boat. However, every Memorial Day, thousands flock to the annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival. Weather permitting, jump in the car and take a drive on “Going to the Sun Road,” straight through the heart of the park. South of the state, is Yellowstone National Park, take a detour via Butte, on its outskirts you will find the “Ringing Rocks,” getting their name from the melodic chime they make when tapped. Swing through Bozeman and say hi to “Big Mike” the T-Rex at the Museum of the Rockies - part of the Smithsonian Institute exhibiting dinosaur eggs, skulls and skeletons. Montana shares a small part of the famed Yellowstone National Park, a haven for hiking, fly fishing, rock climbing, ziplining, camping, horse riding and golfing, and is also home to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, a non-for-profit wildlife park that provides refuge to animals unable to survive in the wild.