I've road tripped through Montana and loved it! If you don't know where to start this list goes over the best cities to visit, national parks, and essentials to pack for a Montana trip.
Sections
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Montana Travel Inspiration
Montana Cities
Montana National Parks
Montana Trip Essentials
Montana Travel Inspiration
I always start with a bucket list inspiration before I start planning.
Montana's Tourism website for recommendations.
Montana
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I like to start trip planning with a bucket list. I choose 2–3 must-see attractions first, then build the rest of my trip around them.
Montana Bucket List Printable
After I did this road trip I put it together in a guide for anyone else who wants to do it!
Bozeman, Montana to Glacier National Park: Road Trip Guide
Montana Cities
Most people come to Montana for the great outdoors, but this state's cities do not need to be missed.
I loved the city of Bozeman! The best of both city and outdoors.
10 Best Things to do in Bozeman in the Summer
Butte surprised me! I loved learning the history of this city.
10 Best Things to do in Butte, Montana in 2025
Read this guide to learn where to stay in Butte, Montana.
8 Best Hotels in Butte, Montana
Bozeman is Montana's most popular city. Here is Bozeman Tourism website for recommendations.
Bozeman
Billings is the largest city in Montana. Here is Billings Tourism website for recommendations.
Billings
Helena is the capital city of Montana. Here is Helena Tourism website for recommendations.
Helena
Missoula is known for it's natural beauty and outdoor recreation. Here is Missoula Tourism website for recommendations.
Missoula
Read recommendations from Great Falls Tourism here.
Great Falls
Butte is a historic town known for its mining. Read recommendations from Butte Tourism here.
Butte
Montana National Parks
Montana has 2 national parks: Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. I've been to both and both are amazing!
I loved my visit to Glacier National Park. Important to remember that Glacier requires timed entry for vehicles so go to recreation.gov to get your vehicle reservations.
Glacier National Park
For Glacier you will need this for vehicle reservations.
Recreation.gov - Vehicle Reservations
I visited Yellowstone on my first solo trip. It's a great first national park for people.
Yellowstone National Park
I've been to both national parks and love them both! Read to learn the biggest differences and what each park highlights best in this blog post.
Yellowstone National Park vs. Glacier National Park: Which Should You Visit?
After my visit to Glacier I made a guide to tell you everything you need to know about Glacier National Park.
Visiting Glacier National Park: The Ultimate Guide to Plan Your Trip
After my time in Glacier I take the top highlights of the park into a 3 day itinerary.
Glacier National Park: The Ultimate Expert Itinerary
Montana Trip Essentials
Here are some essentials to take with you on your Montana trip!
Danner is my go-to brand for hiking boots ! Every pair I've had from them has been great.
Danner Women's Hiking Boots
I definitely made sure I had this and knew how to use it. It is important to know that if you are flying to Montana you CANNOT take bear spray on an airplane.
Bear Spray
I always bring a Patagonia backpack with me when I travel or go on short hikes.
Travel & Carry-on Backpacks by Patagonia
My Corkcicle seems to hold up well from getting dents and dings if you drop your water bottle frequently.
Insulated Water Bottle
I've been sunburned when traveling and it's not fun. This is even in a fun travel size!
Travel Size Products - Sun Bum
You can never have enough chap stick! Burt's Bees is my favorite (and I always stick with the the peppermint ones).
