Vacation rentals in Montana

With the Rocky Mountains on its western boundary, Montana is best known for its seemingly endless mountain vistas, surreal green valleys, and freshwater lakes that sit at the base of snow-covered mountain ranges. Montana is the fourth biggest state in the U.S. and is geographically diverse with expansive prairie plains, dusty badlands, and iconic peaks that stretch to the sky. The wilderness of Montana is open to the public through national and state parks, national forests, and several wildlife refuges. The park that attracts the most attention in Montana is Yellowstone National Park, with its famous geysers and hot springs.

Montana has a long history and culture of farming and ranching that can still be seen today. The biggest annual festival in Montana, the Sweet Pea Festival, pays homage to the early 20th century carnivals in Bozeman that celebrated the prized pea that grew wild around the region. The current festival still takes place in Bozeman but has shifted the focus from agriculture to the arts.

The peak summer months of July and August are a great time to book a Montana cabin rental. The long days are ideal for touring the parks, and the weather is warm and sunny during the day and cool at night. The annual Sweet Pea Festival in August attracts people to Bozeman for three days of live music and artistic performances. The minimal rain and clear skies in the summer make it the perfect season to explore Montana’s vast wilderness as well.

Things cool down during autumn, though during the day it is still warm enough to explore the trails that are made only more beautiful by the changing fall leaves. At night, temperatures can fall below freezing, so if you find yourself outside after dark be sure to have a few extra layers.

Montana freezes during winter, and days are often overcast and snowy, perfect for hitting the slopes at numerous resorts around the state. As the ground starts to thaw in spring, trails can be muddy, so wear your proper boots as you admire the wildflowers that are particularly prominent in western Montana. Occasionally, Pacific storms break out in spring that can last for a few days, bringing high winds and rain, so pack accordingly.

Yellowstone National Park

America’s first national park, Yellowstone, is roughly 900,000 hectares of wilderness located over a dormant volcano. Among the park’s 67 species of mammals, you may spot buffalo, grizzly bears, and elk. Geysers and hot springs are otherworldly attractions in the park; the bacteria within these sites illuminates the earth in bright shades of blue, green, yellow, and orange. To see just how rainbow-hued the earth can become, check out the Grand Prismatic Spring.

Museum of the Rockies

In the early Cretaceous period, dinosaurs roamed the coastal plains of Montana. Many dinosaur fossils have been unearthed in this state, and an impressive collection can be seen at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman. There’s no missing the museum’s top spectacle, a 12-foot-tall, real bone T-Rex skeleton, one of the most complete Tyrannosaurus specimens discovered.

Glacier National Park

Two million years ago, glaciers began the process of carving out a valley in what would later become Glacier National Park. This natural process created the incredible alpine landscape that we see today. To experience the park by car, the Going-to-the-Sun route provides phenomenal views with none better than at Logan Pass. The boardwalk here passes over Hidden Lake and meadows of wildflowers while also showcasing views of Mount Reynolds and Clements Mountain.