Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Montana and Wyoming offer some of the best recreational opportunities in the West, from
mountain biking and fishing to boating and horseback riding. Vast areas of untouched land
make for scenic beauty that can take a lifetime to explore, luring visitors back time and
again to experience the outdoors.
In the summer, rivers come alive with white-water boaters, and smaller streams entice
fly-fishers seeking solitude. Wilderness areas and national forests offer miles of hiking
trails, while national parks host visitors from around the world. Surprisingly, excellent golf
courses are to be found here and can be relatively uncrowded, even in busy seasons. Look
for unusual forms of the sport like the mown-meadow version in Casper, where golfers
share the course with pronghorn and prairie dogs at the Salt Creek Country Club for only
$2 per round. Lakes buzz with the sound of motorboats, campgrounds are full, and every-
one seems to be outside doing something. Summers in the West are short, so people take
advantage of them.
It's no surprise, then, that winters are particularly long, but those that live and visit
Montana and Wyoming take advantage of it by enjoying some of the finest and least-
crowded ski slopes in the country. Great snow and majestic mountain trails make snow-
mobiling extremely popular, and Nordic ski centers and trails can be found in most moun-
tain areas. Ice fishing, dogsledding, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding are other
activities that keep folks busy when the snow flies.
With three of the country's most popular national parks located in Montana and Wyoming,
this is where many visitors begin and end their journey.
Glacier National Park
(
www.nps.gov/glac
)
falls entirely within Montana, and its Canadian counterpart,
Waterton
Lakes National Park
(
www.pc.gc.ca
)
is directly across the border and shares some of the
same trails. Although most of
Yellowstone National Park
(
www.nps.gov/yell
)
is in Wyom-
ing, three of the park's entrances are located in Montana. Just below Yellowstone is
Grand
Teton National Park
(
www.nps.gov/grte
)
. Each park offers a different type of beauty, from
Glacier's receding namesakes and high alpine scenery to the majestic peaks of the Tetons
and Yellowstone's striking geothermal features and abundant wildlife. Visitors will find a
variety of accommodations in the parks, including rustic cabins, grand lodges, and tent and
RV campgrounds. Popular activities include hiking, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing.
