Summertime is for the crowds here’s why Montana is best experienced in the fall and spring.
Montana is most commonly known asBig Sky Country.
It’s an apt nickname referring to the vast horizon lines that characterize much of the landscape.
Credit: Courtesy of Montage Big Sky
And if you venture here during shoulder season, thegreatesttreasure is getting it all to yourself.
Lone Mountain’s 27 standalone cabins are easier to secure this time of year, too.
Some of that burden will now be lessened thanks to the opening of theMontagein 2021.
Courtesy of Lone Mountain Ranch
The 139-room hotel stands out as thelargest lodge of its kindin a town that has approximately 3,000 year-round residents.
Rates will start at $2,291 per night during the Christmas holiday.
Diners can choose from a litany of locally sourced proteins rendered in a decidedly cosmopolitan fashion.
Courtesy of RVShare
The western entrance to one of themost visited national parksin the U.S. is just an hour away fromBig Sky.
But in early fall and late spring, the splendor of this backcountry is hardly lessened.
By early November, the park’s 5,000-strong population of bison has begun a mass migration to lower elevations.
The wildlife viewing is in full swing and the only thing missing is the traffic.
The circa 1936 standout, constructed by architect Robert C. Reamer, recently completed a massive renovation and refurbishment.
But many will opt to roll into this part of the countryridingtheir own lodging inRV form.
This is especially so in the early spring, when most of the seasonal inns have yet to open.
“There are endless opportunities for exploration among state and national parks and scenic highway routes.
Sure, for theoutdoor adventurers, packing extra layers is advisable.
But they’re rewarded with vividfoliage in the fall(along with a relatively dry climate).
In fact, late May and mid-October are great times torent an e-bikeand pedal along the famed scenic route.
You’ll enjoy the views sans the stress of having to share a high-altitude active motorway.
“It can get crisp quickly on either side of the summer,” says Makarechian.
“But you really can’t go wrong visiting during shoulder season.
This is nature’s playground.
A state worth treasuring, indeed.
