Showcasing Montana’s Tourism Regions

I recently attended the Montana Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation. It is an annual gathering for people in the industry to come together to learn new practices, network with new partners, and find more inspiration to share Montana’s spectacular beauty and authentic experiences.

Marc Berejka, Director of Government and Community Affairs at REI, was one of the keynote speakers. He spoke about how an outdoor life is a life well lived and why they created their campaign to awaken a life-long love of the outdoors. Research has shown that the more connected people are with nature, the healthier they are and the heathier the environment around them is. And there is no better place to experience a connection with nature than in Montana!

Montana is the fourth largest state in the nation and has a wide variety of ecosystems to experience across its vast expanse. The Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development has created seven tourism regions to showcase the unique areas of Montana. They discussed each one at the conference and it reminded me that there is something for every family vacation, individual adventure, or conference agenda inside each of these seven regions!

Best of Montana’s 7 Regions

Glacier Country

Glacier Country is the essence of outdoor adventure. With Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness in the north, the incredible Bitterroot Valley in the south, and the eclectic cultural center of Missoula in the middle, there are plenty of experiences as big as Glacier Country’s mountains. Check out their Top 10 Favorite Things to Do for more inspiration.

Southwest Montana

Southwest Montana is full of rich state history. From the ghost towns of Virginia City and Nevada City to Butte, America – once the “Richest Hill on Earth” – to the state capital in Helena, there is so much to learn and many unique places to explore. Their Top 10 List includes hiking, biking, and paddling along the paths of history.

Yellowstone Country

Yellowstone Country is, of course, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park with all its wonders to behold. It also includes the “Largest Skiing in America” on Lone Mountain Peak in Big Sky, Montana and the incredible community of Bozeman where outdoor adventure is a part of daily life. On any given day you can hike to some jaw-dropping waterfalls, fly fish in some of the best waters in the state, or rock climb some of the best spots in the Rockies. Their Top 10 List will keep you going for days!

Central Montana

Central Montana is where the Rockies meet the Great Plains. Explore the majestic Bob Marshall Wilderness then drive to Great Falls to relive the Old West in Charlie Russell’s art, visit Fort Benton (the oldest town in Montana and the gateway to the Upper Missouri River Breaks), and dance the night away at the Red Ants Pants Festival in White Sulphur Springs. Central Montana is home to Top 10 trails such as the Lewis & Clark Trail, the Dinosaur Trail, and my favorite – the Pie Trail!

Missouri River Country

There is no better place to see what the “Big Sky Country” really means than in Missouri River Country. Vast stretches of land are held in wildlife preserves so visitors can see what the Great Plains looked like when homesteaders were making their way west. This Top 10 List is the ultimate escape from our busy, modern-day life and a chance to step back in time and find room to breathe again.

Southeast Montana

The Southeast corner of the state is home to the largest city in Montana, Billings, as well as the World Famous Bucking Horse Sale in Miles City and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument which memorializes the site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The top 10 in this region is all about big – Makoshika which is the largest state park and Bighorn Canyon with 1,000 foot canyon walls.

Indian Country Tourism Region

There are seven reservations and twelve tribal nations in Montana and Indian Country was created in 2017 to showcase the culture and traditions of these groups of people. There is no specific boundary for the region; it includes the area recognized as being historically associated with the tribes of Montana. Visit the areas of Indian Country for a truly unique experience.

The biggest thing I learned at the Governor’s Conference is how much Montanan’s love our state and how we all want to share the amazing beauty and unique experiences we have here. There’s nothing like listening to passionate people talk about their favorite areas of Montana to make you want to get out there and experience it for yourself. Montana is full of magical moments just waiting to be discovered and it’s good for your health too! Time to head outside. Summer, take us away!

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