Parks, Forests & Public Lands
Explore Montana’s protected landscapes, from national parks and wilderness areas to forests, wildlife refuges, state parks, lakes, mountain ranges, and wide-open public lands.
Destination Style
National parks, national forests, wilderness areas, wildlife refuges, state parks, recreation areas, and protected landscapes
Best For
Hiking, wildlife viewing, camping, scenic drives, photography, fishing, paddling, backpacking, family trips, and wilderness adventure
Location
Across Montana, including Glacier country, Yellowstone country, central Montana, eastern badlands, Missouri River country, and southwest mountain ranges
Highlight
Iconic parks, remote wilderness, public access, wildlife habitat, scenic trails, fossil landscapes, alpine lakes, and rugged Montana beauty
Destination Overview
Explore Montana’s Wild and Protected Places
Montana’s parks, forests, and public lands hold some of the state’s most unforgettable scenery. These are the places where mountain peaks rise above alpine lakes, rivers carve through canyons, wildlife moves across open country, and old trails lead into landscapes that still feel wild.
This category includes national parks, national forests, wilderness areas, recreation areas, refuges, state parks, reservoirs, and public lands that help define the Montana outdoor experience. Some destinations are famous around the world, while others offer quieter access to wildlife, geology, fossils, forest roads, prairie, water, and solitude.
Whether your group wants a scenic day trip, a family-friendly stop, a guided hike, a backcountry route, a wildlife-focused outing, or a deeper wilderness experience, Montana’s public lands give every trip room to breathe.
Protected Landscapes
Explore parks, forests, refuges, wilderness areas, state parks, and recreation lands preserved for scenery, wildlife, and public access.
Wildlife Country
Look for bison, elk, deer, bears, mountain goats, birds, waterfowl, and other wildlife across Montana’s varied habitats.
Trail & Scenic Access
Find hiking routes, scenic drives, overlooks, campgrounds, lakes, rivers, and backcountry access points across the state.
Why Choose Parks, Forests & Public Lands?
Iconic Montana Scenery
Visit the landscapes that make Montana unforgettable, from glacier-carved peaks to badlands, river breaks, forests, and alpine basins.
Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
Many destinations protect important habitat for birds, big game, predators, waterfowl, fish, and rare native species.
Adventure for Every Pace
Choose scenic drives, short walks, family stops, guided hikes, paddling routes, campgrounds, or multi-day wilderness travel.
Rich Natural History
Explore fossils, ancient geology, glacial landforms, river corridors, prairie ecosystems, and stories written into the land itself.
Public Land Access
These destinations give travelers meaningful ways to experience Montana’s open spaces, trails, waters, and protected wild places.
Custom Trip Planning
Build a route around your group’s interests, season, lodging location, activity level, wildlife goals, and must-see landscapes.
Explore Destinations
Choose Your Montana Park, Forest, or Public Land
From world-famous national parks to remote wilderness and quiet wildlife refuges, these destinations offer some of the best ways to experience Montana’s protected outdoor spaces.
Glacier National Park
Explore glacier-carved valleys, alpine trails, scenic drives, wildlife habitat, mountain lakes, and some of the most iconic views in Montana.
Yellowstone National Park
Experience geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, wildlife valleys, scenic drives, and one of the most famous national parks in the world.
Bob Marshall Wilderness
Venture into one of Montana’s great wilderness areas with remote trails, horse pack routes, alpine meadows, wild rivers, and the Chinese Wall.
Bighorn Canyon Recreation Area
Discover towering canyon cliffs, Bighorn Lake, boating, fishing, wildlife viewing, scenic overlooks, and rugged Montana-Wyoming landscapes.
Helena National Forest
Explore central Montana public lands with mountain trails, wildlife habitat, camping, fishing, scenic drives, and wilderness access near Helena.
Gallatin National Forest
Experience Yellowstone gateway country with rugged mountains, forests, rivers, wildlife habitat, scenic drives, and endless outdoor recreation.
Makoshika State Park
Visit Montana’s largest state park for badland scenery, dinosaur fossil history, hiking, camping, photography, and eastern Montana adventure.
National Bison Range
Watch bison and other native wildlife in protected grassland and mountain habitat with scenic drives, photography, and peaceful wildlife viewing.
Freezeout Lake
Explore a major birding destination known for waterfowl migration, wetland habitat, wildlife photography, and wide-open prairie views.
Red Rocks Refuge
Discover wetland, lake, and mountain habitat known for wildlife viewing, birding, remote scenery, and quiet southwest Montana landscapes.
Charles Russell Wildlife Refuge
Explore more than one million acres of Missouri River country with prairie, breaks, wildlife viewing, birding, scenic roads, and rugged solitude.
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
Hike or backpack through Continental Divide country with alpine lakes, high passes, rugged peaks, wildlife habitat, and deep backcountry scenery.
Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness
Experience nearly one million acres of wild mountain country with alpine lakes, rugged peaks, glaciers, wildlife habitat, and horse pack routes.
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