SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION visitmt.com epic family adventures In montana, nobody tells kids to settle down. turn the page for this is where they run free. jump in a raft. explore National experiences parks and ghost towns. cross mountain ranges. spot moose, made only in elk and bears. it’s all waiting for your family to discover. Montana. PHOTOGRAPH: VISIT BILLINGS MISSOULA SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION AREA SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION What place has snowcaps and whitecaps? when it comes to canyons, rivers and mountains, the Missoula area covers it high and low. FLATHEAD Kalispell LAKE 200 SQUARE MILES 3 REASONS YOU’LL GO GAGA FOR THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY “NEXT YEARS.” IN ONE LAKE? Kalispell is your gateway to Montana’s iconic natural Kalispell’s cultural attractions and welcoming locals Glacier National Park wonders. In addition to hiking, biking and touring our make adventure easy. Explore the fish raceways at BELIEVE IT! 175 mountains, 762 lakes and great outdoors, this vibrant community offers endless Creston National Fish Hatchery, and then visit more than 1,000,000 acres. Go sailing, paddleboarding or plain 1 opportunities to make lasting memories—rodeos, Lone Pine State Park for breathtaking views of the old swimming at Flathead Lake, the Mountain goats and bighorn Main Street parades, interactive museums and so Flathead Valley and miles of trails. To fish, head to largest natural freshwater lake west sheep spotted from the 2 park's alpine hiking trails. much more. Not a week goes by without some kind Pine Grove’s stocked pond, where the kids can have of the Great Lakes. The Flathead Lake of festival, concert or event. fun while they work on their angling. Lodge dude ranch makes a great home Real live glaciers: Hike to base. In summer, be sure to stop at a 3 25 active ones in the park. Grinnell Glacier Viewpoint is roadside stand to try the local cherries. an easy route for older kids. DISCOVERKALISPELL.COM You keep saying that someday you want to cruise FLATHEAD LAKE, cycle MONTANA’S TRAILS and see GLACIER NATIONAL WHITEWATER CLARK FORK RIVER PARK. Make RAFTING “someday”now! Multiple outfitters lead trips on the Blackfoot, GLACIER Bitterroot and Clark NATIONAL PARK Fork rivers. Flatwater tours cater to little ones; older kids will love the bouncier Class II, III and no gear? no problem! IV rapids. REAL-LIFE The friendly Trail Head store ACTION HEROES in downtown Missoula rents Tour the smokejumper everything you need, including base in Missoula to learn tents, sleeping bags, coolers, fly about the jump gear rods and more. You can reserve and aircraft used to fight gear online before you go. wilderness forest fires. A HIKE FOR THE FLATHEAD LAKE LODGE WHOLE FAMILY Head south of Missoula (past a Lewis and Clark campsite at Travelers’ Rest State Park) to Blodgett Canyon, an easy trail that passes soaring cliffs and a smokejumper memorial. PHOTOGRAPHS: (SAILBOAT) CHUCK HANEY, (CLARK FORK RIVER, GLACIER, FLATHEAD LAKE) COURTESY OF MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, (CAMPFIRE) COURTESY OF FLATHEAD LAKE LODGE MISSOULA SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION AREA SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION What place has snowcaps and whitecaps? when it comes to canyons, rivers and mountains, the Missoula area covers it high and low. FLATHEAD Kalispell LAKE 200 SQUARE MILES 3 REASONS YOU’LL GO GAGA FOR THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY “NEXT YEARS.” IN ONE LAKE? Kalispell is your gateway to Montana’s iconic natural Kalispell’s cultural attractions and welcoming locals Glacier National Park wonders. In addition to hiking, biking and touring our make adventure easy. Explore the fish raceways at BELIEVE IT! 175 mountains, 762 lakes and great outdoors, this vibrant community offers endless Creston National Fish Hatchery, and then visit more than 1,000,000 acres. Go sailing, paddleboarding or plain 1 opportunities to make lasting memories—rodeos, Lone Pine State Park for breathtaking views of the old swimming at Flathead Lake, the Mountain goats and bighorn Main Street parades, interactive museums and so Flathead Valley and miles of trails. To fish, head to largest natural freshwater lake west sheep spotted from the 2 park's alpine hiking trails. much more. Not a week goes by without some kind Pine Grove’s stocked pond, where the kids can have of the Great Lakes. The Flathead Lake of festival, concert or event. fun while they work on their angling. Lodge dude ranch makes a great home Real live glaciers: Hike to base. In summer, be sure to stop at a 3 25 active ones in the park. Grinnell Glacier Viewpoint is roadside stand to try the local cherries. an easy route for older kids. DISCOVERKALISPELL.COM You keep saying that someday you want to cruise FLATHEAD LAKE, cycle MONTANA’S TRAILS and see GLACIER NATIONAL WHITEWATER CLARK FORK RIVER PARK. Make RAFTING “someday”now! Multiple outfitters lead trips on the Blackfoot, GLACIER Bitterroot and Clark NATIONAL PARK Fork rivers. Flatwater tours cater to little ones; older kids will love the bouncier Class II, III and no gear? no problem! IV rapids. REAL-LIFE The friendly Trail Head store ACTION HEROES in downtown Missoula rents Tour the smokejumper everything you need, including base in Missoula to learn tents, sleeping bags, coolers, fly about the jump gear rods and more. You can reserve and aircraft used to fight gear online before you go. wilderness forest fires. A HIKE FOR THE FLATHEAD LAKE LODGE WHOLE FAMILY Head south of Missoula (past a Lewis and Clark campsite at Travelers’ Rest State Park) to Blodgett Canyon, an easy trail that passes soaring cliffs and a smokejumper memorial. PHOTOGRAPHS: (SAILBOAT) CHUCK HANEY, (CLARK FORK RIVER, GLACIER, FLATHEAD LAKE) COURTESY OF MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, (CAMPFIRE) COURTESY OF FLATHEAD LAKE LODGE SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION BUTTE SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION AREA where’s a west that’s still wild? that would be Butte, home to ghost towns, cowboy cookouts and tours that go deep. helena NATURE WITHIN REACH Rock Music Visit a Real Helena strikes a balance between outdoor The craggy hills are alive at Ringing Rocks, recreation and family-friendly attractions. where gently tapping the rocks with a Ghost Town hammer produces a chiming sound, thanks Head for Bannack State Park Hike the town’s vast trail system, which to their composition and arrangement. and try panning for gold connects to downtown. Don’t miss a ride (Don’t bother taking one home. The rocks near the site of the state’s on the Great Northern Carousel and its won’t ring anywhere else.) first major discovery (in 1862). The town—Montana’s hand-carved Montana animals. Next door, find first territorial capital—is ExplorationWorks!, a science museum with now deserted. Take a guided hands-on exhibits for the whole family. Then tour of the 60 abandoned log and frame structures head to the walking mall on Last Chance during summer, or visit in Gulch, packed with shopping, restaurants and October for ghost walks an outdoor play area. that bring stories of former residents to life. HELENAMT.COM Cowboy for a NIGHT missoula Set your sights on the Milky Way and cowboy life at Helena’s Last Chance Ranch. A horse-drawn PICTURE wagon drives you to a meal Go 100 feet of prime rib and huckleberry YOURSELF HERE cheesecake, followed by guitars underground! Honored with a Playful City USA under the stars. It doesn’t get much cooler than award, Missoula offers plenty a helmet with a built-in light, to discover. right? Everybody gets to wear 1 Ride on A Carousel for Missoula one on tours that venture into downtown, or play at Dragon Hollow the Orphan Girl Mine (part of the World Museum of Mining) in this Playground. town that was once a copper- 2 Explore science at the spectrUM Discovery mining hot spot. Area, or bugs at the Missoula Insectarium. Let imaginations run wild at the ROPE A 3 Children’s Museum. STEER AT GRANT-KOHRS 4 Plunge down a slide or float on RANCH a lazy river at Splash Montana. NATIONAL 5 Devour local ice cream at Sweet Peaks HISTORIC SITE. Sample early 1900s life behind bars at the Old or Big Dipper. Go Directly Montana Prison. Go behind the 24-foot-high to Jail! sandstone walls to see stark maximum-security cells and a courtyard where convicts exercised. DESTINATIONMISSOULA.ORG PHOTOGRAPHS: (RINGING ROCKS, ROPING) COURTESY OF MONTANA OFFICE OF TOURISM AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, (BANNACK, MINE) ERIC SCHMIDT, (HIKERS) COURTESY OF VISIT HELENA, (WATER PARK) COURTESY OF DESTINATION MISSOULA SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION BUTTE SPECIAL PARTNER SECTION AREA where’s a west that’s still wild? that would be Butte, home to ghost towns, cowboy cookouts and tours that go deep. helena NATURE WITHIN REACH Rock Music Visit a Real Helena strikes a balance between outdoor The craggy hills are alive at Ringing Rocks, recreation and family-friendly attractions. where gently tapping the rocks with a Ghost Town hammer produces a chiming sound, thanks Head for Bannack State Park Hike the town’s vast trail system, which to their composition and arrangement. and try panning for gold connects to downtown. Don’t miss a ride (Don’t bother taking one home. The rocks near the site of the state’s on the Great Northern Carousel and its won’t ring anywhere else.) first major discovery (in 1862). The town—Montana’s hand-carved Montana animals. Next door, find first territorial capital—is ExplorationWorks!, a science museum with now deserted. Take a guided hands-on exhibits for the whole family. Then tour of the 60 abandoned log and frame structures head to the walking mall on Last Chance during summer, or visit in Gulch, packed with shopping, restaurants and October for ghost walks an outdoor play area.