Great Scenic Drives in Montana
Glacier Country
Seeley - Swan Scenic Corridor - This 91 mile route
along MT 83 stretches from Seely Lake in the South to Swan
Lake in the north. As you travel, you can see beautiful
lakes in the forested valley below. You may stop for a while
to hike Holland Lake Falls, visit the Audubon acknowledges
birding area at Old Squeezer Loop or see the wildlife as
you take a ride on Clearwater Canoe Trail.
Gold West Country
Pioneer Mt. Scenic Byway -Travelling up this road
will give you a great view of the magnificent Pioneer Mountain
Range as you make your way through the Beaverhead-Deerlodge
National Forest. To the west are beautiful forest and to
the east you will see granite parks reaching 10,000 feet.
Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Highway - When you take
MT 9 from Anaconda, you will pass Georgetown Lake and follow
the course of Flint Creek. This is gorgeous alternate route
when driving between Butte and Missoula.
Russell Country
C.M. Russell Auto Tour - For the rugged landscapes
that are seen in cowboy artist C. M. Russell’s work, begin
in Great Falls and follow US 87. Along the way, there are
25 interpretive sites.
 King’s
Hill Scenic Byway- If you are looking for adventure, then
head to White Sulphur Springs and set your GPS to follow
US 89 North until it intersects with US 87. Along the route,
gravel roads traverse the highway. The gravel roads can
be followed to back country trail heads, lakes, abandoned
mines and other interesting sites.
Missouri River Country
Outlaw Trail - Begin in Scobey and follow MT 13
south to trace the path of Kid Curry, Butch Cassidy and
other renowned western gunslingers. Along the way, there
are walking tours, interpretive signs indicating the hide-outs
and the sites of bank robberies.
Ft. Peck Lake Drive - For more shoreline than California
begin at Fort Peck Dam—one of the largest in the world—and
continue along Ft. Peck Lake going south on MT 24 until
it reaches MT 200.
Custer Country
Big Sky Back Country Byway - This scenic drive begins
in Terry, MT at exit 178 off I-94 then heads north on Highway
253 ultimately connecting with MT 13 North. As you travel
the route between Yellowstone Park and the Missoula River
you will see rock formations, the badlands and wildlife.
(An 18 mile portion of this road is gravel.)
Nez Perce / Wind Farm Trail - Follow the path of
Chief Joseph, White Bird, Looking Glass and about 800 Nez
Perce as you travel the western edge of Custer Country.
You will begin north of Laurel and follow all the way to
Eddie’s Corner; at Judith Gasp you will see a “wind farm”
with over 100 enormous turbines.
Yellowstone Country
The Beartooth All-American Road has been designated
a National Scenic Byway, with the section from Red Lodge
and Cooke City labeled by Charles Kuralt as “the most beautiful
drive in America”. The 53 mile drive reaches across almost
11,000 feet high as it crosses the Beartooth Mountains before
continuing to Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance.
Quake Lake Tour - On August 17, 1959 Madison Canyon
near West Yellowstone was hit by the largest earthquake
ever to occur in Montana. Side effects included devastating
landslides which resulted in flooding and collapsed roadways.
The mud from the landslides dammed the Madison River resulting
in what is now called “Quake Lake”. The 190 foot deep, 6
mile long lake can be seen as you tour US 287.
Photo Credits: Seely Lake by Clearly Ambiguous;
Truck on Road and Horses from Car by Katie@! ; Motorcycle
Roadtrip through Montana by Big Foot Meida; Red Lodge in
snow by Evan L
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