Montana is one of the most underrated destinations in the American West.
It has mind-blowingly majestic scenery, rampant wildlife, and lots of opportunities to explore them both in the great outdoors.
It's got the same quality of skiing as Colorado and Utah, but without the pretensions and high prices. And it has fresh food sourced from local farms and ranches, along with a growing number of microbreweries that churn out delicious craft beers.
With its endless miles of ski-able terrain, its serene snow-covered national parks, and its bizarre winter festivals, winter is one of the best times to visit Big Sky Country.
There's mind-blowingly majestic scenery.
The state is about 147,000 square miles, and encompasses vast mountains, sweeping valleys, placid lakes, and roiling rivers. The scenery is, in a word, spectacular.
The state is covered in gorgeous mountains. In fact, it's named for it: Montana comes from the Spanish word montaña, meaning mountain. Some of the mountain ranges, like the Bitterroot, Absaroka, and Beartooth ranges, are part of the Rockies.
There's unparalleled downhill skiing — without the crowds, prices, or pretensions of other ski resorts.
Montana has 16 downhill ski resorts that have over 17,000 acres of ski-able terrain.
Some of the biggest and best-known resorts are Big Sky and Whitefish Mountain, but smaller mountains like Bridger Bowl and Red Lodge are equally challenging and less crowded.
You'll meet some colorful local characters.
When I visited Montana, I met a woman covered in beaver pelts who called herself "the beaver lady," a gruff man who wore a kilt all year round (even the most frigid winters), professional skiers, and tons of real-life cowboys.
They were all colorful characters full of life and enthusiasm for their state.
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