#anyway im like almost recovered from my lung disease so thats cool

[nesciobescio]

yeah

[wordpress-blaze-238084883]

Discovering Southwest Montana: Hidden Gems and Stunning Views

I mentioned it in a previous post, but I have a love affair with Montana. I mean how can you not with views like the picture above? We've been a handful of times but mostly with a focus on Glacier National Park or other NPs. On this trip we explored some lesser known areas and less populated towns in this great state. Best part of all of this, we rented an incredible truck/camper combination which allowed us to get to some rugged areas for hikes, but still sleep comfortably. All in all, this quick trip will go down as one of my favorite road trips we've ever done.

Opposite of some road trips we've taken, I think we timed this one perfectly! We did this trip in early June which meant very long days allowing a lot of exploration time (15+ hours of daylight!) and the weather was fairly temperate even in the mountains. Perfect for hiking during the day, cozying up by campfire at night and taking in the picturesque mountains with snow still on the peaks. Although it did still get chilly at night so I'm glad we had a camper instead of tents!

Speaking of hiking -- how have I never heard of the Bitterroot Valley hikes before this trip? We did multiple trails here and I was shocked at how accessible (not in an ADA way but in a drivable way) and easy-ish hiking to some insane views was. I mean one of the hikes we did overlooked a valley that could have been mistaken for Yosemite valley. This area is that jaw-dropping. When I remember this trip it will be because of the unexpected landscape we explored. I mean most of the places we visited are not far from the larger cities in Montana -- Bozeman, Missoula, Big Sky -- but the escape to nature was quick, easy, and fulfilled the connection I love so much to Mother Earth.

Highlights from Southwest Montana:

The Kimbo! I can't say enough about how great this traveling camper was. Most important to us and for this trip/itinerary is that some of the hikes we did required traversing dirt roads that are uneven and at this time of the year covered in mud and/or snow. This vehicle handled the drive like a champ! Also, it was very comfortable to sleep in with a heater built in and other basic necessities. It was nice to be able to store/cook our own food in a safe way in grizzly country too! Colin with Wild Rover dropped the camper off at airport and met us to pick it up at the end. From beginning to end this was a great experience and I highly recommend!

Lewis and Clark Cave tour was a true highlight. It is absolutely worth driving out to the middle of nowhere and doing one of these tours. The history of how it was found and maintained is unique. The cave system itself is huge and very impressive. But also because it is not visited as often as other cave systems, it feels sacred and less touched by humans in many ways.

Bitterroot Valley Hikes: I mentioned it earlier in the post, but this is worth repeating and highlighting the hikes here too. I wish we had a whole week to explore here, but for one day, I think we did a pretty good job:

Ghost Towns! We did a few ghost towns to break up some of the longer driving days. There is something cool, creepy and nostalgic about visiting ghost towns. You can feel the weight of history as you are walking through them. These were no exception: Bannack SP, Nevada City and Virginia City. Bannack is more of a traditional ghost town while Nevada City and Virginia City are more restored, but all great stops to break up the days. Also, there was a great candy shop and ice cream stop in Virginia City that you should definitely stop at!

Campgrounds - I truly was impressed with all the traditional campgrounds we stayed in (I am not counting the canvas tent in Darby which was nice to get to shower but nothing special beyond that). However, each of the other spots were great because of their locations, beauty of the surrounding areas (hello lakes!) and access to hiking trails. I would absolutely stay at each of these again!

Southwestern Montana ItineraryDownload NOW!

Tips about This Itinerary and Trip:

Check weather and road conditions. We did this trip in early June which in wetter years can mean way more snow than we encountered. We were lucky on that front in that we were able to do most of the hikes that we set out to do -- but not all. So make sure to check weather/road conditions each day and plan accordingly.

For this trip we stuck pretty closely to the itinerary. Any hikes we did are highlighted and any we didn't do, I added notes to. Also, for Day 3 we ended up doing Option 2.

There is a lot of driving on this trip, but around every corner was a new mountain range. Part of the beauty of Montana is the rolling hills, chasing the mountain ranges and relaxing into the rhythm of driving. My tip here is to have music pre-downloaded (there are areas with no service), grab some good road snacks and just enjoy that exploring a large state means a lot of time in the car!

Sunset at Hyalyte CanyonThe Kimbo in the Wild!Lewis and Clark Caverns SPLewis and Clark Caverns SPLewis and Clark Caverns SPPhilipsburg Bay CampgroundDouble Eagles at Philipsburg CampgroundBannack Ghost Town Bannack Ghost TownBear Creek Trail, Bitterroot ValleyChuck at the top of a Mountain, Bear Creek TrailBlodgett Canyon OverlookClose Up of the Half Domes, Blodgett CanyonLake Como Views, Bitterroot CanyonLonesomehurst Campground Sunset ViewBig Sky Double RainbowOusel Falls hike, Big Sky area

Source: Discovering Southwest Montana: Hidden Gems and Stunning Views