If you ask us, Montana certainly lives up to its mountainous name. It is filled to the brim with incredible natural land formations as well as important cultural and historical destinations that just can’t be found anywhere else. Many of these Montana landmarks are not to be missed, but it can be hard to decide which ones.
Below, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 landmarks in Montana. Add these to your list of things to see while camping in Montana and you can’t go wrong.
Top Landmarks in Montana
Montana Landmarks
Going-to-the-Sun Road
The main thoroughfare running through Glacier National Park, driving along Going-to-the-Sun Road really does feel like you’re about to touch the sky. And the destinations it does actually lead you to are almost as incredible.
Although only about 50 miles long and driveable in just a couple of hours, you could easily spend a lifetime diving into all of the incredible adventures to be found in the wilds surrounding this stretch of asphalt. Just make sure you visit during the summer or the road may not be plowed, making it impossible to explore!
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Glacier National Park is one of the most pristine wildernesses left in the world, filled with every kind of outdoor adventure opportunity your heart could desire. There really isn’t any need to add any other attractions to your itinerary because there is so much to see and do within the park.
We also recommend camping in the park if you can. There are several campgrounds in the park and plenty of options for RVers.
Great Northern Railway Buildings
Another important Glacier National Park landmark that Going-to-the-Sun Road can lead you to: the Great Northern Railway Buildings are a must-see. This collection of five separate park structures dates back to the early 20th century (circa 1913-1915).
The collection includes the Belton Chalets, the Granite Park Chalet, Many Glacier Hotel, the Sperry Chalet, and Two Medicine General Store. Some of these structures are only accessible via hikes, and sometimes fairly long ones. Be sure to read up on all of them when you visit the park visitor center — and make a plan to see at least one or two!
Attractions and Camping Nearby
We still think Glacier is the only attraction you’ll need to fill your trip with tons of fun. That said, if you need a slightly bigger city after spending some time in Glacier? The town of Kalispell has resources like a Walmart and a movie theater, and is still only an hour away from this incredible wilderness.
If you can’t camp in the park, you might consider camping in Kalispell at Spruce on the River, which is well-kept and in an ideal location.
Lake McDonald Lodge
We promise this is the last of the Glacier National Park spots on our list. What can we say? The park really is an incredibly significant place, both naturally and historically and it plays host to lost of great Montana landmarks.
Lake McDonald Lodge was originally built in 1913 as a rugged-yet-opulent option for park guest accommodations — and it’s still in service as a hotel today. Really though, the Lodge is a great stop to add to your Glacier itinerary even if you don’t plan on staying the night. The onsite dining opportunities are also excellent — and, of course, there’s a gift shop so you can get something for the folks you left at home! It also offers some incredible views.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Located close to the western entrance of the park at West Glacier, Lake McDonald Lodge makes for an easy day trip even if you don’t have more in-depth adventures inside the park planned. That said, you really should plan to explore as much of the park as possible while in the area.
Looking for another great nearby camping opportunity? Consider staying at KOA East Glacier, which offers the amenities you’d expect from a KOA within easy driving distance of the national park.
First Peoples Buffalo Jump
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park is an important natural and archeological site. It is the largest known buffalo jump in the United States — and perhaps the largest in the whole world. What is a buffalo jump? Simply put, it is a cliff formation that Native Americans used in order to hunt buffalo en masse.
This place has been a National Historic Landmark since 2015 and is one of only three protected buffalo jumps in the state. It is an awesome place to explore, learn, and reflect.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Located close to the town of Ulm, half an hour outside of Great Falls, First Peoples Buffalo Jump is convenient to other wildernesses, like Tower Rock State Park and Lewis and Clark National Forest. It’s a great area to visit if you want to get outside.
Great Falls KOA Holiday is nearby and is a great home base for exploring everything the area has to offer.
Lewis & Clark Pass
Resting along the Continental Divide at an altitude of 6,424 feet above sea level, Lewis & Clark Pass was heavily used well before the famous exploration team came to “discover” it. Historically used by Native American peoples to get from the plains of eastern Montana to the Columbia River Valley, Lewis & Clark Pass has been an important place since time immemorial.
Uniquely, this is one of the only spots along the Lewis & Clark trail that is not directly accessible via road, but rather requires visitors to hike up to the spot. A road will take you within 1.5 miles of the pass, approaching from the west, but those last few thousand feet are all you.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Located in the woods that lie triangulated between Great Falls, Helena and Missoula, Lewis & Clark Pass is certainly a wilderness exploration adventure. This makes sense, given its name. Smaller nearby towns include Lincoln and Milford Colony.
Hooper Park Campground is in nearby Lincoln and is a good place to stay if you plan to explore the area.
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
Today, the wide-open west is synonymous with cattle ranching to most Americans. That said, it wasn’t always that way. It all started back in the 1850s. This is around the time when a Canadian fur trader by the name of Johnny Grant first set up a cattle ranch at this site. Completed in 1862, what is today known as the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site commemorates this important part of American history.
Today, this landmark is operated and managed by the National Park Service. It offers visitors many unique ways to get a first-hand experience of life on the ranch. Still home to many livestock and staffed by helpful rangers who offer guided tours and information, there’s so much to see and do at this important historical site.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Located only about an hour west of Helena, this historic site is close to both urban and other rural adventures, including nearby Missouri Headwaters State Park, Lewis & Clark Cavern State Park and others. It’s also only minutes away from the fascinating Old Montana Prison Museum.
The Helena North KOA Journey is one of the many nearby campgrounds and is a nice place to stay for a few nights.
Brennan’s Wave
Think of it like a treadmill, except with water! Missoula is well-known for being the setting of A River Runs Through It, and indeed one does. Perhaps the most iconic part of the Clark Fork River, at least in these parts, is the unique man-made wave tucked close to the Higgins traffic and footbridge. You can find brave kayakers, surfers, and even body surfers taking to its adventuresome crest almost year round.
Even if you’re not ready to get wet, you can spend an afternoon on the sidelines watching the folks who use this wave as their own personal training zone for future river adventures.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Missoula is chock full of incredible art galleries, bookstores, coffee shops, and all other manner of cultural attractions and nerdery. Plus, it’s home to the University of Montana, which keeps an energetic vibe in the air.
Yet another fantastic KOA location, the Missoula KOA Holiday is a great place to stay.
Virginia City
It’s not often that a whole city lands on our list as a must-see landmark, but what can we say? Montana is full of surprises.
Virginia City — the whole town and surrounding areas of which have been designated National Historic Landmark District — is like a ghost town… except it’s still alive. Originally founded back in 1863 as part of the gold rush that brought prospectors out to the west in droves, Virginia City experienced a relatively short boom. By the 1940s, its quickly-slapped-up structures were failing.
Charles and Sue Bovey purchased the town and rebuilt it as an open-air museum. Today, most of it’s owned by the state of Montana. Regardless, it’s an incredible opportunity to explore first-hand one of these unique communities, especially since almost 200 people still call it their permanent home.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
It’s fair to say that Virginia City is in the middle of nowhere. That said, it’s only a little more than an hour from the West Yellowstone entrance to Yellowstone National Park. It’s also close to other wildernesses like Beaverhead Rock State Park and Bannack State Park.
There are tons of camping options in this part of the state. Rambling Moose Campground is one of our top picks, as it puts you in Virginia City proper, meaning you can easily explore the historic place.
Pictograph Cave
Actually referring to an area with not just one, but three, caves, Pictograph Cave State Park is an important archeological region. More than 30,000 different artifacts have been recovered and identified here. These include the bones of large mammals like elk and bison that were hunted for prey.
Pictograph Cave itself is the largest of the three, and ancient paintings — also known as pictographs — can still be seen decorating its walls. Some of these may be more than 2,100 years old, while others are from as recently as 200 years ago.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
Located immediately outside the city of Billings, Pictograph Cave makes for a great day trip for those staying in town. Other things to do in town include ZooMontana and the Moss Mansion Museum. It is also surrounded by other amazing wildernesses, not the least of which is Yellowstone National Park.
Not sure where to camp? We recommend the Billings KOA Holiday, which offers comfortable accommodations in the middle of all the city has to offer.
Pompeys Pillar National Monument
At just over 50 acres, Pompeys Pillar National Monument is one of the smallest in the country. That said, the history preserved by this area is huge.
This sandstone tower looms more than 150 feet over the Yellowstone River below, and the base itself has a whopping one-acre footprint. Native American petroglyphs can be seen on the pillar, which was also considered an important navigational aid. Case in point, look closely and you’ll also find William Clark of the Lewis & Clark expedition’s signature on this magnificent hunk of rock.
Attractions and Camping Nearby
This attraction is tucked along the southern shore of the Yellowstone River just a short drive east of Billings. Things to do nearby include Yellowstone Art Museum and DanWalt Botanical Gardens.
Billings Village RV Park is one of the top places to stay nearby. It’s a nice place to leave the rig while you get out and explore.
Planning an RV Trip to Montana
An RV trip is perhaps the most ideal way to see Montana: you’ll travel in the comfort of your own home on wheels through these rugged expanses. We have everything you need to take on the journey, including the best Montana RV rentals, information about the best campgrounds in the state, and guides to all the best state parks Montana has to offer.
We’ve also penned guides to Glacier National Park to the north of Montana and Yellowstone National Park to the South. So get out there and enjoy that big blue sky!
