Ronan, Montana, was first the home of Salish and Kootenai Native Americans. These tribes worked hard to stay out of the Nez Perce War and away from early settlers. The government sent Peter Ronan to oversee relationships between the Native Americans and the first settlers, and everyone loved his easy-going nature and honesty. Get a glimpse of what this region of Montana looked like before it was settled by going on a hike in the Mission Mountain Wilderness Area.
Settlers established a small trading post in 1883, and they called the town that started to develop around the post Spring Creek. The city grew more rapidly after the Great Northern Railway arrived, and the government established the first post office in 1894. The government, which had paid to have a sawmill and a flour mill built, insisted on changing the town's name to Ronan. The city became home to several thriving businesses until a devastating fire in a garage destroyed over 50% of it on August 24, 1912. The fire did not deter the business community, and they built back brick buildings while putting a lot of distance between each structure. Head to the Garden of the Rockies Museum to learn more about the wind-swept fire and redevelopment.
While you are exploring this city of about 2,000 people, you will want to eat in some local restaurants. Little Montana Restaurant and Catering is a fantastic place to get hot coffee and a big breakfast to start your day off right. Try Stella's Deli and Bakery at lunch, which is also a great place to pick up fresh-made sandwiches for a picnic. Bring the gang to Pizza Café for an evening of fun.
Harvest Festival – This September festival in Ronan celebrates the harvest through good food, music, and entertainment.
Trail of Bales - About 40 area farmers and others take place in this festival where people decorate hay bales with a new theme each year and leave them on their farms for others to enjoy. Then, people drive by and look at the bales and vote for their favorites.
Good Old Days Festival – This festival in St. Ignatius features a tennis tournament, auction, baking contests, and family games.
Glacier National Park is a terrific place to see how glaciers continue to shape the earth. You will want to start your visit by driving along Going to the Sun Road to get an overview of this park located about 82 miles north of Ronan. This park is unique because it lies across the U.S. border from Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park, and together the two facilities make up an international peace park. There are many terrific hiking trails in this park, including the one-mile-long Trail of the Cedars, 4.5-mile-long Avalanche Lake Trail, and 2.8-mile-long Hidden Lake Trail.
Yellowstone National Park is about 320 miles south of Ronan. Most people come to this park to see Old Faithful erupt and the rainbow water at Grand Prismatic Spring. Hikers will want to explore the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. You will also want to go fishing in Yellowstone Lake, the highest freshwater lake in the United States.
West Shore/Flathead Lake State Park is a fantastic place to play on Flathead Lake. The mature fir, pine, and larch forest is a terrific place to hike and to see stunning views of the Swan and Mission mountains. The rocky beach at this park provides easy access for swimming, boating, and fishing. You will love staying in the campground, which has an ADA-compliant site.
Salmon Lake State Park is a beautiful place to start an adventure on the Clearwater River Chain-of-Lakes, and you will want to go fishing, boating, and swimming at this state park near Seely, Montana. There are fantastic hiking trails running under western larch, ponderosa pine, and Douglas fir trees. Your children will enjoy the large playground.
Head south of Ronan about 30 miles to reach the city of Arlee and the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. This monument contains a wheel of dharma with eight spokes, each lined with Buddha statues. At the middle of the wheel is a colorful 24-foot statue of Yum Chenmo, the Great Mother. Over 1,000 stupas of enlightenment surround the wheel. There are many other Montana landmarks you may want to explore.
Missoula is about 50 miles south of Ronan, and you can find terrific Missoula campgrounds in this area. Families will want to consider Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, which features a heated pool and a miniature golf course. Jim & Mary's RV Park often features live entertainment during the summer months. Another great choice is Missoula KOA Holiday, where you can rent bikes, play in the pool, and shop in the camp store.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Ronan, MT, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Ronan?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Ronan from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Ronan?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.