Scenic Drives
This fall, hit the road.
Beartooth Highway
Heralded as one of the most scenic drives in the U.S., the Beartooth Highway, a National Scenic Byways All-American Road, features breathtaking views of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, and open high-alpine plateaus dotted with countless glacial lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls, and wildlife. Check out visitmt.com for more information.
Beartooth Pass... up, up, and away!
Paradise Valley Scenic Loop
The Paradise Valley Scenic Loop is a paved, 62-mile “loop drive” that circles through the beautiful Paradise Valley of Montana. Located south of Livingston and dwarfed by the towering peaks of the Absaroka Range to the east and the Gallatin Range to the west, Paradise Valley is one of Montana’s most scenic riverfront drives. With the Yellowstone flowing through, the Paradise Valley is also a premiere vacation destination in its own right. Go to bigskyfishing.com for more information.
Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley, at the peak of fall colors.
Pintler Memorial Scenic Highway
This 64-mile drive goes from Anaconda, one of Montana's most historic towns, to Georgetown Lake, Philipsburg, and ends in Drummond. The road travels through both conifer-clad mountains and sage-covered hills following Flint Creek and is a wonderful alternative to I-90 when traveling between Butte and Missoula. Go to visitmt.com for more info.
Doesn't get much better than the Wise River in October.
Montana Scenic Loop
Straddling the Great Northern Rocky Mountains—what the Blackfeet call the "Backbone of the World"—the nearly 400-mile-long Montana Scenic Loop has it all: spectacular mountains, extensive wilderness, abundant wildlife, and a down-home friendliness that will leave you enchanted. The Loop comprises 15 vibrant communities, each with a special personality. From high, rugged mountains to windswept plains, you'll travel what many people consider is the best scenic drive in the West. Visit montanascenicloop.com for details.
Whitefish in its fall glory.
Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway
On this picturesque road in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, you can travel the length of the Pioneer mountain range. Granite peaks topping 10,000 feet in elevation are to the east, and gentler, forested terrain stretches out to the west. You'll see mountain meadows, lodgepole pine forests, and broad "willow bottoms." The road gently ascends a 7,800-foot divide between Wise River, flowing north, and Grasshopper Creek, flowing south. Interpretive sites along the byway tell travelers about the natural scenes and some of the interesting history of the Pioneers. You can also visit the ghost town of Coolidge and the abandoned Elkhorn silver mine. Go to visitmt.com for more information.
Picturesque farms on the Pioneer Scenic Byway.
Kings Hill Scenic Byway
Passing through the Lewis & Clark National Forest and the Little Belt Mountains, this drive allows travelers to leisurely savor the rugged beauty and invigorating fresh air that are part of the Montana experience. Stretching 71 miles along Hwy. 89, the route winds its way through pristine mountain lakes and streams and is home to an abundant variety of wildlife. The gravel roads criss-crossing the main highway lead to 450 miles of spectacular mountain scenery, high-country lakes, trailheads, campgrounds, and old mines. Located just south of Kings Hill Pass, Showdown Ski Area offers 1,400 feet of vertical drop and 34 runs. Fishing, floating, mountain biking, horseback riding, and snowmobiling are just a few of the many activities available in this rugged country that stands waiting to be explored. Go to centralmontana.com for more information.
Central Montana has quite the impressive mountains.
