7 Stunning Small Towns In Montana
From former mining camps tucked into mountain valleys to lakefront communities shaped by outdoor life, these Montana towns hold the state’s history, culture, and natural beauty in a more personal way than its cities ever could. Whether built on gold, copper, railroads, or rivers, Montana’s small towns offer a slower pace and a stronger sense of place, making them the best way to uncover the state’s true treasures.
Virginia City preserves the spirit of the Gold Rush and its Wild West lawlessness through living-history museums, while West Yellowstone serves as a gateway to Old Faithful Geyser and Yellowstone National Park. Ennis provides a calmer vibe as a fisherman's mecca with cold, clear lakes and rivers, while Butte dazzles visitors with its 19th-century mansions of copper magnates. You're going to want to spend some time in these seven stunning small towns in Montana to discover all of their treasures.
Virginia City
Virginia City has been a golden place from its beginnings in the 1860s. Prospectors discovered gold in the area, and it quickly drew in thousands of people looking to make their fortune. The town was notoriously lawless, and "order" was maintained by a group called the Montana Vigilantes, who hanged various road agents and bandits. Several of these condemned bandits are buried at the Boothill Cemetery. Today, the town has several cute Old Western attractions ranging from the performing arts at the Virginia City Players to the Bale of Hay Saloon.
Just outside of Virginia City is the largest collection of Old Western artifacts and treasures at the Nevada City Old Town Museum and Music Hall. It has a world-class collection of vintage music machines and living reenactors who share what life was like in a Gold Rush boomtown. Just beyond town, Alder Gulch cuts through the surrounding hills, creating a narrow canyon with sagebrush slopes, cottonwood trees, and quiet backroads ideal for scenic drives and short hikes.
Whitefish
Whitefish has been called the best small town in Montana for a 3-day weekend, thanks to stunning Glacier National Park, just 30 minutes outside of town. This park is named after the melting glaciers that lie atop its mountain peaks, and it has more than 700 miles of hiking trails to explore. The Going-To-The-Sun Road cuts through 50 miles of the park and passes by all of its major landscapes, from glacial lakes to cedar forests to tundra and the Logan Pass. You don't have to travel outside of the city to see stunning spots, as Whitefish Lake sits within its borders. It's a relaxing place to go fishing, swimming, boating, or doing other outdoor activities. In the winter, the lake completely freezes over, but that doesn't stop daring residents from cutting a hole in the ice and diving into its freezing waters for the Whitefish Winter Carnival, held in February.
West Yellowstone
The most visited park in Montana is Yellowstone National Park, and the best gateway to experience that region is West Yellowstone. More than two million people visit this community every year, as it is one of the closest entry points to Old Faithful, a geyser that erupts from the earth every 92 minutes on average. For a more relaxing experience, there are boardwalk trails just a few minutes outside of town, such as the Two Ribbons, which follows the Madison River on the border between Montana and Wyoming.
Before you enter Yellowstone National Park, you can learn about the park's history and wildlife at the Museum of the Yellowstone, which will provide you with context and stories to enrich your experience in the park. If you want a trail that's not so busy, you can go to the Yellowstone Shortline Trail, a nine-mile trail that was formerly a part of the Oregon Shortline Railroad. After all the exploring, grab a bite at the Wild West Pizzeria & Saloon, a laid-back saloon with live music and great pizza.
Ennis
If you enjoy fishing, then Ennis is the place to be. The town calls itself a Fisherman's Paradise because of its location by the Madison River. This river is clear and cold, which makes it perfect for finding and catching trout. The water at Ennis Lake is equally beautiful and accessible from Kobayashi Beach. The beach has several picnic areas with the beautiful backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. Ennis celebrates its fishing heritage with the Fly Fishing and Outdoor Festival in August, held at Peter T's Park, featuring fly-fishing demonstrations, music, and food. In May, Montana brewers and distillers descend on Ennis for the Montana Craft Beer and Distilleries Festival held within the cute family park called the Lions Club Park.
Livingston
This railway town on the Yellowstone River is a favorite getaway for big stars and musicians, thanks to its art scene and access to Yellowstone National Park. Cowboys especially love to attend the Music Ranch Montana in Paradise Valley, which claims to be “the last best music venue,” with dancing and concerts amid an old western atmosphere. As for the arts, Livingston has over a dozen art galleries and an art museum displaying the best of Western art. The Danforth Museum of Art features several intriguing artists on rotation, including Cynthia Handel's torso paintings.
Livingston also prides itself on its wildlife, such as the grizzly bear. You can see these creatures in their natural habitat at the nearby Montana Grizzly Encounter. Just 15 minutes west of town, this site aims to rescue animals and hosts the OctoBear Festival in October, featuring Halloween celebrations, trunk-or-treating, and delicious fall chili, with grizzlies nearby. For a more authentic experience, one can head south of Livingston to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, which boasts the Livingston Peak Trail. This 7.5-mile trek is a quiet place with little foot traffic, making it ideal for solitary hikes and birdwatching.
Bigfork
While many Montana towns have beautiful lakes, Bigfork has one of the largest concentrations of pristine bodies of water in the state. Situated by Flathead Lake, Bigfork has a relaxing atmosphere that has been charming visitors since its establishment in the early 20th century. The town gets its name from the fork between the Flathead River and Swan River, which flows into Flathead Lake. During low water levels, Flathead Lake's North Shore is exposed, leaving behind a majestic sandy beach right by the Flathead Waterfowl Production Area.
The lake isn't the only body of water to see in Bigfork. The other is the 34-mile Hungry Horse Reservoir, a spot surrounded by 25 mountains and filled with whitefish, cutthroat trout, and bull trout. There are 27 alpine lakes to see within the Jewel Basin Hiking Area, along with more than 130 bird species. While natural views are the primary attraction, indoor venues like the Bigfork Art & Cultural Center also offer charming opportunities to see great artwork.
Butte
Butte has been called the "Richest Hill on Earth" because of the copper mines discovered here, which drew large numbers of immigrants. All that wealth pouring into the town caused it to develop one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the country. One of the most iconic structures in Butte is the 1888 Copper King Mansion, a Romanesque Revival-style building with 34 rooms, stained glass windows, and fresco-painted ceilings. Another awe-inspiring spot in Butte is the Our Lady of the Rockies, a 90-foot-tall statue honoring Mary, the mother of Christ, and mothers more generally. Butte also honors the contributions of Asian immigrants to Montana at the Mai Wah Museum. Not far from downtown Butte, you can go exploring the Maud S Canyon Trail leading into the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Stunning Destinations In The Big Sky Country
All of these communities are golden, both literally and figuratively. Virginia City has a rich history of prospecting, preserved through museums and saloons. At the same time, Whitefish offers golden opportunities to explore pristine glacial landscapes in the very northern tip of the U.S. From the rivers to the mountains to the lakes, these communities have the most stunning landscapes not just in Montana but in all the U.S. You have the opportunity to strike gold for yourself by booking a trip to Butte, Bigfork, or any of Montana's golden towns.
