8 Cutest Small Towns In Montana For 2025
The gold rushes of the 1860s transformed Montana’s wilderness into a mercantile landscape. As the state’s population grew, so did the prospectors’ hope to strike it big. Ultimately, this time in Montana’s history gave birth to the state motto Oro y Plata, which means Gold and Silver in Spanish. While the frenzied gold fever is in the past, many old mining towns and trading posts are now sought-after vacation destinations. You might not stumble upon literal gold while visiting the Treasure State today, but you will undoubtedly feel rich with memorable experiences amidst some of Mother Nature’s most dazzling jewels. Here are eight small towns in Montana to get to know this year.
Whitefish
Located only 25 miles from Glacier National Park, Whitefish is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Nature lovers and avid backpackers flock to the small Montana town year-round for a wide variety of activities. In fact, an appreciation of the surrounding wilderness is baked into the community’s ethos, which will appear throughout Whitefish’s downtown, its mountain resort, and the stunning Flathead Valley.
Your entire family will appreciate Whitefish Lake State Park for summertime water sports. To cruise the lake’s calm waters, rent a kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or pedal boat from Sea Me Paddle Kayaking Tours. On land, the Whitefish Trail is a 47-mile trail network perfect for hiking, dog walking, and mountain biking among the forest’s tall trees. Hit up the White Mountain Resort for its aerial adventure park, a run down the alpine slides, or simply a scenic lift ride. In the winter, skiers will find 111 marked trails over 3,000 acres for an incredible experience on the resort’s slopes.
All of that adventuring will work up an appetite! Head to Whitefish’s adorable downtown area, densely populated with an array of coffee shops and eateries. For a casual lunch, you can’t go wrong with a local brewery like Blackstar and its amazing mountain views. For a special night out, try Herb & Omni’s highly-rated New American menu that features the best ingredients from local Flathead ranches and farms.
Big Sky
Many visitors choose Big Sky as their base camp when planning to tour Yellowstone National Park, as the west entrance is only about an hour away. But this southern Montana community has plenty to keep you busy within the town limits.
You’ll often hear the soothing sounds of live music sprinkled throughout Big Sky. Music in the Mountains is a weekly summertime concert series that locals look forward to each Thursday. This family-friendly evening in Town Center Park lets the kids play while the adults relax. The town also hosts the annual Wildlands Music Festival, a big celebration of Montana’s “wild, open spaces.” This year’s event features the Dave Matthews Band as the headliner for both nights under the bright Montana stars.
And, if you’re in town in the winter months, you must book a sleigh ride dinner through Lone Mountain Ranch. Your magical evening will begin with a 20-minute horse-drawn ride that leads to a snowy cabin in the woods. Dimly lit by candles on the dinner tables and lanterns hanging around the room, you’ll be taken with the warm and cozy interior as the setting of your classic Montana meal featuring prime rib, mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. Cowboy singer-storytellers softly serenade the room while you dine, topping off your unforgettable western experience.
Lewistown
Right in the middle of the state, Lewistown is established in the Judith Basin and encircled by five island mountain ranges. The town’s cowboy charm attracts vacationers from all over the country who want to immerse themselves in its natural beauty.
Venturing into the great outdoors is mandatory in Lewistown. The Labyrinth Garden offers seven walking circuits accented by vibrant flowers, perfect for contemplation and reflection in a serene setting. Or, take a swim in Warm Springs, the largest natural warm spring in the world, with 50,000 gallons of water rising up from the earth every minute of the day. Another option is the Lewistown trail system, which provides 24 miles of paths that link the downtown area to other green spaces, including Big Spring Creek, a perfect place to spot Montana wildlife or float.
Lewiston also features a number of annual community events that draw thousands of visitors each year. The Central Montana Fair at the Fergus County Fairgrounds happens each July and offers classic carnival food, games, and rides with a little western flair in the form of horse shows, livestock judging, and a rodeo. The very unique Chokecherry Festival in September honors the bitter dark red berry and features a pancake breakfast with chokecherry syrup, a chokeberry culinary competition, and even a chokeberry seed spitting contest.
Virginia City
Located in Alder Gulch, where gold was discovered in May 1863, Virginia City stands as one of the most prominent towns to rise from the early mining encampments and remains an incredible opportunity to learn about the state’s mining history.
Virginia City is like a living history textbook, or an “open-air museum,” as the town’s tourism website mentions. You will instantly be swept back in time walking along the Virginia City Boardwalk, the town’s original Main Street that preserves the boomtown’s earliest design. Among the many operating saloons, shops, and hotels, you should attend a Brewery Follies cabaret and comedy show at Gilbert Brewery, the first brewery in Montana’s history. There, you’ll spend a couple of hours doubled over in laughter watching the troupe’s sketches and song parodies.
Don’t forget to take a train ride on the Alder Gulch Shortline Railroad to the nearby Nevada City sister ghost town, which features history interpreters and reenactors every weekend during the summer months. If you want to truly experience life in the 1860s, head here to see what a bank, a jail, a school, and pioneer cabins really looked like.
Bigfork
Situated between the Flathead and Swan Rivers, Bigfork marks the place where the two flow into the glacial Flathead Lake. This small town’s star is on the rise, as ‘USA Today’ just named it one of the best small towns in America.
Somewhat surprisingly, this gorgeous mountain town is an artist’s playland at heart. The Bigfork Summer Playhouse delights audiences with a mix of lively plays, music revues, and children’s productions. Right across the street is the Bigfork Art and Cultural Center, a creative and educational hub that spotlights Montana artists, rotates interesting exhibits, and offers classes and lectures for the public.
Bigfork is also full of restaurants that match the best in the state. Start your morning with a brew from the highly rated Fieldheads Coffee Roasting, a local shop with its own roasting facility near the lake. Bigfork natives also love Echo Lake Cafe’s rustic ambiance and menu featuring hearty comfort food for breakfast and lunch. And, Flathead Lake Brewing Co. Bigfork Pubhouse features 16 beers on tap, an elevated bar food menu, and two levels with views of the clear waters of Flathead Lake.
Not to be outdone, Bigfork’s scenic splendor is on full display all seasons of the year. Drive the Seeley Swan Corridor for a panorama of fall colors, and in spring, you can look forward to swaths of pink and white cherry blossoms decorating the shores of Flathead Lake.
Butte
Thanks to its bountiful stores of copper, Butte's population shot up quickly after the invention of electricity in the late 1800s. This discovery gave the town its nickname “The Richest Hill on Earth,” and today, the rolling landscapes are dotted with ancient headframes, reminders of the town’s mining past.
Butte is full of unique, must-see attractions and outdoor activities. The 90-foot-tall Our Lady of the Rockies statue, also dubbed the Memorial on Top of the World, stands proudly on the Continental Divide as a non-denominational tribute to women and mothers around the world. Quite a sight to behold, the statue can also be viewed by hiking the Maud S Canyon Loop, a 3.9-mile trail near the town.
While in Butte, you should also don your hard hat and take the underground mining tour at the World Museum of Mining. This expedition takes you 100 feet into the Orphan Girl Mine, allowing you to view the original shaft station and hear stories of the miners who once worked there.
To really get some bang for your buck, take a Butte Trolley Tour offered by the Chamber of Commerce. The two-hour tour will give you an up-close perspective of Butte’s interesting history as you amble through the National Historic Landmark District and its highlights, such as the Berkeley Pit viewing stand, the Mai Wah Museum, and the Copper King Mansion.
Glendive
A small town on the banks of the Yellowstone River, Glendive is located in the badlands of eastern Montana and is well known to be a former dinosaur stomping ground, as told by the abundance of fossils that have been discovered in the area.
There is a lot of outdoor adventure to be had on the Yellowstone River. Contact Yellowstone River Adventures to schedule a jetboating or rafting cruise, where you can build in birdwatching or agate hunting in the riverbanks’ gravel. To see the river another way, walk across the Historic Bell Street Bridge, a 1,300-foot pedestrian and bike path that traverses the body of water and offers the best views of the river and striking Montana sunsets.
When in Glendive, spend a day at Makoshika State Park, the discovery site of 10 different dinosaur species. As a prominent stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail, the park’s visitors center is where you can see a Triceratops skull, and more fossils in the area are waiting to reveal themselves as weather disrupts the natural landscape. For more dino fun, take a paleontological excursion with Baisch’s Dinosaur Digs, where you can hunt for fossils and petrified wood—and despite a few exceptions, you’ll be able to bring home most of your finds.
Libby
Libby lies between the Cabinet Mountains to the south and the Purcell Mountains to the north. Known as the “City of Eagles” because of the notable number of birds living on the Kootenai River, you’ll be able to spot several gigantic eagle statues throughout the town.
One of the highlights of visiting Libby is access to the Kootenai National Forest, 2.2 million acres of land home to bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, and mountain goats. A major highlight is Kootenai Falls, one of the largest free-flowing waterfall in the northwest. For prime photo opportunities, walk across the Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge, a suspension bridge at an elevation of 2,100 feet.
Libby’s downtown area is also worthy of your time. Make yourself at home at the women-owned Cabinet Mountain Brewing Company, also known as Libby’s Living Room because of its welcoming vibes. For Montana-meets-the-Mediterranean fine dining, book a reservation at The Black Board Bistro, an unparalleled experience run by executive chef and hometown hero Chef Seth Black.
In the winter, check out Turner Mountain Ski Resort for a no-frills, small-town ski experience. Run entirely by volunteers, the mountain offers 22 named runs, most of which are blue and black. There’s also a new ski lodge on site, perfect for warming up by the fire after a hard day’s work.
Visiting Montana’s Small Towns
Whether you want to go on a sleigh ride in Big Sky, investigate Montana’s mining past in Virginia City, or dig for dinosaur fossils in Glendive, you will not have trouble finding a wealth of unique experiences across the state. Simply tilting your head back and letting your eyes roam the starry sky is enough to take your breath away in Big Sky Country. But, these eight small towns add a special something to any vacation—a deep well of history, exceptional outdoor adventures, and nationally recognized festivals and community events. It’s time for you to rush to Montana to discover a great vacation in the Treasure State.
