9 Off-The-Grid Montana Towns To Visit In 2025

Montana is the fourth-largest state by landmass and one of the least densely populated states in the US. Statistically, 1.1 million people live on a 93 million-acre landmass, with pockets of this population distributed across several remote towns where time seems to move slowly. These towns are the ideal destinations to experience authentic off-grid adventures, like the brave men and women who traveled far into the West in the 1800s in search of mineral wealth and suitable lands for settlements, farming, and ranching. Defined by expansive spaces, towering mountains, alpine lakes, lush forests full of wildlife, and fish-stocked rivers flowing in tranquility, these towns are anything but boring. Moreover, most of these towns feature landmarks serving as pathways into the era when ranches, vibrant mining settlements, and cowboys ruled this part of the US. Visit these off-grid towns in Montana soon, and it may be your highlight experience for 2025.

Deer Lodge

Deer Lodge is so off the grid that it became the choice location for the Old Montana Prison, which served as the territory’s first official prison from 1871 until 1979, when the last prisoners were moved. Today, this defunct prison is now a museum located in a prison complex which also houses the Powell County Museum, the Frontier Montana Museum, Yesterday’s Playthings, and the Montana Auto Museum, which contains over 200 vehicles from 1890 to 2022. Notably, the Frontier Montana Museum houses large collections of real-life handguns, chaps, spurs, and other items used by cowboys, ranchers, and frontiersmen from 1829 to 1900.

Additionally, Deer Lodge is home to the Grant-Kohrs Ranch, which has been a working ranch since 1862. Today, a museum, a working blacksmith shop, cowboys, and a haying crew offer insight into the cattle history of Montana. Besides the history, Deer Lodge has other appealing attractions like the Broken Arrow Steakhouse, where delicious steaks, fish, burgers, and other delectables, plus a variety of drinks, are served daily.

Paradise

Paradise is an ideal destination in Montana to live an off-grid life or just experience a remote adventure far from modern cities. Located on the Clark Fork River, this town is indeed a paradise, at least for nature and history lovers. One can easily lose track of time here, especially as the Clark Fork River offers opportunities for canoeing, fishing, and kayaking. Moreover, the town is home to Quinn's Hot Springs Resort, where relaxing soaks in mineral-rich spring waters can be enjoyed with stunning views of the Clark Fork River and surrounding canyons. This resort is the town’s highlight attraction, featuring luxurious rooms and cabins with river and canyon views, plus a wide variety of amenities including a fine dining restaurant and a tavern.

Nearby, Flathead Lake State Park offers opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming, and kayaking on the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Additionally, Thompson Falls State Park is near Paradise and has campsites, picnic facilities, a fishing pond, and nature trails, among other fun facilities.

Big Fork

Big Fork is a peaceful and isolated community of just over 5,000 people, located on Flathead Lake and surrounded by Montana’s Rocky Mountains. This town is a paradise for adventurers, and visitors can begin with Wayfarers State Park, as it offers RV and tent campsites, hiking trails, a swimming beach, picnic tables, and a boat launch for boating and fishing on Flathead Lake. Near Big Fork, several other waterbodies like Swan Lake and Echo Lake are also ideal for fishing and boating. For hikers and bikers, the two-mile Swan River Nature Trail is one of the best in the area, beginning from town and winding along Swan River and wooded areas.

Also, the entrance to Glacier National Park is less than an hour from Big Fork. This one million-acre backcountry park has an endless list of experiences to offer, from sights of Montana’s iconic wildlife to over 700 miles of trails, snow-capped mountain peaks, crystal clear alpine lakes, and over a dozen campgrounds. Besides the outdoor attractions, visitors to Big Fork will be delighted with the delicious food and spirits at the Whistling Andy Distillery and the artistic displays at the Bigfork Art & Cultural Center.

Choteau

Choteau is the perfect off-grid town located on the Rocky Mountain Front and full of interesting discoveries, breathtaking scenery, and endless adventures. For lovers of history and paleontology buffs, the town is home to the Old Trail Museum, which is a great place to explore dinosaur fossils, Native American artifacts, and other displays highlighting the natural and cultural history of Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front region. Away from the history, nature lovers can head a few miles south to Freezout Lake to watch birds like snow geese and tundra swans. Also, Dropstone Outfitting is based in Choteau and offers guided trips to explore the area’s natural attractions, such as the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and Glacier National Park.

Perhaps more exciting is that Choteau is near the Deep Canyon Guest Ranch and is a worthy place to stay when visiting the area. This historic ranch offers rustic log cabins and a guest house, alongside modern facilities like private bathrooms, mini refrigerators, laundry facilities, and coffee makers. The dude ranch also offers a variety of delicious meals, including chicken and barbecue ribs, and activities like horseback riding and hiking. This ranch is also in proximity to the North Fork of the Teton River, which is ideal for fly fishing, swimming, and tubing.

Philipsburg

In the 1890s, this area, now known as Philipsburg, boomed with mining activities due to the huge mineral deposits. Today, it is a quiet town, offering true relaxation and a step back in time into Montana’s mining history. For starters, the town is near the Granite Ghost Town, one of the hardest-hit settlements at the end of the area’s mining boom. Once a thriving silver mining hub in the 1890s, this ghost town is not preserved in a state park, with several dilapidated wooden homes and moribund mining equipment littered across its expanse. Additionally, Phillipsburg is home to Sapphire Gallery, an amazing store offering indoor sapphire mining, goldsmithing, and custom jewelry. It also offers handcrafted gift items made from minerals found in the area and around the world.

As for outdoor buffs, Philipsburg is near the 3,000-acre Georgetown Lake, which is excellent for fishing, boating, and floating. Additionally, the Sweet Palace is in town and has been nicknamed the grandest candy emporium in the American West, due to its huge selection of sweets, ranging from candy to chocolate, taffy, gummies, and caramels, among many others.

Anaconda

There’s nothing snaky about this town located in the Anaconda Mountain Range. It is just a remote place where history blends with nature to create the perfect off-grid vacation. Once a former mining town, this town now invites visitors to check out the Anaconda Smoke Stack, one of the most prominent structures from its mining days. Standing at 585 feet, it is one of the tallest freestanding brick structures in the world and is located on the former site of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company. Although access to the structure is prohibited, visitors can still enjoy the views from the park area, which has several interpretive displays. Moreover, the Anaconda is home to the stunning Anaconda City Hall Cultural Center, which houses the Copper Village Museum & Art Center, where visitors can see artworks and artifacts highlighting the area’s history.

Nearby, the Lost Creek State Park is a beautiful world of natural discoveries offering exciting adventures, including hiking, biking, camping, and wildlife watching. The park is characterized by limestone cliffs, colorful granite formations, a 50-foot waterfall, and wildlife such as mountain goats and bighorn sheep. For golf lovers, Anaconda hosts the Old Works Golf Course, one of the most enchanting golf courses in America, framed by dramatic piles of black slag. Notably, this 18-hole golf course was the site of the town’s first copper smelter and even has views of the town’s iconic smoke stack.

Ennis

Ennis is one of Montana’s coolest towns for a remote getaway into the authentic American West. Fenced by the Madison, Gravelly, and Tobacco Root mountain ranges, this town is near the Madison Valley History Museum, which has a working blacksmith shop, plus artifacts showcasing the history and culture of the Madison Valley. Even more exciting, Ennis hosts one of the most exciting July 4th celebrations in America, featuring parades and iconic rodeo performances.

Meanwhile, Ennis is renowned as a trout fishing hot spot because of its location on the Madison River. Visitors are encouraged to make some catches on this river while in Ennis, before visiting Willie's Distillery to taste and purchase the region’s finest spirits. Nearby, the Wade and Cliff lakes are recommended spots for paddling. Wade Lake is particularly gorgeous, with turquoise waters and surrounding mountains. Campsites are available in the area for overnight stays.

Butte

Butte is a secluded town on the western slope of the Continental Divide, nicknamed "The Richest Hill on Earth" thanks to its thriving copper mining industry during the 1800s. Today, the water-filled Berkeley Pit remains a vibrant tribute to the town's copper mining days and can be seen from a platform above it. Elsewhere in town, the World Museum of Mining offers a deeper dive into the area’s interesting copper mining history. This museum is located on the Orphan Girl Mine, and underground tours are offered into the depths of the mine, plus several structures and artifacts are on display showcasing the lives of immigrants who flooded the area during its mining heydays. Also, visitors can check out the Granite Mountain Speculator Mine Memorial, where 168 miners lost their lives in the deadliest hard rock mining catastrophe in US history.

Meanwhile, the MBMG Mineral Museum in town is a great place to see a wide variety of minerals from the area, including a 27.49-ounce gold nugget. The town also features the Copper King Mansion, one of the finest Romanesque Revival Victorian structures built in the 1880s. This mansion was built by one of the area’s powerful copper mining developers at the time, and tours are offered into its 34-room interior featuring original Victorian-era furnishings and paintings. Away from the mining history, visitors to Butter are always welcome to enjoy delectable noodles at Pekin Noodle Parlor, which is widely considered one of the oldest continuously operated Chinese restaurants in the US, still in business since around 1909.

Glasgow

There are many off-the-grid towns in Montana, and then there is Glasgow, a town famed for many titles such as "The Middle of Nowhere" and "The Most Remote Town in the US." As a fact, you'd have to drive for four and a half hours in any direction from Glasgow to see any big city, according to the Washington Post. Needless to say, there's no better destination to experience an off-the-grid lifestyle than this isolated town, which surprisingly boasts a population of 3,200 people. On arrival here, visitors are invited to kick back at the Valley Cinema and enjoy blockbusters with popcorn and drinks. Near this cinema, Eugene’s Plaza offers the most delicious pizzas in the region and has even been rated as the best place for pizza in Montana. For outdoor buffs, Fort Peck, the largest lake in Montana, is less than 20 miles away and is the perfect off-grid spot for fishing and boating. For history buffs, a visit to the Valley County Pioneer Museum is recommended as it offers a wide variety of artifacts and exhibits highlighting lots of things from Montana’s wildlife, to the area’s pioneers who went the extra mile to settle in the area, and agriculture.

Brace up for jaw-dropping surprises as you boycott spotlight cities like Helena and Bozeman for the hinterlands of Montana, where nature is unsullied and the ways and legacies of the Old West still stand. A poem by Robert Frost once talked about a road not taken; one that was grassy and wanted wear, lying beside another well-worn path. These beautiful towns in Montana are the perfect examples of that road not taken. While it sounds like you’ll be cut off from the rest of the world in these towns, the historical and commercial attractions, mountains, rivers, lakes, wildlife, and all the signature natural features of backcountry Montana will rise to the occasion to keep you excited. At the end of a visit to these towns, you’ll relate better to the last paragraph of Robert Frost’s poem, which reads:

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that had made all the difference.