How to get around Montana

30.09.2023 - 11:19 / lonelyplanet.com

In case you missed the memo, Montana is massive. It’s the largest landlocked state in the country, taking at least 10 hours to drive its width and a minimum of five hours to drive up or down.

And while it’s one of the biggest states, it’s also one of the least populated, not leaving much scope for a vast network of state-spanning public transportation options.

Having a car is the best way to explore Montana and reach its many trailheads, river accesses, and wild places. However, exploring in town is easily done without a personal vehicle.

Bike-friendly base camps like Missoula, Bozeman, and Helena are incredibly walkable and supplemented with public buses, sidewalk rentals, and multi-use pedestrian paths.

Montana is primed for road trips and van life. And the price of car rentals reflects the demand and near necessity for personal vehicle travel. Road conditions are generally wide open on the state’s collection of paved highways, byways, and scenic routes, especially during the summer. However, cell phone reception isn’t always guaranteed, and it helps to download maps wherever you go.

While much cross-country car travel is relatively easy and uncrowded, be prepared for mountain passes, snaking river canyons, and other rugged topography, even on Interstates 90 and 15 – the two biggest arteries crossing the state. Speed limits also reach upwards of 80 mph throughout rural stretches. Local drivers aren’t typified as aggressive, so stay in the righthand lane and focus on the road if you feel nervous behind the wheel.

More caution needs to be applied when pulling off the pavement onto dirt and gravel Forest Service roads. Some trailheads and outdoor destinations require four-wheel drive or high-clearance vehicles to navigate – definitely not somewhere you should take an unqualified rental. The Forest Service publishes vehicle restrictions for its listed trailheads and destinations.

The same caution should apply to winter driving in Montana, where snowfall and below-freezing temperatures can present a hazard for drivers. If you are visiting in the winter, you might already know what you’ve signed up for, but watch the weather and avoid extensive travel if a storm is coming in. Chains or four-wheel drive vehicles are required to navigate mountain passes in the winter.

Montana isn’t leading the charge on electric vehicle infrastructure, but the state’s capacity for electric road trips grows daily. The state has 100+ charging stations, including private and public charging ports.

Most charging stations surround cities along the Interstate 90 corridor, including Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. The Flathead Valley, including Whitefish and Glacier, also has several spots to plug in a car.

All of Montana’s major cities