The Best Hiking Trails in Montana

Ousel Falls is one of the easiest and most popular hikes in Big Sky. This wide, smooth trail leads to an incredible 35-foot waterfall that provides a fantastic reward for minimal effort....

Hikes don't come much easier than this, so if you're looking to introduce your kids to the joys of human-powered trips, or just want a leisurely stroll in a peaceful spot - this is the walk for you....

Downtown hikes don't get much better, or easier, than this! The popular stroll around Missoula city centre is ideal for catching a bit of fresh air whilst checking out historical sites, playgrounds, parks and some all-too-brief sections of quiet forests, as well as the famous Clark Fork river itself....

An aptly-named spot, Big Sky Park is the place to head to if you want to understand where Montana got its nickname. The park is easily accessed and there are several points from which it can be accessed....

With a designated parking lot (complete with a large picnic shelter and compost toilets), a series of smooth and well-maintained paths, and some bucolic spots from which savour the ambience, Greenough Park is an easy win for anyone with an hour to kill....

Access to the three waterfalls loop hike is very easy by parking at either the St. Mary Falls or Sunrift Gorge trailhead on the Going-to-the-Sun road. Even better, is to use the free park shuttle that drops hikers off and picks them up again! Much is written about the beauty of Glacier National Park in the summer when the wildflowers are prolific....

The gentle hike to Grinnell Lake is a great introductory day hike in Glacier National Park. Even though it's almost 7 miles long round-trip, this hike only has a mere 512 feet of elevation gain....

Lake McDonald is the largest lake in Glacier National Park, and it greets most visitors shortly after they arrive from the western entrance. This iconic lake is about 10 miles long, over a mile wide, and 472 feet deep, according to [Wikipedia](https://en....

Palisade Falls is a popular short hike to a beautiful waterfall. The impressive waterfall drops off of a vertical volcanic cliff on the side of Palisade Mountain, plummeting over 80 feet to crash into the boulders far below....

Fairy Lake is a pristine alpine lake nestled at the base of Sacagawea Peak—the highest point in the Bridger Range. While it's a long drive to reach the trailhead, the hike from the parking lot down and around Fairy Lake is quite easy yet unbelievably scenic....

If you're wrapping up the traditional finish to the 3,300-mile CDT, then you're faced with two options when you arrive at the Border Monument Terminus on Waterton Lake. Either turn back, and retrace your steps 35-miles to Many Glacier Hotel, or continue north 4-miles into Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park....

The Beehive Basin trail is one of the most famous hikes in Big Sky, and for good reason. This non-technical 3.4-mile trail leads to some of the most beautiful views in the region....

This easy hike, colloquially known as the "Grizzly Loop," begins from the easily-accessible trailhead on Porcupine Road. As some of the lowest-elevation and sunniest trails near the ultra-popular mountain town of Big Sky, these trails are hikeable for substantial portions of the year....

The South Cottonwood trailhead is located right on the outskirts of Bozeman, making it a very popular access point for the Gallatin mountain range. This trail can be filled with hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers at all times and on any day of the week—especially during mid-summer....

A great little loop just outside Missoula, this is perfect for an after or pre-work hit. The trail has a designated parking lot and it's easily reached from Missoula city centre, making this is an easy-to-reach trail as well as an easy one....

This is a popular hike to a local landmark, close to Missoula city centre but nicely wild too. If you're looking for a quick nature hut in an hour round trip from downtown Missoula, this is your hike....

Blue Mountain is a fabulous spot at which to enjoy a quick fix of nature. The trails feel remarkably quiet but they sit amazingly close to Missoula, and accessing them couldn't be much easier....

Despite its name, the best hiking route at North Hills Ridge isn't actually on the ridge itself, as this line demonstrates. The ridge crest itself isn't a bad hike by any means, but taking the route shown here (the valley to the east of the ridge and then the wide open slopes to its west) is even better....

Just to the north of Missoula is the Rattlesnake Wilderness area, a vast expanse of mountains, forests and barren valleys which are full of potential adventures. The area is easily accessed from Missoula, but the trips within it are anything but easy! One classic is the trip up [Stuart Peak](https://fatmap....

Hidden Lake is one of the most popular day hikes in Glacier National Park for a reason. The hike isn't too difficult, and it features wonderful views and the chance to see wildlife....