Thursday 14 May 2020

Dream time for the Great American West in Montana

Makoshika State Park
Off the beaten path suggestions to dream about and virtual tours to inspire

The Great American West is an awe-inspiring region in all seasons, and summer is always a great time to visit the states of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The region abounds in pristine national parks, fascinating Native American and cowboy culture and exciting outdoor activities for when travel to these states is once again possible.

Here is a collection of off-the-beaten-path highlights in each state and virtual tours and videos that you can experience from the comfort of self-isolation while you plan and dream.

Check out our Australian & New Zealand websites and our Facebook page for more great photos and information about the Great American West.

And click here to experience Montana's virtual tours

These 360 degree images will give you a tantalising taste of some of the best of Montana’s natural assets.
    ‘Inspo for iso’ –– here are 3 off-the-beaten-path Montana destinations to dream about:

    National Bison Range
    1. National Bison Range
    Located off Montana Highway 200 in north western Montana, the National Bison Range is a beautiful wildlife refuge that was established in 1908 to support a population of American bison. The 18,500-acre range is now home to over 250 bison, as well as deer, elk, antelope, and bighorn sheep. The National Bison Range provides some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing and photography in Montana, with various scenic loops allowing you to spot the bison from the comfort of your car.

    2. Smokejumper Visitor Center, Missoula
    The Smokejumper Visitor Center gives you the unique opportunity to learn about the demanding occupation of smokejumping. Go on a free tour of this quirky facility to explore the smokejumper loft, ready room, and National Smokejumper Memorial and learn more about this elite firefighting team, procedures and smokejumping history. During the summer, you may even see smokejumper aircrafts dispatched to a fire.

    Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway
    3. Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway
    Explore Montana’s wide open spaces and natural beauty on Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. There are usually few visitors in this area, allowing you to drive slowly and appreciate the scenic valleys, serene meadows, and granite peaks reaching higher than 10,000 feet into the sky. Stop along the way to explore hot springs, discover abandoned homesteads, and go fishing at Big Hole River which runs by the town of Wise River. Just south of the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway is Bannack State Park which is the best-preserved ghost town in Montana with over 60 structures from the 1800s still intact.

    Ask a local: Ghost towns
    Rediscover the spirit of the Old West at the intriguing ghost towns of Nevada City and Virginia City. In Virginia city you can ride the train, stay in chic historic lodging, pan for gold, see a live theatre show, and shop for boutique gifts and old-fashioned candy. About one mile away is Nevada City which is a living historical museum with original log buildings, old-time music boxes, player pianos, and live interpretations of historic events in the late 1800s on weekends.

    Photos in the above section - Montana Office of Tourism

    About The Great American West

    The Great American West is the brand for the international marketing efforts of Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Collectively, the group markets to both travel trade (tour operators, travel agents, etc.) and consumers through advertising and public relations efforts. Individually, each state office works with their industry partners to raise awareness of their states and the region as a whole through the promotion of products and travel destinations. The Great American West contracts with Rocky Mountain International to help coordinate their united efforts in eight international markets, including The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Benelux and Nordics. https://greatamericanwest.co/

    About Rocky Mountain International
    Rocky Mountain International specializes in international tourism marketing and business development for the Western U.S. Our mission is to increase incremental international visitation, spending and market share of the region to fuel the economies of our stakeholders. Through our work, we will significantly contribute to job creation, tax revenues and increased quality of life in the communities we live. RMI headquarters are in Cheyenne, Wyoming with overseas operations in London, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris, Milan and Sydney. For more information about RMI, visit RMIMarketing.com

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