Looking to make a vacation out of the trip? Here are some travel suggestions!
 


Bozeman (In Town)
-This is such a fun downtown with cute coffee shops and some delicious restaurants. I hear the Bison burger at Ted’s is yummy.
-If you want to Drive out of Bozeman 15 minutes or so, there is a place called The Coffee Pot out by Four Corners (on your way to Big Sky). It is a super cozy, tasty coffee shop/bakery that also has beautiful handmade pottery for sale.
 


Bozeman (Hyalite Canyon)
-If you're looking for some hikes or a beautiful mountain drive, head up to Hyalite Canyon (about a 25 minute drive from Bozeman).
-There is a Reservoir about 10 miles up the canyon. It is an awesome place to hang out and have a picnic or go stargazing! The road is paved until this point.
-If you continue down the road past the Reservoir there is a hike called Palisade Falls. I believe it is 2 or 3 miles total and ends at a beautiful waterfall
 


Bozeman (Other Hikes)
-If you drive out towards Big Sky ski resort you will come across The Coffee Pot, and then if you keep going about another 25 minutes, you'll come to a hike called Lava Lake. This is a super fun 6 mile total hike that ends at a gorgeous mountain lake. There is some elevation gain, but it is doable for sure!
-On the other side of the road (before you get to Lava Lake) there is a hike called Storm Castle. It is also a pretty hike, but a lot more exposed. I think it's similar in length and challenge to Lava Lake. I prefer Lava Lake.


Butte
Butte is full of history and interesting places to explore.
-Speculator Mining Memorial.
-The Berkely Pit
-The Underground Mine Tour
-The World Mining Museum
-The Lady of the Rockies
-The Butte Mall


Fun hikes/areas to explore
-Maud S
-The M
-The Highland Mountains
-Homestake Pass


Restaurants
-Casagranda's
-The Montana Club
-The Uptown Cafe
-Metals Bar & Grill
-Butte Brewing
-Joe's Pasty Shop
 
Missoula
-Such a fun and funky town!
-Walk around the downtown and all along the river!
-Try Big Dipper for yummy ice cream
-Lots of great restaurants and coffee shops and breweries!
   -Restaurants: Wally and Buck, Notorious P.I.G. BBQ, The Tamarack.
   -Coffee: Black Coffee Roasting, Drum Coffee, Cafe Dulce, The Break.
           -Breweries: Draught Works, Highlander, Guild.
-If you head down the Bitterroot Valley there are lots of hikes along the way. I love Kootenai Creek by Stevensville. It is fairly flat and you can just turn around whenever (there is not really an end point)
 


YellowStone National Park
-I honestly haven't explored Yellowstone recently enough to give detailed suggestions, so I found this website that looked great. I do know that the Boiling River is super fun. https://fullsuitcase.com/yellowstone-best-things-to-do/
 
Glacier National Park
On your drive from Missoula to Glacier you will go through the small town of Arlee. Near the town, keep your eyes open on the left of the road for the Windmill Village Bakery. There is a white old fashioned windmill next to the bakery. The bakery is open only until they run out of baked goods. They have the best pastries ever! If they are selling their huckleberry turnovers that morning, you should definitely try it!
 


Highline Trail


-park at Logan Pass Visitor Center (It can be challenging to find a parking spot, but worth it!)
-about 11 miles total. Flat, open landscape with great views of mountains and wildflowers
-you end at lower elevation further down on the Going to the Sun '' road. You have to either take a shuttle or hitchhike back up to your car at Logan Pass
-of note: there is an outhouse about 7 miles into the hike :) This is truly a must do hike. It is a long hike but not challenging. You get to see so much along the way. I love it!
 


Siyeh Pass Trail


-park at the Siyeh Bend pull out (may also be called Piegan Pass). It is located on the Going to the Sun road, a little past Logan Pass
-about 10 miles total. about 2500 feet total elevation gain (totally doable)
-beautiful views of rivers and mountains
-Siyeh and Piegan will be the same trail for a while until they split
-I did this as an out and back trail, but there is a loop option that would have you end at a different part of the Going to the Sun road and you'd have to hitchhike back to your car
-near the end, you'll hike up to a saddle and get a view of a red mountain. It's pretty, but you have to be sure to do the last 1/2 or 3/4 mile of switchbacks to get to the peak. The view is stunning and is a view of East Glacier.
-of note: when you get to the top, you'll actually be in Canada :)
 


Huckleberry Lookout


-I think that there was a Huckleberry Mountain trail head with its own parking lot. It is fairly close to the West Entrance of the Park
-about 12 miles and 2,700 feet total elevation gain
-there are a lot of huckleberry bushes along this trail (as well as throughout the park), but unfortunately October is past Huckleberry season
-of note: at the peak is 1 of only 3 fire lookout stations actually still in use in the park. If the ranger is nice, they may come down and talk to you about their job
 


Virginia Falls


-I'd suggest parking at Sun Point so that you can walk along the lake, but you can park at Sunrift Gorge
-About 4 miles total if you park at Sun Point and maybe about 3 if you park at Sunrift Gorge
-This is a flat hike with stunning views along Saint Mary Lake and 3 different waterfalls (Baring, Saint Mary, and Virginia). Virginia Falls is tall and beautiful
-of note: an easy, fairly short, and beautiful hike
 


Avalanche Lake


-Park at Avalanche trailhead. It's very close to the West Entrance of the park after you pass Lake McDonald
-about 3 miles (I think total) and fairly flat and even pathed for some of it
-It ends at a big lake with a waterfall in the far distance
of note: an easy, fairly short hike that keeps you near the entrance of the park. Great if you only have a few hours that day!
 


Hidden Lake


-Park at Logan Pass Visitor Center
-about 3 miles total
-I've never done this one but a hear it's beautiful
 


Grinnell Glacier


-park at the Grinnell Glacier Trail head in East Glacier
-about 13 miles total
-This hike is in East Glacier. It is a different entrance of the park and a long drive, but super pretty over there. Look up some other hikes to do in the area if you're going to check out that part of the park :)
-of note: This is one of my absolute favorites. You end at a Glacier; how cool is that! :)