10 Best Montana Towns for Outdoor Recreation

10 Best Montana Towns for Outdoor Recreation

Where Adventure Is Always Just Outside Your Door

Montana is an outdoor paradise, but some towns are better positioned than others. We scored every Montana community based on the variety, quality, and proximity of nearby recreation — from national parks and wilderness areas to trailheads, rivers, ski resorts, and hot springs. These are the towns where the outdoors isn't just nearby, it's your backyard.

#2
KalispellThe Gateway to Glacier Country
Pop. 29,886

Kalispell scores 10/10 for outdoor recreation with 400 destinations nearby. Just 25 miles from Glacier National Park (West Glacier). Blacktail Mountain ski area is only 11 miles away.

Rec Score: 10/10
Sites Nearby: 400
Trails: 70
Lakes: 64
#3
LivingstonThe Windiest City in Montana
Pop. 8,040

Livingston scores 10/10 for outdoor recreation with 423 destinations nearby. Just 44 miles from Yellowstone National Park (North Entrance). Bridger Bowl ski area is only 19 miles away.

Rec Score: 10/10
Sites Nearby: 423
Trails: 28
Lakes: 260
#4
MissoulaThe Garden City
Pop. 77,757

Missoula scores 10/10 for outdoor recreation with 443 destinations nearby. Snowbowl ski area is only 12 miles away.

Rec Score: 10/10
Sites Nearby: 443
Trails: 90
Lakes: 127
#6
West GlacierThe Door to Glacier
Pop. 221

West Glacier scores 10/10 for outdoor recreation with 421 destinations nearby. Just 0 miles from Glacier National Park (West Glacier). Lee's Way ski area is only 16 miles away.

Rec Score: 10/10
Sites Nearby: 421
Trails: 83
Lakes: 56
#8
BigforkA Village by the Bay
Pop. 5,000

Bigfork scores 9.9/10 for outdoor recreation with 389 destinations nearby. Just 30 miles from Glacier National Park (West Glacier). Blacktail Mountain ski area is only 13 miles away.

Rec Score: 9.9/10
Sites Nearby: 389
Trails: 69
Lakes: 72
#9
BozemanThe Gallatin Gateway
Pop. 58,000

Bozeman scores 9.9/10 for outdoor recreation with 284 destinations nearby. Just 48 miles from Yellowstone National Park (North Entrance). Bridger Bowl ski area is only 12 miles away.

Rec Score: 9.9/10
Sites Nearby: 284
Trails: 42
Lakes: 112
#10
Columbia FallsThe Gateway to Glacier
Pop. 5,308

Columbia Falls scores 9.9/10 for outdoor recreation with 439 destinations nearby. Just 13 miles from Glacier National Park (West Glacier). Whitefish Mountain Resort ski area is only 11 miles away.

Rec Score: 9.9/10
Sites Nearby: 439
Trails: 84
Lakes: 59

How We Ranked These Towns

Recreation Score (0–10) computed from four factors: category diversity (how many types of recreation are nearby), total volume of sites, quality weighting (national parks and wilderness count more than viewpoints), and proximity of the nearest notable attraction. Data sourced from OpenStreetMap and editorial research, using a tiered radius system (50–100 miles depending on site significance).

Data last collected: Zillow Research (Jan 2026), U.S. Census ACS (Jan 2026), FBI UCR (Jan 2026), Montana OPI/NCES (Jan 2026), Montana DPHHS (Jan 2026), EPA NPL (Jan 2026). Rankings are updated when data is refreshed. Check individual town profiles for details.

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