Big Sky Country

The state of Montana, USA is Big Sky Country. Wild, delicate, and unforgiving, it calls to all that have ever visited there like a cool breeze off the Blackfoot river on a hot summer day. Everywhere one looks in Montana there is beauty to be seen, from the urban sprawl of Missoula to the untamed wilderness of the face of the Rockies, the continental divide in Choteau and the Bob Marshall national wilderness. What is it that is so attractive about this sometimes inhospitable place? What makes Montana unique are the opportunities it offers, opportunities unlike any other place on Earth.

Do you like to go camping? There are thousands of great places to do just that in Montana. As a matter of fact, if you like to hunt game, or go fishing, or hiking, or race cars or just escape to a shady hideaway all your own for a while, there's a perfect spot for it there, all you have to do is find it and make it yours.

The citizens of Montana are quite a mixture of social and racial heritage. Every city I have visited in Montana, every place I have lived there, has offered its own blend of occupants and occupations, from ranchers and wranglers to the dedicated employees of the Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. If youre looking to fill your particular niche, you'll undoubtedly find a chance to do just that somewhere in Big Sky.

One of the most fascinating places I lived in Montana was a small town on the Clearwater river approximately 35 miles North of Missoula called Seeley Lake. Seeley is a somewhat close knit community, mainly owing to its small size and the pleasant demeanor of the residents there. It is a rugged place, seemingly on the verge of being reclaimed by the beautiful wilderness that surrounds it, the Lolo National Forest. There is much to be seen anywhere in Seeley, an abundance of wildlife to be sighted, dozens of quaint shops to explore offering knick knacks the likes of which cannot be had anywhere but there. It is a cozy town, well planned out and quite affordable. There is a unique quality to the cities of Montana, embodied by the mash-up of urban vs. wilderness. Idyllic and picturesque, you might find it hard to leave there once your fondness for the place begins to grow.

There is peace to be found on the great Blackfeet Indian reservation in Browning, Montana, a few miles from the border of the USA and Canada. All people are welcomed to the trading posts and heritage sites there. Browning, Montana is the location of the Eastern entrance to Glacier National Park, USA. Less than half a mile into the park is the Two Medicine river, which must be crossed on the way to the Going to the Sun Road, paving the way to the sky and peaks beyond. Few places I have seen rival the majesty of Glacier Park, and if it wasn't evident before why its called Big Sky country, well, it just has to be seen to be believed.

It pays to plan ahead if you're going to visit Montana. Plan on being awestruck by its beauty, and reluctant to leave. The hidden surprise of the openness and tranquility of the place may well steal your heart and mind. It's the nature of the place, the people, the mountains, the sunrises. Fresh air, peaceful repose and unending discovery will capture your thoughts and leave you always wanting to return to Big Sky Country.