Leaving Bozeman, home of Montana State University, head west on I-90 through the Gallatin Valley, with the Bridger and Tobacco Root Mountains on either side. At Missouri Headwaters State Park, you can stand where the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers converge to form the Missouri River — where Lewis and Clark camped in 1805.
If Helena is a stop on your trip, continue north on US-287. Watch for Jim Dolan’s Bleu Horses, a herd of 39 steel sculptures surveying the land from a ridgeline. Nearby, the Copper City Trailhead makes a great leg-stretcher with trails for hiking or biking, and don’t pass through Townsend without grabbing a donut at the Mountie Moose Bakery.
Otherwise, detour into Three Forks for a stop at the historic Sacajawea Hotel (fun fact: the owners also purchased The Cottages at Bigfork) and lunch at The Shoppe Deli, then continue on US-2 to the Lewis and Clark Caverns before reconnecting with I-90.
From here, the route climbs toward Butte, once the “Richest Hill on Earth” and one of Montana’s most colorful towns. A short detour east leads to the Ringing Rocks, a geologic phenomenon where boulders chime like bells when tapped. Pro Tip: As you approach, look up where the 90-foot-tall Our Lady of the Rockies stands on the ridge, watching over the city. Uptown Butte is home to murals and headframes, making it a time capsule of it’s mining past. Don’t miss Pekin Noodle Parlor, the oldest continuously operating Chinese restaurant in the United States.
Beyond Butte, I-90 rolls into Bonner, just outside Missoula. Here you have a choice: stay on the interstate and follow the Missoula Road Trip north through the Mission Valley or exit onto MT- 200 and trace the Blackfoot River, where A River Runs Through It was filmed. A 12-mile detour from here takes you to Garnet, Montana’s best-preserved ghost town, where you can pick up a brochure and go on a self-guided tour.
From MT-200, take a left at the Blue Cow onto MT-83 into the Seeley–Swan Valley. Seeley Lake is a rustic town that makes a perfect pause. Browse Grizzly Claw Trading, grab ice cream at Seeley Station, or relax by the water. From there the road winds through forest and meadow, with mountain views and wildlife-spotting opportunities. The final miles carry you past Swan Lake, before delivering you into Bigfork.
