Montana, the fourth largest state of the country, is populated by just over one million inhabitants. This leaves Montana with millions of acres of wilderness, from Yellowstone in the South to Glacier National Park in the North.
@visitmontana, the official Instagram account of the Montana Office of Tourism, is a gallery of breathtaking photography from the wide-open spaces of the state. Scores of adventurers also share their #MontanaMoments on the platform and today we cherry pick our favorites.
1. Summer backpacking along the Belly River in Glacier National Park, with the iconic view in the background:
2. A buffalo traffic jam encountered in Yellowstone National Park.
3. A proud fisherman presents his catch. Montana is home to some of the Earth’s best fly fishing rivers and creeks.
4. As the gold rush of the nineteenth century came to its inevitable end, many mining towns in Montana were abandoned. Garnet, where this photo was taken, is one of the best-preserved ones. Visiting ghost-towns is an increasingly popular tourist attraction in Montana.
5. A boat moored in Glacier National Park.
6. Getting up early grants the photographer an eerie but beautiful view.
7. A young cowboy practicing his skills.
8. There are still plenty of working cattle ranches scattered across Montana.
9. Montanians love their harsh winters. Here horses pull a sledge over 32 inches of fresh snow that fell in just six days.
10. An open road in Glacier promises adventure.
“The Last Best Place” is an anthology of poetry and stories created in 1989 to commemorate Montana’s centenary and celebrate its unspoiled beauty. Thirty years on, many Montanians feel increasingly anxious about how climate change affects this last best place.
The Glacier National Park was created in 1910 as home to 150 namesake glaciers. Today, fewer than thirty remain and most are dramatically diminished. To help protect Montana and its natural beauty, get involved with the Montana Wildlife Federation.