The Bitterroot Valley of western Montana is one of the last truly wild places, untouched by cars or crowds. Forget the big ski resorts of Big Sky or the ever-growing city of Bozeman, and head into the southwest, where the altitude ropes don’t exist, and the towns in the middle remain charmingly unmarketable. While Glacier and Yellowstone have undeniable charms, you can find pristine wilderness and roaming wildlife without park fees and busy roads in the 1.6-million-acre Bitterroot National Forest. The Bitterroot Valley feels like one of the West’s last true hidden gems.
The Bitterroot remains an underrated tourist destination, but its location is familiar to millions of Americans—the region is the setting for a television series. Yellowstone, and the Chief Joseph Ranch serving as an outdoor filming location for the Dutton Ranch. Part of the reason it has remained under the radar — something special considering the droves of Americans heading west during the pandemic — is its remoteness. The nearest airport is in Missoula, and from there it’s an hour’s drive south to Bitterroot. US Highway 93 runs the length of the valley, about 90 miles from Lolo down to Lost Trail Pass near the Continental Divide. Even the drive feels like a safari in the American Serengeti, with bighorn sheep, elk, white-tailed deer, and the occasional moose or bear.
Indeed, the magic of the Bitterroot is known to a select few, earning the region the nickname “land of billions” due to the ever-growing number of wealthy visitors-turned-residents who love the Big Sky Country landscape. But at Bitterroot, quiet comfort reigns. Nothing is too much, as the precious offering is the basis of the Old West that exists. The frontier ethos persists both visually and spiritually—the rugged landscape is framed by the Sapphire Mountains to the east and the Bitterroot Mountains to the west, with towns like Hamilton, Florence, Darby and Philipsburg scattered among the vast wilderness. But it won’t stay unspoiled forever, so travelers should plan their trip now.
Winter is the best time to visit; the high season is actually summer, so during the cooler months, you will experience the mountains without annual visitors, and the climate of the “Banana Belt” ensures that the temperature remains cool throughout the year. In addition, alpine forests and river valleys look especially beautiful when covered with fresh snow. And, luckily, after an unseasonably dry season across the American West, western Montana is finally getting some serious snow—ready to hit the slopes of the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains. Read on for the best of the Bitterroot, from top-notch farms and gems to steakhouses and hand-crafted whiskey, and all the alpine fun your heart desires. Giddy-up.
