Montana is full of amazing mountain views and numerous epic hikes. There are a lot of places you could spend your time, but this itinerary will have a big focus on Glacier National Park. Drive the stunningly beautiful Going to the Sun Road, take a short hike, and soak in the natural beauty all around you.
About This Montana Itinerary
There’s loads of different itineraries that you could choose from, but this five day Montana itinerary will be more focused on one specific area of the state. Specifically, it will focus on the highlights of Glacier National Park.
But there’s a caveat. This itinerary has some hiking opportunities, but unlike many of my national park itineraries, it doesn’t have a huge focus on hiking (and yes–you can still enjoy Glacier National Park without hiking).
There is a good reason for this.
This itinerary is nearly identical to the itinerary that I used when I traveled to Montana with my dad. We were short on time (since I work a traditional office job, I’m limited on vacation time) and my dad isn’t a hiker. So, this Montana itinerary was born. You’ll see the highlights of Glacier National Park as well as have a little time to explore the fun town of Missoula.
Five Days in Montana
With everything else out of the way, let’s get into how this five day Montana itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrive in Missoula, Drive to Cut Bank
Today is when your trip starts. I know this itinerary focuses heavily on Glacier National Park and therefore it might make sense to fly into Kalispell. However, I’m recommending using Missoula instead. There’s a few reasons for this.
First, you may find a few more flight options. Don’t get me wrong, flights are still limited in Missoula, but you will find flights to major hubs such as Seattle, Salt Lake City, Chicago, and more.
Second, flights into Missoula may be cheaper than flying into Kalispell. Obviously it pays to check to make sure that is the case, but when I planned my trip, it was ever so slightly cheaper to fly into Missoula.
Third, and the biggest reason, rental cars are significantly cheaper in Missoula than in Kalispell. For us, rental cars were half the cost in Missoula, meaning we saved over $300 on our rental car. For me, that’s a good enough reason to add a bit of extra driving.
Four, Missoula is a cool town and it adds a little variety to your trip. You’ll still get amazing mountain views and have plenty of time in Glacier, but it can be nice to switch things up just a little bit.
Obviously the choice is yours, but don’t assume you have to use the Kalispell airport.
From the Missoula airport, you have a four hour drive to the town of Cut Bank. Again, there are other places you could stay, such as Kalispell, but we chose Cut Bank for a few reasons.
First, I think the scenery is better in East Glacier than in West Glacier and there’s a few more things to do. You can explore parts of Glacier National Park without having to get on the very busy Going to the Sun Road. Plus, for those with extra time, you’ll be in a great spot for venturing over to Canada for Waterton Lakes Park.
Second, Cut Bank is significantly cheaper than Kalispell. We spent two nights in Cut Bank for the same price as one night in Kalispell. Again, for that kind of savings (another $300+), it was worth a little bit more driving.
Third, Cut Bank is less chaotic. So many visitors to Glacier National Park stay in Kalispell or in one of the hotels or motels in Glacier National Park. Cut Bank is a small town and it can be very nice to get a break from the chaos.
Grab some dinner and get a good night sleep. Tomorrow is a busy day exploring East Glacier.
Sleep: Cut Bank
Day 2 – Exploring East Glacier National Park
Regardless of where in Glacier National Park you want to visit, you’ll have at least an hour drive to get there. So get an early start to make the most of your day.
There are a lot of ways to explore, but I’m going to follow the same itinerary I used. There’s a lot of driving throughout the day, but the scenery is great and therefore I think it’s all worth it.
Start in Many Glacier, where you can hike out to a lake or two and take in your first views of the surrounding mountains. Keep in mind that you’ll need to get a timed entry if you plan on arriving at Many Glacier after 6:00 am. These reservations go quickly so make sure you are prepared.
From Many Glacier, head south to St. Mary Lake where you can take a boat tour. Cruise the lake and even take the short walk to Baring Falls. Stop by the visitor center or try to spot some wild animals near Two Dog Flats before heading to your final stop of the day. Just a note, your drive from St. Mary to your next destination of Two Medicine can be a bit sketchy. Take your time and watch the road—there’s many instances where there are no guard rails on cliff edges that are hundreds of feet high.
Finish your day in Two Medicine where you can visit Running Eagle Falls and enjoy a peaceful moment by the lake.
For more details, I put together a detailed itinerary for one day in East Glacier.
At the end of the day, return to Cut Bank. Get a good night sleep because tomorrow is another early day with the best scenery of the trip.
Sleep: Cut Bank
Day 3 – Going to the Sun Road
Today is all about driving the Going to the Sun Road. Pack up your things because you’ll be spending the night in Kalispell. Yes, it is more expensive in Kalispell, but I think it’s worth the splurge for one night. Not only will you get to save time driving today, you’ll also save time driving tomorrow.
From Cut Bank, you’ll want to head back to St. Mary which is the eastern end of Going to the Sun Road. Head west, stopping at the major view points along the way. The NPS has a decent guide outlining the top spots, so make sure to pick up the brochure at the Visitor Center.
My favorite stops include Wild Goose Island, Oberlin Bend, and Logan Pass Visitor Center for the Hidden Lake Overlook Trail. Avalanche Campground for Trail of the Cedars and the Jackson Glacier Overlook are also great contenders. But that’s only scratching the surface of all of the places you can stop.
If you drove Going to the Sun Road without stops, it’d take about two hours. But you have the entire day to do this drive, so slow down and enjoy the scenery. It’s breathtaking.
Note – You may see reports of needing a reservation to drive Going to the Sun Road. This reservation is only needed if you start the Going to the Sun Road at Apgar (aka you’re entering from the west and driving east). Since you’ll enter at St. Mary, you do not need to get a reservation. Just note that once you exit the park at Apgar, you will not be permitted to re-enter until after 3:00 pm (unless you purchased a reservation).
Sleep: Kalispell
Day 4 – Kalispell to Missoula
Today you’ll make your way back to Missoula. From Kalispell, it’s about a two hour drive. You could drive straight back to Missoula, but if you want to see some more nature, here’s a few suggestions.
Hungry Horse Dam – While maybe not as famous as Hoover Dam, the Hungry Horse Dam generates a lot of power for this part of the country. You can tour the dam, stop by the visitor center, and just enjoy the views.
Drive to Swan Lake – This scenic drive is nice and unsurprisingly takes you to Swan Lake. The drive is nice and the little pull out we found at Swan Lake was peaceful. However, since we did Going to the Sun Road yesterday, the drive isn’t as magnificent. Set your expectations appropriately.
Flathead Lake – You’ll drive along Flathead Lake for a decent part of your journey. While you can just admire the views along the way, feel free to find a place to stop and enjoy the lake. We found a Flathead Lake overlook on Google Maps and weren’t impressed. Flathead Lake itself is nice, but the overlook we found was far away and right next to the highway. Find a better lookout point if you want to stop.
Garden of 1000 Buddhas – In what feels like the middle of nowhere Montana, there’s a garden that’s filled with one thousand Buddha statues. The garden is peaceful and a nice place to walk (if it’s not 100 degrees like it was for us). Part of the charm is it’s just not what you’d expect to find here.
Once in Missoula, you can take some time to relax or head out to explore. We had just a little time in Missoula so I want to mention two things we visited that I would recommend to others.
Smokejumpers Base & Museum – At the Missoula Airport, there’s a Smokejumper base. What are Smokejumpers? These are a specially trained group of wildfire firefighters who arrive at the fire by jumping out of airplanes. There’s a small museum and tours are regularly offered. My dad’s a firefighter so when we found this, we knew we had to stop. But even for non-firefighters, I think it gives a really interesting insight into how these fires are fought.
Rockin’ Rudy’s – This store has a little bit of everything and it’s so much fun to explore. You’ll find cards, games, stickers, souvenirs, records, gifts, and so much more. My dad and I spent nearly an hour here but we both agreed there was so much that we could have spent even more time.
Sleep: Missoula
Day 5 – Fly Home
The trip is over. Return your rental car and catch your flight home.
Recap and Hotels Needed
Day 1 – Arrive in Missoula, Drive to Cut Bank. Sleep in Cut Bank.
Day 2 – Explore East Glacier. Sleep in Cut Bank.
Day 3 – Going to the Sun Road. Sleep in Kalispell.
Day 4 – Drive Kalispell to Missoula. Sleep in Missoula.
Day 5 – Fly home.
Hotels Needed
Day 1-2: Cut Bank
Day 3: Kalispell
Day 4: Missoula
Modifications to this Montana Itinerary
Let’s say you don’t have exactly five days in Montana. Here’s some suggestions for how to change it.
With More Time
If you have more than five days, you won’t run out of things to do. Big hikers could easily spend another day at Glacier National Park. Whether you do several small trails or tackle on of the 10+ mile trails, you’ll have plenty of options.
If a ton of hiking doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, consider adding a day to visit Canada. Glacier National Park, along with Canada’s Waterton National Park, form an international park. You can access the park by crossing into Canada from the eastern side of Glacier National Park. Just as a note, you will be crossing an international border, so make sure you bring your passport.
With Less Time
With less time, you’ll really need to do some thinking. I wouldn’t recommend shrinking this itinerary, but it’s technically possible. My recommendation is to pay the extra fees and use the Kalispell airport. You’ll save some driving time and could eliminate one day (day 4) of this itinerary. Again, I don’t necessarily recommend it, but it’s definitely possible.
When to Do This Montana Itinerary
While you technically could visit Glacier National Park all year round, you should really focus your visit during the summer months. Going to the Sun Road is only open from late May through early October (exact dates vary year to year based on the weather). To have the best experience, plan your visit for the summer months.
I visited in mid July and while it was incredibly hot with temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees near our hotel, up in the mountains of Glacier it was a very pleasant 80 degrees.
Final Thoughts
This Montana itinerary is short, but covers some amazing scenery. If you live somewhere without mountains (like me), this is a great place to come and get amazing mountain scenery. In fact, that’s the whole reason we picked this itinerary. My dad wanted to see some mountains and I said “say no more” and devised this itinerary. The scenery was incredible and it’s a fun, short trip.
Continue Your Adventure
Glacier National Park: No trip to Glacier National Park would be complete without driving Going to the Sun Road. Beyond that, spend a day explore the sights of Eastern Glacier National Park. If you aren’t a hiker, I put together an entire guide for to enjoying Glacier National Park without hiking. Exploring this area can be expensive, but mitigate some of those costs with my Glacier budget tips. Plus, start planning your trip with my Glacier National Park Travel Guide.
More Short Itineraries: If you like short, but epic adventures, try some more of my five day adventures. I have two great itineraries for five days in Arizona, three trips for five days in Colorado, plus 5 days in New Mexico and Texas.
US National Parks: Start planning your national park vacation with my US National Park Travel Guide. You’ll find information about each park, photos, itineraries, and everything you need to start planning your trip.