Outlook MontanaATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Outlook, Montana.
1. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
HISTORIC MILITARY SITE
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument preserves the site of the June 25-26, 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, where Lt. Col. George A. Custer and the 7th Cavalry were defeated by Lakota and Cheyenne warriors. Visitors can explore the monument grounds, view interpretive exhibits, and attend ranger programs that provide context for this significant historical event. The site offers both the Indian Memorial and Custer National Cemetery, creating a comprehensive experience that honors all who fought in the battle.
2. Downtown Bozeman
VIBRANT HISTORIC DISTRICT
Downtown Bozeman features a charming main street lined with historic buildings housing boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Visitors can enjoy the walkable district's unique shops offering everything from outdoor gear to local art and Montana-made products. The area's vibrant atmosphere is enhanced by seasonal events, farmers markets, and its proximity to Montana State University.
3. Flathead Lake
PRISTINE MOUNTAIN WATERS
Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River in the contiguous United States, covering nearly 200 square miles. The crystal-clear waters offer exceptional recreational opportunities including boating, fishing, swimming, and paddleboarding against a backdrop of stunning mountain scenery. Visitors can explore numerous public access points, state parks along its shoreline, and nearby cherry orchards that bloom spectacularly in spring.
4. Going-to-the-Sun Road
SCENIC MOUNTAIN DRIVE
Going-to-the-Sun Road is an engineering marvel that bisects Glacier National Park, offering 50 miles of spectacular views across the Continental Divide. The road winds through alpine meadows, dense forests, and past cascading waterfalls, with numerous pullouts allowing visitors to take in vistas of jagged mountain peaks and glacial valleys. This National Historic Landmark typically opens fully in late June or early July after snow removal and remains one of America's most breathtaking drives.
5. Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center
HISTORICAL EXPEDITION SHOWCASE
The Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls offers comprehensive exhibits detailing the Corps of Discovery's epic journey through Montana and the challenges they faced. Interactive displays, artifacts, and full-scale dioramas bring to life the explorers' 1805-1806 expedition and their interactions with Native American tribes. The center is perched on a cliff overlooking the Missouri River, providing context to the landscape Lewis and Clark navigated while offering trails that connect visitors to the actual route taken by the expedition.
6. First Peoples Buffalo Jump
ANCIENT HUNTING GROUNDS
First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park preserves one of the largest buffalo jump sites in North America, where Native Americans drove bison off cliffs as a hunting technique for thousands of years. The interpretive center features exhibits on bison culture, Native American history, and the archaeological significance of this prehistoric hunting site. Visitors can hike to the top of the mile-long sandstone cliff for panoramic views of the Rocky Mountain Front, the Missouri River valley, and the plains where the drama of buffalo hunts once unfolded.
7. Montana State Capitol
HISTORIC GOVERNMENT BUILDING
Montana's State Capitol building showcases impressive Greek Renaissance architecture with its distinctive copper dome and sandstone facade in the heart of Helena. Inside, visitors can admire the stunning murals by renowned artist Charles M. Russell, including his famous depiction of Lewis and Clark meeting the Salish Indians. Free guided tours offer insights into Montana's governmental history and the architectural details of this landmark building completed in 1902.
8. Big Sky Resort
PREMIER MOUNTAIN DESTINATION
Big Sky Resort offers the Biggest Skiing in America with over 5,800 acres of skiable terrain and a 4,350-foot vertical drop centered around Lone Mountain. During summer months, the resort transforms into an outdoor adventure hub featuring mountain biking trails, zipline tours, scenic lift rides, and an 18-hole golf course. The pedestrian-friendly Mountain Village provides dining, shopping, and lodging options with spectacular mountain views in every direction.
9. Lake McDonald Lodge
HISTORIC GLACIER ACCOMMODATION
Lake McDonald Lodge is a historic Swiss chalet-style hotel situated on the shores of Glacier National Park's largest lake, built in 1913 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rustic lodge features a massive stone fireplace in its lobby, decorated with taxidermy and traditional Native American artwork that captures the spirit of the park's early days. Guests can enjoy boat tours on the crystal-clear lake, hiking nearby trails, or simply relaxing on the lodge's lakeside porch with views of the surrounding mountains.
10. Pictograph Cave State Park
ANCIENT ROCK ART
Pictograph Cave State Park preserves three caves that served as shelter for prehistoric hunters, containing rock paintings dating back more than 2,000 years. Archaeological excavations in the late 1930s unearthed over 30,000 artifacts representing 9,000 years of human habitation, making this one of Montana's most significant cultural sites. A self-guided interpretive trail leads visitors through the park to viewing areas where they can observe the ancient pictographs that include images of animals, warriors, and weapons created with mineral pigments.
11. Missouri River Breaks
RUGGED WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE
The Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument encompasses 375,000 acres of rugged landscape shaped by the winding Missouri River, featuring white cliffs, badlands, and cottonwood groves. This remote area appears much as it did when Lewis and Clark explored it in 1805, with limited development and pristine natural features that inspired journal entries about the landscape's beauty. Visitors can experience the Breaks through multi-day canoe trips, hiking trails, wildlife viewing opportunities, and historical sites including abandoned homesteads and Native American cultural areas.
12. Reeder's Alley
HISTORIC MINING DISTRICT
Reeder's Alley represents one of the oldest intact pieces of early Helena, featuring brick buildings constructed in the 1870s to house miners during the gold rush era. The narrow, European-style lane offers visitors a glimpse into Montana's mining past with preserved structures that once contained miner's lodgings, shops, and restaurants. Today, the historic district houses offices, a visitor center, and interpretive displays that tell the story of Louis Reeder, the stone mason who built the area, and Helena's transformation from mining camp to capital city.
13. Great Northern Railway Buildings
HISTORIC TRANSPORTATION HERITAGE
The Great Northern Railway Buildings in Whitefish showcase the architectural legacy of the railroad that shaped Montana's development and tourism industry. The crown jewel is the restored 1927 Tudor-style Whitefish Depot, which continues to serve Amtrak passengers while housing a museum dedicated to railroad history. Additional preserved buildings from the Great Northern era include the railway company headquarters and maintenance facilities, providing a window into the town's identity as a crucial mountain division point on the transcontinental line.
14. Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
VAST OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest encompasses nearly 2.9 million acres of diverse landscapes surrounding Helena, offering recreational opportunities from alpine hiking to wildlife viewing. The forest features dramatic mountain ranges, pristine lakes, and expansive meadows with hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and motorized recreation. Winter transforms the forest into a snowy wonderland perfect for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling, with several maintained trail systems and warming huts.
15. Mount Helena City Park
ACCESSIBLE URBAN WILDERNESS
Mount Helena City Park is a 620-acre natural area featuring a prominent 5,468-foot peak that serves as Helena's scenic backdrop and outdoor playground. Hikers can access the summit via several interconnected trails of varying difficulty, with the 1906 Trail offering the most direct route to panoramic views of the city, surrounding mountains, and Helena Valley. The park's proximity to downtown—just blocks from the main street—makes it one of America's most accessible urban wilderness areas, allowing visitors to transition from shopping to summit in under an hour.