Maybe the best part is that we have at least 2 or 3 "Best" places for anything you want to do outdoors. Hiking/Packing? Can't beat Absaroka-Beartooth, Bob Marshall, or Glacier. Fly fishing/Floating? Take your pick of the Jefferson, Madison, or Gallatin (all in the same day if you want) as well as the upper Yellowstone, and that's just rivers in one corner of the state. Skiing? I wont even pit us against ourselves. All our ski hills can provide you with your best day of the winter, and will compete with any neighboring state (notice I left out Province). Pick any activity besides Shopping or sitting in a stadium to watch pro sports, and Montana can give you endless world class options. (kinda long winded, guess I like it here)
You left out the Mighty Mo (Missouri River). Some of the best fishing is just below the dam at Holter Lake Reservoir and at Fort Peck Reservoir---not to mention all the huge stretches of river in between. And if you don't want to fish, you might simply raft or canoe----the Missouri River from the town of Fort Benton all the way to Fort Peck is spectacular (white cliffs, wildlife, etc.) and looks pretty much the way it did when Lewis and Clark came through. Same with large portions of the stretch between Great Falls and Holter Lake Reservoir. Hmmm and now that I'm thinking about it, one of the BEST rafting rushes ever was a trip I made down the North Fork of the Blackfoot River (west of the divide.) Closer to home, right here in Lewistown is Spring Creek which is some very fine trout fishing and you can access right in town or travel up or downstream.
My wife was a BLM river ranger stationed in Fort Benton when we were in college. She would float and camp for 4 days while registering other floaters and cleaning up camping areas. She is pretty familiar with that piece of the Missouri and always said it was funnest with a kayak.
I live in NY but have been to Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, etc. Love Montana. And being from NY - where my freedoms are very limited - who ever said you have a lot of freedoms in Montana was so right on the money. Only 18 years to go until I retire to Montana..........
No sales Taxes, no really big cities, not much traffic, wide open spaces, beautiful scenery. We live in a town of about 125, 110 miles from the nearest big city, Billings, which isn't all that big. Lots of ranches, deer graze in my yard, a huge herd of elk about 25 miles away, antelope, fishing (if you like that ) etc, etc, as it has been said already, "The Last Best Place"
Land is still fairly cheap here, there are places in this town that are for sale for less than $60,000 with a home on them and 2 or 3 city lots, great place to retire if Social (in)Security is all you got!
No sales Taxes, no really big cities, not much traffic, wide open spaces, beautiful scenery. We live in a town of about 125, 110 miles from the nearest big city, Billings, which isn't all that big. Lots of ranches, deer graze in my yard, a huge herd of elk about 25 miles away, antelope, fishing (if you like that ) etc, etc, as it has been said already, "The Last Best Place"
Land is still fairly cheap here, there are places in this town that are for sale for less than $60,000 with a home on them and 2 or 3 city lots, great place to retire if Social (in)Security is all you got!
I'd like to qualify/quantify the statement that "land is still fairly cheap here. . . " If you are bringing dollars in from somewhere else (i.e. you sold your home in some other state), then, yes you might think land/homes are "fairly cheap" here. Sell one house in a high price state and pick up one in Montana and have "change" left over. BUT, if you are the average Montanan working here at minimum wage or only slightly better (and yes that is what a large percentage of Montanans are stuck with) then that $60,000 (or more) home is beyond your means and you certainly wouldn't say it was cheap. Depending on what source you use, Montana's per capita income and median household income is hovering around $30,000 to $35,000 (a state source lists the low end at $23,000.) But that amount is also skewed because factored in are all the higher paying jobs such as doctors, lawyers, and anyone working for the county or state or federal. And yes, teachers are looked upon as among the "good pay" jobs here even though anyone searching for a teaching position will tell you that Montana ranks among the lowest in teacher pay. Outside of those jobs/careers I just mentioned, the larger percentage of everyone else is making minimum wage or not much more than minimum wage. Three fourths of the people I know are working two or more jobs to get by. But, hey, we like it here 'cause we can go fishing and hunting or camping. (and I'm not being sarcastic --- I really sincerely mean that. It's why I've stayed.)
I like pretty much everything about Montana except the outsiders that move in and try to change it. My family has been here for several generations and don't get me wrong, I am not against people moving here. Just don't try to change it once you get here.
After reading the post above I feel pretty lucky to have an income level well above the median income level.
Anybody else work in the timber industry and still managing to survive?
What's great about Montana? The people generally are all pretty friendly and willing to help a guy out if he needs directions or a hand. As far as where to visit depends on what you are after if you like the rolling hills and high desert go east side of the state, and if you want to see mountains, forests, and cool streams west side of the state. But to get the Montana feel i would say stay out of the cities and hit small towns and either camp or hit a quaint bed and breakfast!
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