Montana

Montana is called Big Sky Country, and for good reason. The scale of natural beauty is greater here, where the only thing more awe-inspiring than the mountains is the never-ending sky. Offering a dazzling array of parks and attractions, Montana is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful states in the country.

The eastern part of the state is mostly plains, with occasional hills and small mountain ranges. Before they were all but eliminated by the European settlers, wild buffalo roamed these fields, providing sustenance to the Native American tribes who lived in the region. An historic battle between Sioux and Cheyenne warriors and the American Army occurred here in 1876, at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Also known as Custer's Last Stand, this battle was a great victory for the Indian warriors over General George Custer's U.S. Army soldiers, but it was also the last. Within a few years, U.S. troops had all but eliminated Indian resistance throughout the West.

The most dramatic attraction in Montana lies in the western part of the state. Here the Rockies soar into the sky, providing dazzling scenes of snow covered peaks, dense forests and raging rivers. Glacier National Park in the northwestern part of the state is home to over twenty glaciers, as well as hundreds of endangered animals like bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, elk, antelope and wolf. And the Going-to-the-Sun Highway that crosses the park is one of the most scenic roads in the world.