Montana's Most Scenic Overlooks

Montana's overlooks operate on a different scale than most of the eastern US — the vistas here encompass hundreds of square miles of uninterrupted wilderness.

Logan Pass (Going-to-the-Sun Road, 6,646 ft)
The crown of Glacier National Park — the summit of the Going-to-the-Sun Road at the Continental Divide. The visitor center at Logan Pass is the starting point for the Highline Trail and Hidden Lake Trail. Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and grizzly bears are regularly visible from the parking area. The 360-degree view across the peaks of Glacier is the finest roadside panorama in the park.

Beartooth Pass Summit (US-212, 10,947 ft)
The highest paved road in Montana, passing through high tundra plateau with views of 100+ miles of Beartooth Range terrain. In August, the plateau is still patched with snow. The Top of the World Store at the summit (open summer only) is the highest convenience store in the US.

Granite Mountain Overlook (Missoula)
A short hike above Missoula gives views over the valley where the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot rivers converge — the landscape that inspired Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It. The city of Missoula (University of Montana and surrounding river confluence) is particularly beautiful at sunset from this vantage.

Two Medicine Valley Overlooks (Glacier NP)
The Two Medicine Valley is Glacier's least-crowded major valley — the south shore road to Two Medicine Lake offers views of Rising Wolf Mountain (9,513 ft) and Sinopah Mountain reflected in the lake. Glacier's most peaceful scenery.

Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (Wyoming/Montana border)
Wyoming's WYO-296 (just across the Montana border) gives views north into the Beartooth Range and the broad wilderness of the Shoshone National Forest — technically Wyoming, but part of the greater Montana mountain experience from Red Lodge.