According to abbreviationfinder, Montana is located in the northwestern United States, between Canada (north), Wyoming and Idaho (south and west), and South and North Dakota (east). The state is divided into six regions, namely Custer Country, Glacier Country (PICTURE BELOW), Gold West Country, Missouri River Country, Russell Country and Yellowstone Country.
The Treasure State has two different climate zones, due to its location on the Continental Divide. To the east of this rain line the water flows towards the Gulf of Mexico, to the west everything flows towards the Pacific. That is why the west has a mostly milder climate than the east, where King Winter rules with an iron hand over the vast plains. In the west, the temperature fluctuates around freezing in winter, while the mercury in the east is around ten degrees lower. Summer is pleasant to hot on both sides, with temperatures around 21°C (East) and 28°C (West). Rain rarely falls, especially in the east of the state. In the mountains, however, about 150 cm of snow comes down every year.
Best travel time
May through September are the best months to go to Montana. The holiday months of June and July are also the season for Americans and Canadians to visit Glacier NP, for example, so expect sudden increases in waiting times and prices.
Flora in fauna
Montana is intersected by the mighty Rockies, which give the west of the state its image. The east is more like Kansas, with vast plains and prairies known as the Big Sky Country. The highest areas are mainly characterized by wild flowers in summer, forests full of conifers and Ponderosa pine grow below. An abundance of grasses, cacti and sagebrush grow on the plains and prairies.
In the wild, mainly mountain dwellers live here; moose, white-tailed deer, mule deer, bighorn sheep, antelopes, and mountain goats are commonly seen animals. Grizzly bears are rare, as are cranes, gray wolves and black-footed ferrets. A special resident of Montana is the Mexican walking fish or axolotl, a week amphibian that does not outgrow its larval status.
Main cities
According to countryaah, Helena is the capital of Montana. In addition, cities such as Butte, Missoula, Bozeman and Billlings, the largest city, are more than worth mentioning.
Helena
Helena is the capital of the US state of Montana and also the seat of Lewis and Clark County. Around 28,000 people live in the city itself, with the metropolitan agglomeration of Lewis and Clark and Jefferson counties totaling around 71,000 people. The population density is 710 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Helena is located on the southern border of Montana, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, which also influence its climate. Temperatures vary between 0° and -10°C in winter and between 11° and 28°C in summer.
The town was founded on October 30, 1864, not long after gold was discovered in Last Chance Creek. The town was originally named Crabtown after John Crab, a native of Georgia who discovered gold there. Together with other gold diggers and miners, he managed to expand and improve the city. However, the name of the city did not catch on very well, so people started inventing a new name. Finally, John Sommerville suggested the name of his hometown, St. Helena, Arkansas. The others decided that the word “saint” no longer needed to be in the name, so the new name Helena was adopted. The other contender to name the town was “Tomah”, but this proposal failed by two votes. Helena has been the capital of Montana Territory since 1875 and the state of Montana since 1889. Around 1900 the census was taken and Helena was the most populous city in the state.
Among the city’s main sights are St. Helena’s Cathedral and the State Capitol completed in 1902. In the city we also find important educational institutions, such as The University of Montana – a technical university for about 1000 students, which was opened as early as 1939. Another is the Roman Catholic University liberal arts Carroll College, where about 1,500 students study. It was opened much earlier, in 1909. The Civic Center and the Great Divine Ski Area are also important in the city. Helena Regional Airport is located near the city.
Nature
The Rocky Mountains culminate in the beautifully pristine Glacier National Park (PHOTO FULL ABOVE), in northwestern Montana. More than 200 lakes and waters originate from one of the 50 glaciers in this park. A must see! Slightly less crowded, but just as rewarding is Bitterroot National Forest, on the border with Idaho.
Custer’s last stand
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a memorial to one of the most famous battles of the 19th century. Here Cheyenne and Sioux Indians led by chief Sitting Bull in 1876 faced the troops of General George A. Custer, who were ruthlessly slaughtered during ‘the last stand’.
Lewis & Clark
After spending the winter of 1804 in North Dakota, explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark headed across the Rockies to the Pacific with their Corps of Discovery. Great Falls is home to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, which provides an overview of local attractions surrounding their impressive journey.
