Cross country on secondary roads.
We have been east and west on every major highway that goes across, this year we are doing a fall "see the leaves" trip. our plan is east to Missoula, then Mt 200 to Great Falls, then secondary roads ...
Forum Discussion
If you are in no hurry... I'm from Helena MT and have to travel quite a bit. I always take the scenic route if I can.
First, MT DOT has a great website so check that out. You might take back way out of Missoula across 200 and then down to Avon and into Helena MT. Great Falls ain't that great. This is a beautiful drive. Hit the antique store in Avon if she is still open. Then go 287 to 12 and follow it over to the highway. The scenery on this route is great and the roads are good until the snow falls. Out by Glendive is a great state park (Makoshika) and some neat stuff. And then you will be going through Teddy Roosevelt Nat Park in N. Dakota. You could drop down to the Black Hills or hit it on the way back as an alternative.
I would avoid the highline at all costs. That's the road that is farthest north. That is one of the most boring roads in America but will get you across MT sort of fast but once you are through MT, then you got North Dakota and Minnesota. The signs that point north and say Canada are OK, and you could say you went through the Bakken (shale oil country) but you will be bored to tears as pretty much it is the same scenery from the last mountain to the great lakes imho.
following my way, and timewise, you are maybe a few hours difference overall from staying far north except for stops. You go through core Trout fishing country also. In the middle of the state, you will wind through the island mountain ranges and as noted once you hit the highway again, there are some interesting things over the next few hundred miles.
First, MT DOT has a great website so check that out. You might take back way out of Missoula across 200 and then down to Avon and into Helena MT. Great Falls ain't that great. This is a beautiful drive. Hit the antique store in Avon if she is still open. Then go 287 to 12 and follow it over to the highway. The scenery on this route is great and the roads are good until the snow falls. Out by Glendive is a great state park (Makoshika) and some neat stuff. And then you will be going through Teddy Roosevelt Nat Park in N. Dakota. You could drop down to the Black Hills or hit it on the way back as an alternative.
I would avoid the highline at all costs. That's the road that is farthest north. That is one of the most boring roads in America but will get you across MT sort of fast but once you are through MT, then you got North Dakota and Minnesota. The signs that point north and say Canada are OK, and you could say you went through the Bakken (shale oil country) but you will be bored to tears as pretty much it is the same scenery from the last mountain to the great lakes imho.
following my way, and timewise, you are maybe a few hours difference overall from staying far north except for stops. You go through core Trout fishing country also. In the middle of the state, you will wind through the island mountain ranges and as noted once you hit the highway again, there are some interesting things over the next few hundred miles.
