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Winter in Montana is an equally beautiful and thrilling experience. We spent 3 days in Glacier Country with the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation in our itinerary. Some of the benefits of visiting Western Montana in the winter are better deals on flights & hotels and it is much less crowded compared to the summer.
What To Pack
Winter in Montana is cold but nothing you can’t handle if you pack well 🙂
Where To Stay
There are so many options for stays in Glacier County. From cozy cabins to dude ranches, you can find your perfect stay here.
Clydesdale Outpost
Clydesdale Outpost is a cozy & stylish stay just 15 minutes from downtown Whitefish. Each cabin has 2 bedrooms, a deck, and cedar tub with a view. The best part though is getting to visit their beautiful Clydesdale Horses. I wrote a full review of my stay here in this blog.
Firebrand Hotel
Firebrand Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of downtown Whitefish. The rooms are modern and we were within walking distance to all the coffee shops, restaurants, and shops. Their rooftop bar is the perfect place to enjoy drinks with a view of downtown.
Things To do in the Winter in Montana
Dog Sledding with Basecamp Bigfork
I could not have asked for a better experience with Basecamp Bigfork. This family owned operator is very different from the usual dog sledding outfitter for a few reasons: Their dogs roam free in their pens without chains, they use traditional Inuit dogs, and they only take out one group at a time.
Our experience was VERY hands on. We learned how to harness the very excited dogs and actually mushed the dogs ourselves which was such a thrilling experience. I can’t recommend this enough to anyone visiting the area in the winter. You can find their website HERE.
Snowmobiling with Swan Mountain Outfitters
Snowmobiling is an absolute must in Montana in the winter! It’s such a thrilling activity around a beautiful landscape. We did a half-day tour which was the perfect amount of time to see several parts of the mountain. You definitely want to layer up for this activity and you’ll have the option to rent snow gear for a reasonable price. You can find their website HERE.
Snowshoeing in Glacier National Park
No winter in a Montana itinerary is complete without snowshoeing in Glacier National Park. During the time of our visit in February, the road was closed just after Lake McDonald. I have visited Lake McDonald both in the summer and winter and I thought the frozen lake was even more beautiful. The park was also near empty during the week. We did a snowshoe tour with Glacier Institute and had a really great experience. Our guide had so much knowledge about wildlife and how the landscape was formed.
Ski in Whitefish Mountain Resort
Even though we didn’t ski on our trip I wanted to add Whitefish Mountain Resort on this list since this is a popular winter activity in Western Montana for locals and tourists alike.
The Best Places to Eat in Whitefish
Tupelo Grille
You HAVE to make a reservation here! It gets quite busy but it’s popular for a reason. You can find delicious food on their menu like shrimp and grits.
Fleur
This cute cafe is a must visit for their coffee & freshly baked pastries. I’ve been here a few times and everything I’ve tried has been a hit.
Abruzzo Italian
This italian restaurant was highly recommended by locals and it did not disappoint! Reservations here are strongly recommended.
Jalisco Cantina
If you’re craving mexican food and great margaritas, I’d recommend Jalisco Cantina. I had both the fish and shrimp tacos and they were great. For drinks I had the mezcal margarita and really enjoyed it.
Hope this blog has been helpful for planning a quick itinerary to Western Montana. You can find more helpful guides for this area here.