There’s no better way to celebrate spring’s arrival than by enjoying the great outdoors. These trails are all known for their stunning scenery, and they’re especially delightful this time of year. And best of all, none of them are extraordinarily difficult to navigate! Here are a few of the best hikes in Montana for springtime adventure:
- Lava Lake Trail, Gallatin Gateway
C.A. Kelly / alltrails.com The 5-mile Lava Lake Trail climbs 1600 feet to a beautiful lake setting that is surrounded by the Spanish Peaks. This is definitely one of the most awe-inspiring hiking trails in Montana. Lava Lake Trailhead, 501-901 Cascade Creek Rd, Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730, USA
- Grotto Falls Trail
Corbin Stokes / alltrails.com The Grotto Falls Trail is a nice, easy 2.4-mile trek that leads to a beautiful waterfall. The trail is nice and wide, and the hike itself is quite pleasant. Embark upon this scenic hiking trail in Montana for a look at one of the best waterfalls in the US! Grotto Falls, Montana 59047, USA
- Heart and Pearl Lakes Trail, Superior
Matthew Wilson / alltrails.com This nice, mellow trail is perfect for getting back into shape after the long winter. It’s 7.2 miles in length, but the views of the mountains reflecting on the lakes make it well worth it. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of Montana lake hikes is sure to find delight in this one! Superior, MT 59872, USA
- Pine Creek Falls, near Livingston
Jacob Scherr / alltrails.com On this 2.5-mile trail, you’ll cross a little foot bridge that leads to a beautiful waterfall… and the hike is great for all skill levels. This is a short hike in Montana you’ll want to do time and time again! Pine Creek Falls, Pine Creek Rd, Livingston, MT 59047, USA
- Maclay Flat Nature Traill, Missoula
Amy Payne / alltrails.com This is a nice, easy loop that’s under 2 miles in length and often full of colorful wildflowers. By the way, while you’re here, it’s worth exploring the surrounding small town in Montana for even more things to love. Maclay Flat Nature Trail, Forest Rd 19155, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
- The M Trail, Bozeman
Justin P / alltrails.com The Montana State University “M” is located at the mouth of Bridger Canyon, and this 1.7-mile loop gets some pretty amazing wildflowers. The hike isn’t overly difficult, but it’s definitely rewarding. Find out why this is thought to be one of the best scenic hikes in Montana. College ‘M’, Trail to ‘M’, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
- Glen Lake Trail, Victor
Rachael Zeller / alltrails.com The Glen Lake Trail is a 5.4-mile loop that’s best explored before the summer heat hits. There’s not much shade on the trail, so it’s best done in the morning. Glen Lake, Montana 59917, USA
- Trout Creek Canyon, near Helena
Noelle Sara / alltrails.com Trout Creek Canyon is not short hike - it’s about 6.2 miles out-and-back. But if you time it right, you’ll see some beautiful wildflowers along the way. This wonderful hiking trail in Montana is second to none. Trout Creek Canyon, Montana 59602, USA
- Swan River Trail, Bigfork
John Panagakos / alltrails.com Bigfork is exceptionally beautiful in the spring, and the 2.5-mile Swan River Trail shows off some of the best parts of it. This hike in Montana isn’t terribly long, but it is ridiculously scenic. Swan River Nature Trail, Bigfork, MT 59911, USA
If you’re looking for a nice, short hike that won’t take up your entire day, check out one of these trails under 3 miles.
C.A. Kelly / alltrails.com
The 5-mile Lava Lake Trail climbs 1600 feet to a beautiful lake setting that is surrounded by the Spanish Peaks. This is definitely one of the most awe-inspiring hiking trails in Montana.
Lava Lake Trailhead, 501-901 Cascade Creek Rd, Gallatin Gateway, MT 59730, USA
Corbin Stokes / alltrails.com
The Grotto Falls Trail is a nice, easy 2.4-mile trek that leads to a beautiful waterfall. The trail is nice and wide, and the hike itself is quite pleasant. Embark upon this scenic hiking trail in Montana for a look at one of the best waterfalls in the US!
Grotto Falls, Montana 59047, USA
Matthew Wilson / alltrails.com
This nice, mellow trail is perfect for getting back into shape after the long winter. It’s 7.2 miles in length, but the views of the mountains reflecting on the lakes make it well worth it. Anyone who considers themselves a fan of Montana lake hikes is sure to find delight in this one!
Superior, MT 59872, USA
Jacob Scherr / alltrails.com
On this 2.5-mile trail, you’ll cross a little foot bridge that leads to a beautiful waterfall… and the hike is great for all skill levels. This is a short hike in Montana you’ll want to do time and time again!
Pine Creek Falls, Pine Creek Rd, Livingston, MT 59047, USA
Amy Payne / alltrails.com
This is a nice, easy loop that’s under 2 miles in length and often full of colorful wildflowers. By the way, while you’re here, it’s worth exploring the surrounding small town in Montana for even more things to love.
Maclay Flat Nature Trail, Forest Rd 19155, Missoula, MT 59804, USA
Justin P / alltrails.com
The Montana State University “M” is located at the mouth of Bridger Canyon, and this 1.7-mile loop gets some pretty amazing wildflowers. The hike isn’t overly difficult, but it’s definitely rewarding. Find out why this is thought to be one of the best scenic hikes in Montana.
College ‘M’, Trail to ‘M’, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
Rachael Zeller / alltrails.com
The Glen Lake Trail is a 5.4-mile loop that’s best explored before the summer heat hits. There’s not much shade on the trail, so it’s best done in the morning.
Glen Lake, Montana 59917, USA
Noelle Sara / alltrails.com
Trout Creek Canyon is not short hike - it’s about 6.2 miles out-and-back. But if you time it right, you’ll see some beautiful wildflowers along the way. This wonderful hiking trail in Montana is second to none.
Trout Creek Canyon, Montana 59602, USA
John Panagakos / alltrails.com
Bigfork is exceptionally beautiful in the spring, and the 2.5-mile Swan River Trail shows off some of the best parts of it. This hike in Montana isn’t terribly long, but it is ridiculously scenic.
Swan River Nature Trail, Bigfork, MT 59911, USA
What would you call the best hikes in Montana? Tell us your picks in the comments – we love hearing about your favorite places!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes In Montana April 10, 2022 Tori Jane Where are some of the best kid-friendly hikes around Montana? Given the extraordinarily mountainous terrain of some parts of Montana, it’s no surprise that many of our hiking trails can be… well… hard. Whether they require a ton and a half of cliff-scaling or mountain climbing or anything in between, there are just some trails you can’t bring the kids on. Those aren’t what we’re going to focus on for the moment – what about the kid-friendly hikes around Montana? Some of our favorite short and easy hikes in Montana (perfect for the little ones!) include St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail, at Glacier National Park, which is 2.9 miles long and quite easy. The kids will love the incredible lake views, and the waterfalls are a special treat as well. Trail of the Cedars, also within Glacier National Park, is another good one, offering up less than one mile of absolutely breathtaking Montana landscapes that one would expect from somewhere like Glacier National Park. Alternatively, head to Yellowstone National Park and do the Artist Point Trail, which is quite literally world-famous for its amazing beauty. What are the most breathtaking scenic hikes in Montana? Any of the trails in Montana listed above would answer this question as well, but here are some more ideas! Should you find yourself at Glacier National Park, you really can’t go wrong with any one trail. The Highline Trail is truly awe-inspiring; traverse secret mountain passes and explore hidden alpine lakes. Take in some of the most incredible wilderness scenery in the world, right here in our backyards. Another amazing scenic hike in Montana is the Beehive Basin Trail at Big Sky. It’s an intensely beautiful three-mile trek into the glacier cirque of the same name. That one is considered one of the best day hikes in the United States! Finally (but definitely not final, as Montana is home to thousands of incredible trails), head to the Holland Falls National Recreation Trail within Flathead National Forest. It’s a scenic woodlands hike complete with a breathtaking waterfall that you cannot pass up on.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes In Montana
April 10, 2022
Tori Jane
Where are some of the best kid-friendly hikes around Montana? Given the extraordinarily mountainous terrain of some parts of Montana, it’s no surprise that many of our hiking trails can be… well… hard. Whether they require a ton and a half of cliff-scaling or mountain climbing or anything in between, there are just some trails you can’t bring the kids on. Those aren’t what we’re going to focus on for the moment – what about the kid-friendly hikes around Montana? Some of our favorite short and easy hikes in Montana (perfect for the little ones!) include St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail, at Glacier National Park, which is 2.9 miles long and quite easy. The kids will love the incredible lake views, and the waterfalls are a special treat as well. Trail of the Cedars, also within Glacier National Park, is another good one, offering up less than one mile of absolutely breathtaking Montana landscapes that one would expect from somewhere like Glacier National Park. Alternatively, head to Yellowstone National Park and do the Artist Point Trail, which is quite literally world-famous for its amazing beauty. What are the most breathtaking scenic hikes in Montana? Any of the trails in Montana listed above would answer this question as well, but here are some more ideas! Should you find yourself at Glacier National Park, you really can’t go wrong with any one trail. The Highline Trail is truly awe-inspiring; traverse secret mountain passes and explore hidden alpine lakes. Take in some of the most incredible wilderness scenery in the world, right here in our backyards. Another amazing scenic hike in Montana is the Beehive Basin Trail at Big Sky. It’s an intensely beautiful three-mile trek into the glacier cirque of the same name. That one is considered one of the best day hikes in the United States! Finally (but definitely not final, as Montana is home to thousands of incredible trails), head to the Holland Falls National Recreation Trail within Flathead National Forest. It’s a scenic woodlands hike complete with a breathtaking waterfall that you cannot pass up on.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Given the extraordinarily mountainous terrain of some parts of Montana, it’s no surprise that many of our hiking trails can be… well… hard. Whether they require a ton and a half of cliff-scaling or mountain climbing or anything in between, there are just some trails you can’t bring the kids on. Those aren’t what we’re going to focus on for the moment – what about the kid-friendly hikes around Montana? Some of our favorite short and easy hikes in Montana (perfect for the little ones!) include St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail, at Glacier National Park, which is 2.9 miles long and quite easy. The kids will love the incredible lake views, and the waterfalls are a special treat as well. Trail of the Cedars, also within Glacier National Park, is another good one, offering up less than one mile of absolutely breathtaking Montana landscapes that one would expect from somewhere like Glacier National Park. Alternatively, head to Yellowstone National Park and do the Artist Point Trail, which is quite literally world-famous for its amazing beauty.
What are the most breathtaking scenic hikes in Montana?
Any of the trails in Montana listed above would answer this question as well, but here are some more ideas! Should you find yourself at Glacier National Park, you really can’t go wrong with any one trail. The Highline Trail is truly awe-inspiring; traverse secret mountain passes and explore hidden alpine lakes. Take in some of the most incredible wilderness scenery in the world, right here in our backyards. Another amazing scenic hike in Montana is the Beehive Basin Trail at Big Sky. It’s an intensely beautiful three-mile trek into the glacier cirque of the same name. That one is considered one of the best day hikes in the United States! Finally (but definitely not final, as Montana is home to thousands of incredible trails), head to the Holland Falls National Recreation Trail within Flathead National Forest. It’s a scenic woodlands hike complete with a breathtaking waterfall that you cannot pass up on.
