America’s wild western state is the natural choice for escapees from exhausting big-city routines. And you’ll sleep deeply in its best cabins and lodges – bookable through Culture Trip.
All unplumbed forests, rivers and mountains, Montana – Big Sky Country – is an exceptional state for nature lovers. Many visitors focus on the western part as it has far more varied terrain than the mostly agricultural prairies in the east: such as the area around Glacier National Park in the northwest, where the Rockies extend across the border into Canada, and also the south, including the Big Sky ski fields and the area near Yellowstone National Park, on the border with Wyoming. Explore these and you’ll find most of the best cabins and lodges in Montana.
On the edge of the Big Sky ski resort’s Mountain Village, the spacious Powder Ridge Cabins are classic log-built affairs with modern amenities: expect wifi and private outdoor hot tubs, but also rustic features such as fireplaces to hunker around. It’s little wonder groups and families love staying, as cabins – from three to five bedrooms, with multiple bathrooms – sleep up to 12. When winter blows in, bringing the skiers, they have runs beginning just a third of a mile away. In summer, people come to hike the many trails, or hit the few golf courses within close reach.
7mi (11km) west of Yellowstone National Park and the town of West Yellowstone is this relaxed lodge. Here, there are seven one- or two-bedroom spaces, decked out with rustic wood furniture, as well as a lofty communal living room with multiple fireplaces. If you’re here in summer, take a plunge in the outdoor pool, with views out to the mountains. Want even more splendid isolation? Pick one of the cabins, a short walk away – they’ve got a selection for couples and larger groups, and each one has its own fireplace and patio barbecue.
Around two hours east of Helena is the town of White Sulphur Springs, known – as the name suggests – for its rejuvenating mineral hot springs. It’s also handy for the forests, hiking trails and fly-fishing of the Smith River State Park, as well as the wilderness that surrounds it. Right in town you’ll find the Tenderfoot Cabins and Motel, an affordable, no-frills assortment of 12 cabins and rooms. The simplicity extends to a pool, barbecue facilities, wifi and free breakfast.
Barely 10mi (16km) from the Canadian border, the frontier town of Eureka lies between the stunning Glacier National Park and Kootenai National Forest. A short drive south, the Homestead Cabin Resort hides in a forested valley with silvery lakes and streams. Supremely welcoming and friendly staff show you to your classic log cabin – there’s a selection, sleeping between one and six guests, and filled with traditional Amish-built furniture. Limber up for local fun: watersports, fishing and hiking are all on the menu, as are some excellent local breweries for later in the evening.
Right beside photogenic Hebgen Lake, Terra Nova Cabins are a solid choice for nature-lovers out to explore Yellowstone National Park – you’ll enter it 10mi (16km) further east. Don’t expect simple, old-fashioned log huts here: the cabins are relatively new, with modern furniture and polished hardwood floors, queen beds, patios and wifi – if with a larger group, consider one of the duplexes. Against a backdrop of soaring mountains, hunting and angling will fill your day – including ice fishing on the lake in winter.
If you’re visiting Glacier National Park, this lodge can’t be beat: West Glacier Village is right at the west entrance to the park, and grocery stores and other necessities are within easy walking distance. The wood cabins of this characterful property are spacious and sleep a maximum of four people: there’s a queen bed – with private bedroom – and a double futon. The inclusive wifi works, and barbecues beckon guests outside, as do the kids’ playground and fire pits.
This ranch, near Glacier National Park, more than cuts the mustard, with nine cozy classic wood cabins that sleep two to four, with memory foam mattresses as well as reliable free wifi. Step outside and you’ve got gardens, communal fire pits, barbecues and formidable mountain views. The west entrance to Glacier National Park is a scenic 20mi (32km) drive from the ranch, while the small city of Columbia Falls, with its restaurants and grocery stores, is a quick drive away.
Endless expanses of Alpine forest surround Bear Creek Lodge – a fantastic place to commune with nature. About an hour’s drive south of Missoula, it’s an intimate hideaway: eight rooms have eclectic design channeling natural elements. Come prepared to socialize, as the lodge has a fine redwood hot tub, a pool table, library, sauna and wet bar. You’re also very close to a web of hiking trails in the Bitterroot Mountains, which rustle with wildlife you might just glimpse. Take note – the lodge operates from May to October, and only accepts adult guests.
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