Montana and Wyoming- thingsto see, photograph

My wife and I are planning to tour through Montana and Wyoming during the summer. It won' be a long trip...10-14 days and were not going to RV...just go in our car...stay at motels.

We will be coming from North Dakota (Bismarck) to Montana, down to Wyoming...then into South Dakota (Black Hills) and north through North Dakota.

One place we definitely want to go is Little Big Horn Battlefield in Montana.

We like to:

Visit historical sites
Wildlife...to see birds, animals
Opportunities to photograph interesting landscapes, historical sites, Western Culture and wildlife.


I'm an ardent photographer (DSLR cameras, interchangeable lenses)and a Western USA history buff.

We're using a large Buick sedan...great on highways, paved back roads...but no great shakes off roading. So paved highways and paved back roads, are the roads we generally travel...although the occasional dirt or gravel road isn't any big deal if it's graded.

So any historical sites, general places of interest, stunning landscapes, places where there are chances to see wildlife, Western culture such as Cowboy/ American Indian way of life, etc...are the places we want to see and photograph.

Routes/roads to take also of interest.

This time around we're not planning to see Yellowstone Park as it's too busy for us, during the summer.

Thank you in advance.

Might look into Glacier National Park in NW Montana, I was there last month and it was so beautiful my wife and I were planning our return trip (30 days away now ) before we made it back home.

Even if its a single day look into the Going To The Sun Road amazing landscapes. We have a week planned and its still not enough

When traveling on Non-Interstate roads in any back country, I like to have the longest lens I am bringing attached to my camera, auto-focus, programmed exposure and ISO 320 (on my 7D 320 will provide quite good quality).

That way, when I come upon some wildlife, I am ready to grab the camera and shoot.

If I need a wider lens, it is usueally for a landscape or some such shot and I will usually have a bt more time to ready my camera than I would for wildlife...

I don't stop on Interstates so speed is not essential...

RPCrowe wrote in post #15987426
When traveling on Non-Interstate roads in any back country, I like to have the longest lens I am bringing attached to my camera, auto-focus, programmed exposure and ISO 320 (on my 7D 320 will provide quite good quality).

That way, when I come upon some wildlife, I am ready to grab the camera and shoot.

If I need a wider lens, it is usueally for a landscape or some such shot and I will usually have a bt more time to ready my camera than I would for wildlife...

I don't stop on Interstates so speed is not essential...

Same here. I usually travel with one body with my 12-24 on and another body with my 150-500 mm lens...ready to go.

Well we do have a big chunk of the Lewis and Clark trail here in Montana. A few historic Native American things (like the battle of little bighorn), but honestly most of Montana's appeal is its nature/wildlife, for that my suggestions are the east side of Glacier Park ((specifically the Many glacier area for large animals, and amazing scenery), Logan pass in Glacier is a must if you are going to be here after the 21st of June (before that the road is closed for snow removal. Pretty much all of the flat part of Montana is great for birds also.

Like Mine1, my first thought was the Lewis and Clark Trail. They covered a lot of Montana, and trying to more or less retrace their steps is an interesting project. See THIS MAP for some ideas and Google it for lots more information. Montana is a big state, so it can take a lot of time to explore. I lived there for 9 years (Great Falls and Missoula), but there are large portions of the state which I never even got near.

One thing I'd recommend is a good GPS so that you can waypoint some of the points of interest you plan to see and not lose a lot of time searching for them (Note that one of your first stops might still be in North Dakota at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers). I envy you this trip. I love Montana and Wyoming (and Colorado where I lived for the last 40 years before moving down here last year).

You have probably been to Fort Lincoln at Mandan,ND, good place to start if not,as this was the last Fort where Custer lived and began his march from to the last stand, breakfast or lunch at the Trappers Kettle in Belfield ND then on to TR Nat Park at Medora ND for the Bison, Wild Horses, Pronghorn and Prairie Dogs. If you are in Medora during the evening I would want to attend the Medora Musical, it's been a great show both times I've been there.

In Montana I saw a lot of Mule Deer and Pronghorn along the roads near Miles City, river drainage's with irrigated alfalfa attracts the deer. At Crow Agency in Montana I would take my tripod to top of the hill at the mass grave site at Custer's last stand, a wide angle and a long lens would both be nice to have with you when leaving the parking lot for the hike. I really enjoyed seeing the battle field and visiting the small museum, the end results of the battle make more sense after having seen the area.

In Wyoming, not counting Yellowstone, places I would want to see again, Buffalo Bill Historical center in Cody, Pronghorn around Greybull, the Bighorn Mtns.

In S Dakota, I like the Spearfish area, Custer State Park especially the Wildlife Loop, Crazy Horse Monument. If you go to Crazy Horse be sure to see the arrow head collection in the basement of the building behind metal gates.

Wind Cave NP is a very good park to visit while there, not many people go there, Bison are large and numerous. Wind Cave is the best for Bison of any place I've been and th edrive there on 385 is beautiful. Lot of Deer and Elk around Pringle. The cave itself is very interesting as well with several tours available, some easy and some only for the young folks. I would not want to be in SD and not visit the Badlands again, early and late times of day for wildlife are best with Bison, Pronghorn, Prairie dogs, Bighorn sheep being plentiful.
I enjoyed the 1880 town west of Murdo SD too, some history there, lot of old relics of the West, Dances with Wolves Movie set and old buildings that are great to photograph, especially the Church that sets way back in a field.

in SD, just outside of Rapid City, I wouldn't miss Custer State Park as Grizz mentioned. The American bison roam wild and are an amazing sight. The number fluctuates as they cull the herd from time to time but the last time we were there, there were over 2000 head. It was spectacular.

It is correctly not called Custer's last stand anymore. It is called the The Battle of the Little Bighorn, in reference to the real hero's of the day there. The Missouri headwaters by Bozeman, is nice as well alot of history in the southwest part of Montana.

Grizz1 wrote in post #15992587
You have probably been to Fort Lincoln at Mandan,ND, good place to start if not,as this was the last Fort where Custer lived and began his march from to the last stand, breakfast or lunch at the Trappers Kettle in Belfield ND then on to TR Nat Park at Medora ND for the Bison, Wild Horses, Pronghorn and Prairie Dogs. If you are in Medora during the evening I would want to attend the Medora Musical, it's been a great show both times I've been there. Have been to Fort Lincoln and the Mandan Indian village recreation. Great places...both and next to each other. This is our start off point and we would like to travel as close (highways of course) as we can to Custer's route to Little Big Horn.

In Montana I saw a lot of Mule Deer and Pronghorn along the roads near Miles City, river drainage's with irrigated alfalfa attracts the deer.Good to know. I plan to have my Sigma 150-500 mounted on a DSLR body....ready to go...in case any wildlife happens to present itself.

At Crow Agency in Montana I would take my tripod to top of the hill at the mass grave site at Custer's last stand, a wide angle and a long lens would both be nice to have with you when leaving the parking lot for the hike. I really enjoyed seeing the battle field and visiting the small museum, the end results of the battle make more sense after having seen the area.Thanks for the tip. I plan to carry a 12-24 and a 10-17 Fish eye....as well as the aforementioned 'Bigma' .

In Wyoming, not counting Yellowstone, places I would want to see again, Buffalo Bill Historical center in Cody, Pronghorn around Greybull, the Bighorn Mtns. A lot of people have suggested Cody and I'm a fan of the C.J. Box books...which take place around the Bighorn Mountains. A must see.

In S Dakota, I like the Spearfish area, Custer State Park especially the Wildlife Loop, Crazy Horse Monument. If you go to Crazy Horse be sure to see the arrow head collection in the basement of the building behind metal gates.

Wind Cave NP is a very good park to visit while there, not many people go there, Bison are large and numerous. Wind Cave is the best for Bison of any place I've been and th edrive there on 385 is beautiful. Lot of Deer and Elk around Pringle. The cave itself is very interesting as well with several tours available, some easy and some only for the young folks. I would not want to be in SD and not visit the Badlands again, early and late times of day for wildlife are best with Bison, Pronghorn, Prairie dogs, Bighorn sheep being plentiful.
I enjoyed the 1880 town west of Murdo SD too, some history there, lot of old relics of the West, Dances with Wolves Movie set and old buildings that are great to photograph, especially the Church that sets way back in a field.

Wasn't planning to take my 50 Macro...but now that you mention ghost towns....might come in handy. Thanks for the tips.

Les

Phoenixkh wrote in post #15992722
in SD, just outside of Rapid City, I wouldn't miss Custer State Park as Grizz mentioned. The American bison roam wild and are an amazing sight. The number fluctuates as they cull the herd from time to time but the last time we were there, there were over 2000 head. It was spectacular.

Been there...but it's a great scenic place and want to ...if we have time...go through Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse, etc.

Preeb wrote in post #15991422
Like Mine1, my first thought was the Lewis and Clark Trail. They covered a lot of Montana, and trying to more or less retrace their steps is an interesting project. See THIS MAP for some ideas and Google it for lots more information. Montana is a big state, so it can take a lot of time to explore. I lived there for 9 years (Great Falls and Missoula), but there are large portions of the state which I never even got near.

One thing I'd recommend is a good GPS so that you can waypoint some of the points of interest you plan to see and not lose a lot of time searching for them (Note that one of your first stops might still be in North Dakota at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers). I envy you this trip. I love Montana and Wyoming (and Colorado where I lived for the last 40 years before moving down here last year).

We took out kids to Mount Rushmore about 15 years ago and I picked up...think it was the diary of Lewis or Clark...regarding their trip. Have been a fan since of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

mine1 wrote in post #15987661
Well we do have a big chunk of the Lewis and Clark trail here in Montana. A few historic Native American things (like the battle of little bighorn), but honestly most of Montana's appeal is its nature/wildlife, for that my suggestions are the east side of Glacier Park ((specifically the Many glacier area for large animals, and amazing scenery), Logan pass in Glacier is a must if you are going to be here after the 21st of June (before that the road is closed for snow removal. Pretty much all of the flat part of Montana is great for birds also.

I'm from Western Canada and have been at the Waterton Park...which adjoins Glacier. Would like to get there again...and being worldly wise to wolves (lot's up here), bears, cougars and the occasional (1) Wolverine....I use the 150-500 Sigma and don't wander far from my car door.

It depends on where you are going to be in MT. If you are going to stay in the southern part, I would check out the following places:

Lewis and Clark Caverns
Paradise Valley
Big Sky - Lone Mountain
Bozeman - Bridger Bowl
Hyalite Canyon/Reservoir - there are couple of waterfalls within walking distance
YNP

If you are going more into the middle of MT I would check out the following locations:

Rainbow Dam - near Great Falls
Ryan Dam - near Great Falls
Black Eagle Dam - near Great Falls
Giant Springs - near Great Falls
Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Berkeley Pit - in Butte

If you are going all the way to western MT I would checkout the spots that others above have already indicated. Hope this helps!