Road trips in Montana really take you places. Massive mountains, glacier lakes and wild rivers unfurl outside the window on the state’s wide-open roads, each diving into a state of exploration and pure natural wonder. And with plenty of Western scenery and outstretched landscapes along the way, road-tripping across Montana proves it’s all about the journey between destinations.

Several roadside vistas encourage pulling off the designated route, and even more small towns, campgrounds and unique Montana adventures facilitate longer layovers. Come as you are for a Montana road trip, where every type of vehicle can access the atlas of Scenic Byways and All-American Roads across the state.

1. Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park

Best introduction to Montana driving

Apgar Village – St. Mary Lake; 50 miles

Breathless words like “oh my gosh” and “holy moly” often accompany any drive on the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road, the only route spanning the width of Glacier National Park in northwest Montana. Narrow shoulders, winding curves and rushing waterfalls beneath the road add an adventurous nature to the drive, but the mythical mountains rising into the sky will make you glad you called shotgun.

Drivers start heading to the sun at either Apgar Village near Lake McDonald or St. Mary Lake on the park’s east and west sides. The whole route could take 90 minutes without stopping, but you’ll want to budget all day to visit several roadside attractions, including Logan Pass Visitor Center – at an elevation of 6646ft, this is the highest point in the park accessible by vehicle.

Planning Tip: The Going-to-the-Sun Road is open seasonally, typically fully accessible between early June through September. A new Vehicle Reservation System coincides roughly with the same span, requiring personal vehicle permits. The fare-free GTSR Shuttle offers a valuable option if you can’t get a permit.

2. Beartooth Highway

Best way to get to or from Yellowstone National Park

Red Lodge – Cooke City; 68 miles

Eyepopping views of big mountains and glacier-carved valleys line every mile of the Beartooth Highway in southern Montana. This All-American Road dips into Wyoming on its journey from Red Lodge to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, topping out at Beartooth Pass (10,947ft) and showcasing Montana’s tallest peaks – the startling Beartooth Mountains.

Custer Gallatin National Forest surrounds the entire drive, including parking lot access to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Alongside a thriving habitat for bears, moose and elk, these adventure playgrounds offer a lifetime of hiking trails and connections with nature. This adventure smorgasbord includes a unique chance to hit the slopes at Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area.

Planning Tip: Time your adventures right; the roadway is only open between Memorial Day (early May) and October 15th. No matter the time of year, bring warm clothes for the colder temperatures and exposure along the highway’s high elevation.

3. Pintler Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Highway

Best alternative route for driving between Yellowstone and Glacier

Drummond – Anaconda ; 64 miles

The Pintler Veterans’ Memorial Scenic Highway, also known as the Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Route, is a must-do diversion from Interstate 90 between Butte and Missoula. It’s also an excellent side adventure for those traveling between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park, located approximately halfway along the route between these much more crowded destinations.

The speed limit is slower on the 64-mile two-lane scenic highway, but what really slows down traffic are the historic towns and outdoor recreation opportunities lining the route. Two quintessential pullovers include Anaconda and Phillipsburg, offering similar historic aesthetics but completely different ways to experience the past.

Mine for Montana Sapphires in Phillipsburg and enjoy black slag bunkers at Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda, always in sight of the historic Anaconda Smelter Stack. Both towns have hotels and lodging, although Fairmont Hot Springs Resort near Anaconda offers the most relaxing stay. Head to the hard-to-miss Georgetown Lake about halfway along the route for outdoor adventures. 

4. Seeley-Swan Scenic Byway (Highway 83)

Best road trip into lake country

Clearwater – Swan Lake; 84 miles

If you enjoy massive mountains reflecting off glass-smooth natural lakes, head for the Seeley-Swan Valley in western Montana. Mission Mountains and the Swan Range border Highway 83, spanning the length of this approximately 90-mile corridor. This magnet for summer travel is also home to a refreshing chain of over two dozen mountain lakes along the Clearwater River.

Seeley Lake, near the southern end of Highway 83, is the largest in the chain of lakes, complete with campgrounds, private resorts, and stocked rainbow trout. Holland Lake is another stunning lakeshore about halfway up the highway, where Holland Falls National Recreation Trail delivers hikers to a misty gravity display. And Swan Lake borders eight miles of the highway at its northern end, also famous for its fishing and camping opportunities.

Planning Tip: Budget 2-3 days for a solid trip through the Seeley-Swan Valley, booking campsites at places like Lake Alva or Lindbergh Lake or accommodations at the Holland Lake Lodge.   

5. Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway

Best road trip for uncovering gems of the Treasure State

Wise River – Polaris; 45 miles

The seemingly short 45-mile Pioneer Scenic Byway in southwest Montana facilitates days upon days of authentic Montana experiences. The route follows the entire frontage of the Pioneer Mountain Range through Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, offering a relatively mellow and straightforward drive where the term “Big Sky Country” really comes to mind.

Multiple days of outdoor recreation line the route, including the Big Hole River at its northern terminus – one of Montana’s top blue-ribbon waterways for fly fishing. National forest campgrounds also line the way, including Price Creek, the largest with 28 sites for tents or RVs. This campground is the closest to Crystal Park, a must-visit, with 30 acres open to harvesting quartz crystals buried in the ground.

Planning Tip: Pioneer Scenic Highway is open between May 15th and December 1st. It transforms into one of the state’s most popular snowmobile trails for the rest of the year.  

6. A Journey through Paradise (Valley)

Best road trip for historic hot springs

Livingston-Gardiner; 54 miles

The Yellowstone River carves through Paradise Valley on either side of the Absaroka and Gallatin Mountains in southern Montana. This idyllic riparian landscape spans only 40 miles, but with Livingston and Yellowstone National Park near its northern and southern termini, there’s enough to fill seven-plus days of exploring Paradise Valley and its river outlets.

Time spent in Livingston or Yellowstone can easily occupy your whole vacation, but budget some time to enjoy the drive between. The best way to soak in the stunning landscape is an overnight stay at the historic Chico Hot Springs, established in 1900 and still providing rustic rooms, a large community pool and a historic dining room for a romantic night to remember. 

Detour: Highway 89 is the main route through Paradise Valley and a famous access road for Yellowstone National Park. The less-busy East River Road is a recommended alternative with a slower speed limit but better driving experience. 

7. ZooTown to Whitefish through the Flathead Valley – Highway 93

Best route for an unplanned adventure

Missoula-Whitefish; 138 miles

The route from Missoula to Whitefish will make you want to move to Montana forever. It passes through the Rattlesnake Mountains immediately north of Missoula before crossing into the Flathead Reservation, home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, who manage the southern half of Flathead Lake, an unmissable point of attraction along the route.

Flathead Lake, the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River in the contiguous United States, has two roads navigating either side of its expansive shoreline. Highway 93 follows the western shore, passing through charming small towns like Polson and Big Arm, where visitors find hotels, boat rentals, and community events like the Flathead Cherry Festival on the last weekend in July.

Approximately 10 miles north of Flathead Lake is Kalispell, a great base camp for exploring the Flathead Valley with the most available hotels, restaurants, and community events. And 15 miles further north is the year-round mountain town of Whitefish, made famous by its Amtrak stop, outdoor recreation, and world-class skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Imagine a land that accounts for just 1% of the Earth’s surface but over 8% of its total biodiversity – somewhere that crosses biomes as varied as wave-lashed beaches and humid cloud forests. That’s Central America in a nutshell, a place where you can glimpse gigantic whales in the Pacific, spy stalking jaguars in the jungles and swim coral reefs in the Caribbean.

Recent years have seen the region enter the frontline of global conservation. There are some serious challenges ongoing, not least of all deforestation and habitat destruction in the face of climate change. But there has also been a big drive to establish contiguous nature reserves that foster and rebuild ecosystems that support the menagerie of species that make their home here.

This list of the best places to see wildlife in Central America touches on just a few of the highlights, from Costa Rica’s sloth-filled coast to the impenetrable Panamanian sierras.

Parque Nacional Darién in Panama

Best for wilderness vibes

This is a wild, wild land – just a mention of the name Darien is usually enough to conjure images of impenetrable rainforest. You’re looking at 5,790 sq km of land in Panama, touching the Pacific at one end and the Serrania del Darien mountains on the Colombian border at the other. No road goes through it, and the only real towns are abandoned colonial-era mining settlements.

The best area for wildlife viewing is around the long-out-of-use ranger station under Cerro Pirre. A couple of trails lead out from there into the densest parts of the jungle. There are regular reports of mantled howler monkeys, sloths, Baird’s tapirs and even jaguars – beyond that, nobody really knows. Pack accordingly, as this is the frontier.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica

Best for bird-watchers

Monteverde is a magnet for wildlife lovers. This gem in Puntarenas province is famed for its lush cloud forest habitats that exist on the tips of the Cordillera de Tilaran between 4,600 and 5,900ft. It covers more ecological zones than you could count on one hand and consists of 90% primeval rainforest. Some stats, huh?

The flora and fauna, as you’d expect, is also pretty darn startling. The birds run the gamut from the teal-plumed resplendent quetzal to the brazenly bold violet sabrewing hummingbird, and big mammals include white-faced capuchins and elusive ocelots. The plants range from vivid bromeliads to the biggest ferns you’ll ever see.

All of that’s fantastically knitted together by a series of well-marked trails that sometimes cross soaring canopy bridges suspended over the woods. Binoculars are a must for peering through the vegetation at birds and whomever else you manage to spot; so are waterproofs, as cloud forests are famously wet. Generally speaking, though, Monteverde has some of the most accessible wildlife viewing in Costa Rica.

Ambergris Caye in Belize

Best for snorkeling and diving

Talcum-powder beaches and five-star hotel resorts have turned this dash of barrier isle on Central America’s eastern haunch into a real R&R escape. But there’s no reason you can’t interrupt a pool session for a trip out to the Belize Barrier Reef, which encompasses a whopping 30% of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the second largest on Earth.

The main place to go is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve on the southwest side of Ambergris Caye. It consists of four zones, ranging from rich seagrass beds to multi-colored underwater gardens that count more than 50 different coral species. Zone D is colloquially called Shark Ray Alley. There, it’s possible to swim with nurse sharks, sting rays and even the occasional passing whale shark.

Most tours provide snorkeling and diving equipment as part of the package. There are also strict no-fishing policies in place across much of the park.

Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor in Nicaragua

Best for a turtle arribada

Rivas province in the deep southwest of Nicaragua is the jewel in the crown of the country’s ever-developing travel industry. Waves are what really put in on the map and board-touting surfers now flock into San Juan del Sur by the thousands. But there are also unique reserves, topped off by the Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Flor (La Flor Wildlife Refuge).

One creature steals the show: olive ridley turtles. Thirty thousand of them, to be exact. They flood this cinnamon-tinged sand stretch just south of the surf town from July to January, with the biggest crowds hitting in mid fall. That’s the best time to come because it gives the highest chance of seeing an arribada, when multitudes of olive ridleys clamber onto the beach all at once.

Most newborn turtle releases and egg laying at La Flor occur in the dark of night, and you’ll need a good bug spray to survive the onslaught of mosquitoes that emerge during wet season. The nearest hotels are at Playa El Coco just to the north. Note that the beach is totally out of bounds during the nesting period if you don’t have a qualified guide.

Parque Nacional Corcovado in Costa Rica

Best for diversity

Arenal and Monteverde are small fry compared to the mighty Parque Nacional Corcovado (Corcovado National Park). Spread out over a map-devouring 424 sq km on the huge Osa Peninsula, this is a part of Costa Rica that conservationists wax lyrical about over their wheatgrass shots and copies of Nat Geo in the morning.

It’s been called the “most biologically intense place on Earth,”  and it’s easy to see why. Three hiking routes converge here – one on the coast, two inland – and they are each a ticket to such a rich montage of wildlife that you’d think you were dreaming.

Through the jungles on the El Tigre Trail and crossing from Estacion Sirena, you can see howler monkeys, spider monkeys, silky anteaters and sloths, along with endangered Baird’s tapirs if they decide to emerge during the day. On the shoreline, caimans meet bull sharks in the rivers (so be careful where you step), while humpbacks patrol the wave-lashed bays.

As you might expect, the Corcovado is one of the harder-to-reach corners of the land of Pura Vida. Access and planning are usually done in the nearby town of Puerto Jiménez. Strict new conservation measures mean that you can only enter for one or two days maximum, and all groups need a certified guide. Trails are hard here, too, so saddle up in strong walking boots, and bring gnarly bug spray and proper hiking stuff.

Reserva de Biosfera Bosawás in Nicaragua

Best for tropical rainforest

Matched only by the mighty Amazon, the Reserva de Biosfera Bosawás (Bosawas Biosphere Reserve) covers the second-largest tract of tropical rainforest in the Americas. It’s estimated to be around 20,000 sq km in all, supporting ecosystems home to a quarter of a million insects right up to apex predators like the mysterious jaguar.

You’ll have to do some legwork to get here. First, get permission to enter the park at the office in Siuna, Nicaragua. They can also help you organize a guide, which is compulsory – expect to pay US$20-30 a day. Then, it’s an onward bus to one of the entrance points or trailheads. Options include an attempt at the rugged heights of Cerro Saslaya or the jungle walks of Peñas Blancas.

Like Darien further south, the Bosawás is undeveloped jungl, and it’s for those with a bit of survival training and a willingness to share undergrowth beds with snakes and golden frogs. Ask your guide for a list of gear before leaving Siuna.

Selva Maya in Belize

Best for seeing jaguars

The Selva Maya extends a whopping 40 million acres across Central America, rolling through Guatemala and Mexico. But it’s the part that spills into western Belize that’s getting all the attention right now, mainly thanks to an ambitious 2021 land purchase that added nearly 100,000 hectares to the country’s protected landscape.

The new reserve joins with the Rio Bravo Conservation Area to link forests that host more jaguars per square mile than anywhere in the region, four other big cats and an estimated 350 bird species.

Chan Chich Lodge is the only accommodation option set deep in the confines of the expanded Belizean Selva Maya. There’s a whiff of luxury about it, but they also organize guided day-walks that talk about the local medicinal plant life, night expeditions to spot margays and ocelots and even safari-style game drives.

Keep planning your trip to Central America:

Relax on the 14 best beaches in Central America
Make the most of your trip by traveling by bus, plane and boat
Learn why Central America is great for budget travelers