The Best Times to Visit Montana for Beautiful Weather, Lower Prices, and Fewer Crowds

These are the best times to go to Montana for your ideal outdoor adventure.

Montana is best known for its wide-open vistas and expansive wilderness. It is a state built for adventurers — be that adventure on snow, trail, or waterway. Montana’s two high seasons, winter and summer, couldn’t be more opposite. Winters are long and snowy, drawing visitors who want to ski powder-covered mountains, while summers are colorful, with long, sunny days and cool nights. In fact, Mandy Hotovy, the general manager at The Wilson Hotel in Big Sky, Montana, says, “There’s a saying here in Big Sky that ‘people come for the winter and stay for the summer,’ and I would agree with that.”

For a quieter visit with fewer crowds (and often lower rates), plan your trip for one of the two shoulder seasons. “For those looking to enjoy a visit to one of our mountain towns, or to head up to Glacier National Park, come out in spring or fall,” advised Steven Boldt, who is the head of digital tools at RightOnTrek, a company based near Glacier National Park that helps people plan backpacking trips with gear rentals and dehydrated meal plans.

To determine the best time to visit Montana for your travel goals, let's start with some basic information about the state's tourism seasons:

• High Seasons: December to March and July to September

• Shoulder Seasons: April to June and October to November

Here are the best times to go to Montana for fewer crowds, beautiful weather, and more.

Related: T+L's Guide to Montana

Best Times to Visit Montana for Smaller Crowds

In Montana, it’s noticeably quieter in the spring and fall. Once the ski areas close in early spring, a wonderful, crowd-free quiet descends on most ski towns. And in the fall, when the kids go back to school and the weather begins to cool off, hikers need only to pack an extra layer to enjoy the wide-open trails. Just be aware that some outfitters, hotels, and tour operators will close during the shoulder seasons, so you’ll want to double-check opening dates before you travel.

If you have your heart set on Yellowstone National Park, Hotovy says, “Our ‘secret season’ is the shoulder season. May through June and September through October are some of the best times to visit. Visitation in the park is lower and allows for a more intimate experience when seeing Old Faithful or spotting wildlife.”

Related: 14 Best Things to Do in Montana

Best Times to Visit Montana for Good Weather

If your idea of good weather is a powder day, plan your trip between December and March, when ski areas like Big Sky typically see up to 60 inches of snow a month, according to OnTheSnow reports. December and January are usually the state's snowiest months, but they're also the coldest, with temperatures rarely climbing past 30 degrees in most areas. Prefer more comfortable temperatures while you're on the slopes? A late-winter visit, in February or March, may be better for you.

July to September, meanwhile, is the best time of year for travelers in search of warm weather and sunny skies. Hotovy says visitors in this period can enjoy “longer, warmer days that allow for more time to recreate outdoors, alfresco dinners, and gorgeous sunsets.” September can be especially nice. Temperatures are mild — in Bozeman, for instance, they tend to top out in the low 70s — and, by mid-month, fall foliage will be on display in many parts of the state.

Best Times to Visit Montana for Lower Prices

Smaller crowds tend to correspond with lower prices, so travelers looking for a deal should plan their trip in the spring or fall. These shoulder seasons are known for their fickle weather — it might be snowing one day and hot and sunny the next — so visitors should come prepared. That said, the prices couldn’t be better. Hotels that are booked out in the winter and summer will often have more open rooms (and at lower rates) in the spring and fall.

“Though some activities will probably be limited," says Boldt, "the shoulder seasons from April to June and October to November are perfect for avoiding the crowds and enjoying off-season rates."

If you want to find good deals in the high seasons, try visiting during their least popular months. September is less crowded than July and August, and February is by far the least crowded month of the winter, since it sits in between the Christmas rush and the swarms of raucous late-season skiers who descend in March. Rates may still be steep due to the peak seasons' high regard among travelers, but you're more likely to snag a discount in these overlooked months than at the busiest points in each season.

Best Times to Visit Montana for Hiking

Boldt says that the prime hiking season near Glacier National Park typically runs from late July to mid-October, when there's little to no snow on the ground and hiking trails are clear. Greg Wagner, the assistant general manager at Moonlight Basin, a private club in Big Sky, says: “You can’t go wrong hiking around Big Sky in any of the summer months — you’ll find different wildflowers and wildlife along the trails as the season progresses.”

That said, both say that hiking in September is hard to beat. “September is hands-down our favorite month to get out on the trails. Warm, sunny days mix with slightly chilly nights,” says Boldt, while Wagner notes, “Starting in September, we have crisp mornings, blue skies, and the daytime temperatures are perfect for being active outside.”

Best Times to Visit Montana for Skiing and Snowboarding

In Montana, ski season tends to start in late November and run through mid- to late April, but Wagner says March is his favorite time to ski. “If I had to pick just one month to ski, it would be March. Big Sky is known for epic spring skiing and lots of powder days. With more daylight and warmer afternoons in March, there’s no better time for après-ski socials on the patio of one of our ski lodges after a long day on the mountain.”

If you want to ski without the crowds, Hotovy recommends planning your trip after the New Year and before Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. During this two-week “sweet spot,” she says that skiers at Big Sky “can expect town to be a little quieter and the lift lines up at the resort to be a little shorter.” You may even find better deals at the state's best slopeside resorts.

Worst Times to Visit Montana

With delights on offer in every season, the "worst" time to visit Montana will depend entirely on your priorities.

If you don't want to worry about shops being closed and activities being limited, spring and fall won't be ideal for you, since many summer and winter resort towns practically shut down at these times of year. You can snag good deals, but you may not be able to experience everything the state has to offer. If big crowds concern you, though, you may want to skip the summer. Montana can see almost 2.5 million visitors per month in summertime, meaning the state's most popular spots might be overrun with camera-wielding tourists.

The final months of each high season — March and September — might provide the best balance of all. Most attractions and businesses will still be open, but far fewer visitors will be wandering around than during the seasons' peaks.

For more Travel & Leisure news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.