When to Go

December through March is the best time to visit for skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers, and people who love winter. Summer draws even more visitors. That's not to say that southwest Montana gets crowded, but you may find more peace and quiet in spring and fall, when warm days and cool nights offer pleasant vacationing under the Big Sky.

Temperatures will drop below freezing in winter (and in fall and spring in the mountains) and jump into the 80s and 90s in summer. The weather can change quickly, particularly in the mountains and in the front range area north of Helena, and temperatures have been known to vary by as much as 70°F within a few hours, bringing winds, thunderstorms, and the like.