Back to Discover Montana

Geography

Mountains, Rivers & Lakes

The Rockies, the Continental Divide, Flathead Lake, and 3,000+ waterways — Montana's physical landscape.

Mountains

Montana's Mountain Ranges

The northern Rocky Mountains carve up the western half of the state

Bitterroot Range

▲ Trapper Peak (10,157 ft)

📍 Hamilton, Missoula

🏠 Remote cabins & timbered acreage

Crazy Mountains

▲ Crazy Peak (11,214 ft)

📍 Bozeman, Billings

🏠 Ranch land & isolated peaks

Beartooth Mountains

▲ Granite Peak (12,799 ft)

📍 Red Lodge, Billings

🏠 Ranch land & resort cabins

Gallatin Range

▲ Hilgard Peak (11,316 ft)

📍 Bozeman, Big Sky

🏠 Luxury resort homes & skiing

Madison Range

▲ Hilgard Peak area / Lone Peak (11,166 ft)

📍 Big Sky, Ennis

🏠 Ultra-luxury resort homes

Swan Range

▲ Holland Peak (9,356 ft)

📍 Kalispell, Seeley Lake

🏠 Remote cabins & lake access

Mission Mountains

▲ McDonald Peak (9,820 ft)

📍 Kalispell, Polson

🏠 Lakefront & view properties

Lewis Range

▲ Mt. Cleveland (10,479 ft)

📍 Glacier NP, Browning

🏠 Resort & gateway cabins

Rivers & Lakes

Major Rivers & Lakes

Montana holds the headwaters of the continent — over 3,000 named lakes and 170,000 miles of rivers

Rivers

Yellowstone River

The longest free-flowing river in the lower 48 — 692 miles undammed.

📍 Billings, Livingston, Miles City

Missouri River

Headwaters at Three Forks where the Jefferson, Madison & Gallatin meet.

📍 Three Forks, Great Falls

Flathead River

Glacier-fed, world-class trout fishing through the Flathead Valley.

📍 Kalispell, Polson

Clark Fork River

Major western-Montana river flowing through Missoula to Idaho.

📍 Missoula, Thompson Falls

Madison River

Legendary blue-ribbon trout water between the Madison Range.

📍 Ennis, Bozeman

Gallatin River

Cold, clear trout stream along the Gallatin Canyon.

📍 Bozeman, Big Sky

Bighorn River

Famous tailwater trout fishery below Yellowtail Dam.

📍 Hardin, Fort Smith

Lakes

Flathead Lake

Largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi — 197 sq mi.

📍 Polson, Bigfork, Lakeside

Fort Peck Lake

Largest earth-filled dam in the US — 245-mile shoreline.

📍 Glasgow, Wolf Point

Canyon Ferry Lake

65-mile reservoir east of Helena, popular for boating.

📍 Helena, Townsend

Whitefish Lake

Glacial lake at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort.

📍 Whitefish

Georgetown Lake

High-altitude reservoir near Discovery Ski Area & Philipsburg.

📍 Philipsburg, Anaconda

Hebgen Lake

Earthquake-formed reservoir near West Yellowstone.

📍 West Yellowstone

Seeley Lake

Quiet alpine lake in the Seeley-Swan Valley.

📍 Seeley Lake, Missoula

What's Next?

Keep exploring with tools and guides that match this topic.

More Discover Montana Sections

Ready to explore?

Browse every Montana city or get a free home valuation.

Free Home Value