Montana doesn't skimp on Rocky Mountain drama

With its ranching and gold mining heritage and legendary "big sky", no American state captures the essence of the Wild West better than Montana.

Montana delivers rugged wilderness in spades - from snow-capped mountains, glacial lakes and raging rivers to dense forests and vast prairies.

Located in the United States' northwest, Montana shares its border with Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota as well as the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

While the eastern two-thirds of Montana is essentially prairie, the state doesn't skimp on Rocky Mountain drama, encapsulated in the phenomenal Glacier National Park, one of the wildest corners of the United States. With some 2,000 lakes, vast alpine meadows and more than 20 glaciers, the park is also crawling with grizzlies, mountain goats and mountain lions.

The geological wonderland that is Yellowstone National Park also overlaps slightly into Montana. Three of the main entrances to the park are located in state - West Yellowstone, Cooke City and Gardiner.

Montana also offers excellent skiing in resorts such as Big Mountain, Showdown, Red Lodge, Big Sky, Snowbowl and Bridger.

Montana also has several thriving cities such as Helena, Great Falls, Bozeman and Missoula. There are two major universities in the state - the University of Montana in Missoula and Montana State University in Bozeman.

Montana two international airports, in Missoula and Billings. These airports serve as hubs for smaller regional airlines that can take you out to remote parts of the state. For most people, though, the preferred way to move around in Montana is by car. This allows visitors to soak in the stunning landscapes.