Posted in Montana
March 02, 2018
8 Undeniable Differences Between The Western And Eastern Parts Of Montana
There’s no doubt about it, Eastern Montana and Western Montana have some dramatic differences. While we all unite for our love of the Treasure State and all it stands for, which part of the state you call home may depend on your job of choice, your hobbies or your personal preferences. If you have a Montana area code, you’re already doing something right… but here are the most obvious differences between East and West.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
Some prefer the dramatic mountains, lush forests and famous waterfalls of Western Montana, while others prefer the flat, rolling farmland on the east side. Eastern Montana also has bragging rights for our beautiful badlands, which can mainly be found at Makoshika State Park and near the town of Terry.
There are plenty of jobs in Montana that won't make you choose a side of the state to live in. But if you want to work in the oil industry, you should head east, while park rangers and loggers will have better luck on the west side.
Rest assured, you won't go hungry anywhere in Montana, and you'll find tasty eats in every town. However, aside from Billings, most Eastern Montana cities have more casual mom and pop spots (like Cabin Creek Cafe in Baker) while you'll find upscale wine bars like Plonk! on the west side.
Western Montana boasts famous landmarks like Our Lady of the Rockies, which looms over Butte, while the equally impressive Steer Montana, the world's largest steer, resides in Baker.
Western Montanans enjoy going to football games, chatting over bonfires, being outdoors, and enjoying our state's amazing beer scene. Eastern Montanans like to watch sports, chat over bonfires, be outdoors, and enjoy breweries like Beaver Creek in Wibaux... OK, so we basically all like the same things in Montana. We just do them in different places.
Whether it's fly fishing, hunting, hiking, camping or swimming in the nearest lake, we all love being outdoors in Montana. Our options just look a little different based on our geographical locations.
Out-of-staters and Montanans alike flock to Western Montana to see Glacier National Park, go skiing, or explore towns like Cooke City and West Yellowstone on the way to Yellowstone National Park. Eastern Montana sees its share of tourism, but it's for things like the Miles City Bucking Horse Sale, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and local celebrations like "What the Hay" on the Montana Bale Trail in Hobson.
We're just kidding. This is an inescapable hell no matter which part of the state you call home.
No matter what part of the state you call home, if you’re a Montanan, you’re lucky indeed. It really no wonder we think it’s the best state.
