Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Montana National Park Sites
Montana has 8 National Park Service units that report visitation. Below, each is ranked by annual visits, with the month our data recommends for the best balance of light crowds, comfortable weather and daylight. Crowds peak in summer almost everywhere — the recommended months show where the quieter shoulder seasons fall.
Montana parks on the map
Click a marker for the park page, or use Where to stay in the table.
Ways to pick a Montana park
Quietest months
- Yellowstone — November
- Glacier — February
- Fort Union Trading Post — January
- Little Bighorn Battlefield — December
Most-visited
- Yellowstone — 4,762,988 visits
- Glacier — 3,136,557 visits
- Nez Perce — 343,910 visits
- Bighorn Canyon — 228,382 visits
Most-visited parks in Montana
Yellowstone
National Park, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming
Best in SeptemberGlacier
National Park, Montana
Nez Perce
National Historical Park, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington
Bighorn Canyon
National Recreation Area, Montana, Wyoming
Little Bighorn Battlefield
National Monument, Montana
Best in SeptemberBig Hole
National Battlefield, Montana
| Park | Annual visits | Best time | Busiest | Quietest | Stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YellowstoneNational Park | 4,762,988 | September | Jul | Nov | Where to stay → |
| GlacierNational Park | 3,136,557 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Nez PerceNational Historical Park | 343,910 | September | Aug | Jan | Where to stay → |
| Bighorn CanyonNational Recreation Area | 228,382 | May | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Little Bighorn BattlefieldNational Monument | 111,825 | May | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Big HoleNational Battlefield | 40,938 | September | Jul | Dec | Where to stay → |
| Grant-Kohrs RanchNational Historic Site | 23,520 | September | Jul | Feb | Where to stay → |
| Fort Union Trading PostNational Historic Site | 12,028 | September | Jun | Jan | Where to stay → |
Montana park crowd calendar (8 parks, all 12 months)
Download the full best-months table for all 8 of Montana's national parks — each park's month-by-month crowd index (1.0 = its average month), busiest and quietest months, and Best-Time-to-Visit score. Built from NPS visitation data. Enter your email to download. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Where to stay near Montana's national parks
Find hotels, cabins and vacation rentals across Montana to base your national-park trip — live availability and prices.
Top-rated places to stay near Montana national parks
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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