If you’re looking for a day trip, check out the scenic and diverse Kootenai National Forest in Northwest Montana.
Centered in Lincoln County, the U.S. Forest Service hosts a variety of activities on the Kootenai, including hiking, biking, camping and even gold panning.
You can make a weekend of it by renting an historic cabin that is maintained and managed by the Forest Service.
If you only have a day, the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway offers some stunning scenery between Libby and Eureka and access to some of the area’s great climbing opportunities.
The drive from Libby to Troy is also scenic, as U.S. Highway 2 twists and turns along the Kootenai River. Among the highlights is Kootenai Falls, halfway between the two towns.
For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kootenai or call the Libby office at (406) 293-6211.
How to get there:
From the Flathead Valley, the Kootenai National Forest can be accessed via U.S. Highway 2, to the Libby and Troy area, or U.S. Highway 93, to Eureka.