From alpine lakes to prairie coulees, Montana's public lands offer room to disappear for a night. For Montanans, the outdoors is less a hobby than a way of life.

More than a third of Montana is public land open to camping.

What sets it apart

Leave No Trace practices help protect fragile alpine meadows. For those who know the region well, it is a point of quiet pride.

Backcountry permits are required for popular corridors in Glacier and Yellowstone.

Why it matters

Taken together, these threads say something about Montana itself — a state where the wild and the worked-over sit close together. Go prepared, respect the conditions, and Montana's backcountry will give back in kind.