Between the Absaroka and Gallatin ranges, a broad river valley keeps its ranching soul. Across Montana's fourth-largest state, few places capture the imagination like this one.

The valley runs south from Livingston toward Yellowstone's north gate.

What sets it apart

Chico Hot Springs has drawn soakers to the valley since the 1900s. That detail is easy to overlook, but it helps explain the pull this place has on Montanans and visitors alike.

Blue-ribbon trout water makes the stretch a magnet for fly anglers.

Why it matters

What ties it all together is a distinctly Montana balance between wildness and self-reliance. However you come to it, this is a place that stays with you long after the drive home.