Beaches in Montana? You Bet! Here is the Best
Yeah, we're not anywhere near an ocean.
We're certainly a landlocked state. Montana is a nine-hour drive to the sea from Missoula to Washington's Pacific coast and a solid 30-hour drive from Billings to Texas' Padre Islands in the Gulf of Mexico. It will take you about the same amount of time to drive to the Florida panhandle. Thank heavens for air travel, right?
Interesting side note.
Montana is the only state that has water that flows to three different oceans; the Pacific, the Atlantic (via the Gulf of Mexico), and the Arctic Ocean, through Hudson Bay, Canada. This unique feature stems from a watershed in the famous Triple Divide, located in Glacier National Park.
A Boomer magazine just published the best beach in every state.
Last week, Reader's Digest published its list of The Best Beach in Every State. It appears the ranking data is based on TripAdvisor reviews. Of course, I had to read the article. I had my hunch of what lake they would choose, and I wasn't wrong...
City Beach, Whitefish, MT takes the top spot.
Most Montana lakes are primarily surrounded by one of two things: Steep, rocky shorelines, or shallow gumbo mud shores; depending on what part of the state you're heading to the lake. Touting the features of City Beach on Whitefish Lake, Reader's Digest said,
In Whitefish, you’ll find a seven-mile glacial lake beach that’s much easier to access, with a swimming area and a separate spot for paddle boating and canoes. Make a plan to sit in the shaded grass at a picnic table or inside a gazebo, and happily waste a summer day away at City Beach.
Find out more about City Beach HERE.
Where's your favorite Montana beach?
I absolutely love the ocean. The steady crash of the waves, the salty air, the soft sand that goes on for miles... It's tough to beat. But in a pinch, if I close my eyes and pretend real hard, we have some decent beach experiences in Montana. I've found some really nice long, sandy beaches on the east shore of Canyon Ferry, across the lake from the Silo's boat launch.
The south shore of Cooney Reservoir has some decent sandy beaches later in the summer when the water is low. My boater friends report discovering some nice little "secret" coves on Tongue Reservoir that offer ample sandy beaches. And even on the Yellowstone River you can get lucky and find a favorite sand bar on the riverbank, or oftentimes on an island. We'll make do with what we have when it comes to beaches in Montana, right?
Where have you found the best beach in Montana? Leave a Facebook comment, or reach out on our mobile app. My email is Michael@Billingsmix.com
LOOK: Where people in Montana are moving to most
More From Mix 97.1
