Recreation

Bach, Orville. Hiking the Yellowstone Backcountry. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1998. Pick a trail and leave the crowded roads of Yellowstone National Park. Also contains backcountry information for mountain bikers, canoeists, and cross-country skiers.

Feldman, Robert, and Montana Hodges. Rockhounding Montana. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 2006. Feldman breaks the state into over 50 rock-hunting regions, complete with maps.

Fischer, Hank. Paddling Montana. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 2008. A comprehensive guide to floating 26 Montana rivers.

Fothergill, Chuck, and Bob Sterling. The Montana Angling Guide. Woody Creek, Colo.: Stream Stalker, 2002. Comprehensive guide with river maps and fishing tips.

Green, Stewart M. Back Country Byways. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 1991. A guide to Bureau of Land Management–designated scenic back roads throughout the West.

Henkel, Mark. The Hunter’s Guide to Montana. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 1985. A sensitive guide to hunting in Montana, with a focus on the process of becoming acquainted with wildlife.

Grossenbacher, Brian and Jenny. Fly-fishing Montana: A No-Nonsense Guide to Top Waters. Tuscan: No Nonsense Fly Fishing Guidebooks, 2007. A good guide for first-time Montana fly-fishers.

Holt, John. Knee Deep in Montana’s Trout Streams. Boulder, Colo.: Pruett Publishing Company, 1991. Holt’s books (he also authored Waist Deep in Montana’s Lakes and Reel Deep in Montana’s Rivers) include frank discussions of environmental and cultural issues affecting Montanans; they’re also chock-full of fishing advice.

Holt, John. Montana Fly Fishing Guide East: East of the Continental Divide. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2002. A guide to top fishing holes in eastern Montana.

Holt, John. Montana Fly Fishing Guide West: West of the Continental Divide. Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press, 2002. A guide to top fishing holes in western Montana.

Kilgore, Gene. Ranch Vacations. Berkeley, Calif.: Avalon Travel Publishing, 2005. A comprehensive guide to guest and dude ranches throughout the West.

McCoy, Michael. Mountain Bike Adventures in the Northern Rockies. Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1989. Some of the West’s best trails for the mountain biker.

Rudner, Ruth. Bitterroot to Beartooth. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1985. Indispensable for serious hikers in southwestern Montana, and good environmental reference for casual hikers or readers.

Schneider, Bill and Russ. Hiking Montana. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 2004. Descriptions and maps of 100 hikes, mostly in western Montana.

Thompson, Curt. Floating and Recreation on Montana Rivers. Lakeside, Mont.: Curt Thompson, 1993. Thorough milepost guide to the state’s 81 rivers.

Wilderness Adventure Press. Montana’s Best Fishing Waters: 170 Detailed Maps of 34 of the Best Rivers, Streams, and Lakes. Belgrade, Mont.: Wilderness Adventure Press, 2006. In-depth maps of top Montana fishing holes.

Williams, Rebecca, ed. Roads and Trails of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park: The Ruhle Handbook. Billings [1] and Helena [2]: Falcon Press, 1995. An update of George Ruhle’s noteworthy logbook of the park.