This magnificent state took its name from the Spanish montaña--meaning mountainous. The altitude of about half the state is more than 5,000 feet, and the sprawling ranges of the Continental Divide rise more than 2 miles into air so clear, photographers must use filters to avoid overexposure. The names of many towns, though, indicate that Montana has more than mountains. Grassrange, Roundup, and Buffalo tell of vast prairie regions, where tawny oceans of wheat stretch to the horizon and a cattle ranch may be 30 miles from front gate to front porch. Big Timber and Highwood suggest Montana's 22 million acres of forests; Goldcreek and Silver Gate speak of the roaring mining days (the roaring is mostly over, but you can still pan for gold in almost any stream); and Jim Bridger reminds us of the greatest mountain man of them all. Of special interest to vacationing visitors are Antelope, Lame Deer, and Trout creeks, which indicate hunting and fishing par excellence.

First glimpsed by French traders Louis and François Verendrye in 1743, Montana remained unexplored and largely unknown until Lewis and Clark crossed the region in 1805. Two years later, Manuel Lisa's trading post at the mouth of the Big Horn ushered in a half-century of hunting and trapping.

The Treasure State's natural resources are enormous. Its hydroelectric potential is the greatest in the world--annual flow of the four major rivers is enough to cover the whole state with 6 inches of water. The 25 major dams include Fort Peck, one of the world's largest hydraulic earthfill dams. Near Great Falls, one of the world's largest freshwater springs, pours out nearly 400 million gallons of water every day. In more than 1,500 lakes and 16,000 miles of fishing streams, the water is so clear you may wonder if it's there at all.

For a hundred years the state has produced gold and silver, with Virginia City (complete with Robbers' Roost situated within convenient raiding distance) probably the most famous mining town. Montana produces about $1 billion worth of minerals a year. Leading resources are coal, copper, natural gas, silver, platinum, and palladium. Montana also produces more gem sapphires than any other state. Farms and ranches totaling 67 million acres add $2 billion a year to the state's economy.

Along with the bounty of its resources, Montana's history has given us Custer's Last Stand (June 25, 1876), the last spike in the Northern Pacific Railroad (September 8, 1883), the country's first Congresswoman (Jeannette Rankin of Missoula, in 1916), the Dempsey-Gibbons fight (July 4, 1923) and a state constitution originally prefaced by the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.

If you come in winter, bring your mittens. Temperatures can drop below zero, but the climate is milder than perceived because of the state's location in the interior of the continent. Snowmobiling, downhill skiing, and cross-country skiing are popular sports here. Summer days are warm, dry, and sunny.