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- No Need To Choose Between Montana & Wyoming
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Wyoming Vs. Montana. The Cowboy State Vs. Big Sky Country. According to Reddit, it's not fair to say that one state is better than the other, as they both have unique and important attractions. Ideally, it's best to follow in Steinbeck's footsteps and travel to both states, but if it has to be one or the other, this guide should make the decision easier. Below is a comparison of the two states based on a couple of factors that readers can prioritize as most important to them based on personal preference.The long and the short of it is, if one has time, then visit both of them! The states are both different from each other and have different things to see and do while there (at least take the time to explore the national parks in both of the states).
UPDATE: 2023/02/06 11:43 EST BY AARON SPRAY
No Need To Choose Between Montana & Wyoming
If one can drive cattle from Wyoming to Montana, then one can easily visit both states. This article was expanded with suggestions of exploring both states and seeing how they contrast and compare (as well as join a spring cattle drive up into Montana). Both of these states are paradise for cowboys and nature lovers alike.
UPDATE: 2022/09/26 15:00 EST BY AARON SPRAY
Updated By Aaron Spray September 26th, 2022
Wyoming and Montana are two of the most stunning states in the United States and are home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the Rockies. Folks on Reddit have a lot to say about which of these states to visit over the other. This article was updated to provide introductory information and stats about Wyoming and Montana.
Wyoming Vs Montana: An Introduction
Some of America's most stunning and iconic scenery is in Wyoming and Montana. While Wyoming is home to Yellowstone National Park (home to over half of the world's geysers and America's premier biodiversity hotspot), Montana is home to the snowcapped rugged peaks of Glacier National Park. A small park of Yellowstone is also in Montana.
Both of the states are remote, with some of the country's smallest populations (Wyoming has the lowest population of any state in the USA). The capital of Wyoming, Cheyenne, is little more than a town with a population of only 64,000 residents.
Montana Stats:
- Population: 1.1 Million
- Size: 147,040 sq mi (380,800 km2)
- Capital: Helena
Wyoming Stats:
- Population: 600,000
- Size: 97,914 sq mi (253,600 km2)
- Capital: Cheyenne
Like Montana, the western half of Wyoming is covered by the ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains, and the eastern half is dominated by high-elevation prairie. Both states have a long history of ranching and farming.
National Parks And Natural Beauty
Wyoming
Wyoming represents classic Americana and the West. In fact, upon entering the state, the official entry sign says, "Forever West." There's a lot of idealism embedded in that slogan, which the state lives up to effortlessly.
Yellowstone National Park is a defining cornerstone of American natural beauty. Apart from the cultural significance of this park, it is home to one-of-a-kind wonders that everyone should experience at least once. One of the most awe-inspiring sights to behold is the animal migrations. Thousands upon thousands of elk, deer, bison, moose, and birds migrate to lower ground in the fall in preparation for the snowy winter. Similarly, in the spring, the animals will migrate north to higher ground as fresh rain turns the frozen landscape into vibrant prairies.
Apart from the wildlife, Yellowstone is known for its geothermal activity. Old Faithful is probably the most famous geyser that has erupted every 90 minutes or so for as long as people have known about it. Pillars of boiling water are furiously expelled out of the cone-shaped geyser. It's a spectacular show that visitors are guaranteed to see.
Apart from Yellowstone, Wyoming also has Great Teton National Park. This is a great place for mountaineering, backcountry camping, and fishing at one of the many lakes. Grand Teton is the highest peak in the Teton mountain range and offers hikers a serious challenge if they want to summit the peak, which is almost 14,000 feet tall.
Montana
The Treasure Country is aptly named as it is ripe with dazzling treasures under wide blue skies. The immediate landscape is heavily floral, colorful, and fertile. Bees and butterflies flit around below the sun in flowery fields.
Stretching past the Canadian border, Glacier National Park is as close to paradise as one can get on Earth. The Park is full of turquoise glacial lakes and streams where the water is cold, clear, and cleansing.
The peaks and valleys were carved to perfection by glacial tides over millennia. Ancient alpine forests full of sprightly creatures blanket the mountains, dense with ethereal auras and mythical legends.
Ranging from the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains, nature is diverse and impressive. Up high on the snow-capped mountains, visitors will find a skiing destination that is not weighed down by cliche and tourism. Raw and untouched, Montana is one of the few places in the USA where human grace complements nature instead of clashing with it.
Culture: Wyoming Vs. Montana
Wyoming
The state has the lowest population in the USA. This makes it inherently unique and liberated from the consequences of encroachment and over-organization. Wyoming is wild and Forever West to its core.
Due to the remoteness and lack of human habitation, the culture of Wyoming is notably polite and community-oriented. Without the comforts of a tamed land and an over-extended state apparatus, people are more dependent on one another, which has a tendency to bring out the best of human nature. For this reason, perhaps, Wyoming is known as The Equality State and has historically been a pioneering force for women's rights.
With wild herds of horses roaming the land, it's no wonder that Wyoming is known as the Cowboy State. Rodeos and festivals live on through the residents, who are descendants of tough and noble cowboys and are as charming as ever. Carrying on many of the old traditions, Wyomingites have an endearing sense of community that all mannerly visitors should not miss out on.
Montana
The culture of Montana is delightfully hospitable to visitors. Similar to Wyoming, it is a frontier state, and it's clear why. In many ways, the environment is ideal for human settlement. Without the disadvantages that come with swampy terrain, one gets the sense that it's easier and more pleasant to live alongside the bustling flora and fauna of Montana.
The state is also home to a large number of native reservations. The indigenous people of Montana had good reason to live there, as the land is bountiful. Flush with glacial lakes and streams, survival is possible almost anywhere in the state, with plenty of water to drink, trout to catch, and wild horses to domesticate. There's no shortage of hills and mountains to seek high ground and shelter in, and there's something humanly appealing about that fact.
Montana is also known for its ranch culture, which is an attraction in and of itself. To experience ranch life is to indulge in flavorful steaks, long horseback treks, dazzling sunrises, and good times around the campfire.
As expected, Reddit could not come up with a definitive answer as to which state is more deserving of attention. Wyoming and Montana are gleaming with opportunity, marvel, and dignity. If at all possible, visit both states.
Why Not Just Visit Both Montana & Wyoming?
Perhaps the most novel way to see both of the states in one go is to join in some old-time cattle driving. The Dryhead Ranch in Montana invites vacationers every year to join in and drive their cattle north from Wyoming in their summer pastures in Montana. The spring drive happens in April or May, and little has changed over the large 150 years.
Visitors get to be cowboys (and cowgirls) driving the cattle up the old Sioux Trail and then enjoying a comfortable night's sleep back at the ranch. Montana is also a great place to learn about the Plains American Wars, and people can visit the famous site of Custer's last stand at the hand of Crazy Horse at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.
This highlights that Montana and Wyoming are neighbors. The touristic part of Wyoming is the greater Yellowstone ecological region that spills over the state line into Montana. So anyone visiting Wyoming is likely to visit the northwestern corner of the state from where it is easy to continue north into Montana.
Western Montana boasts some of the most dramatic landscapes in the nation, and everyone should visit. While Montana is hard-pressed to match the sort of North American wildlife one finds in Yellowstone's Hayden Valley, Wyoming struggles to match the massive mountain ranges of Montana.