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20 Awesome Montana Facts

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Here are 20 interesting facts about Montana — from nature and geography to history and quirky laws.

  1. The name Montana comes from the Spanish “montaña”, meaning “mountainous country”.
  2. Montana became the 41st U.S. state on November 8, 1889.
  3. It’s the 4th largest state in area in the U.S., covering about 147,000 square miles.
  4. Despite its size, Montana has a low population density — many counties are “frontier counties” with 6 or fewer people per square mile.
  5. Montana borders three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan) — the only U.S. state to do so.
  6. It is home to the world-record for the greatest temperature change in 24 hours: from −54 °F to +49 °F (a 103-degree swing) at Loma, Montana.
  7. The Roe River, flowing near Great Falls, Montana, is listed in the Guinness Book as one of the shortest rivers in the world (about 200 feet long).
  8. Montana has the only known “triple divide” in the U.S.: at Triple Divide Peak water can flow to the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic/Hudson Bay region.
  9. The state is nicknamed the “Treasure State”, and also goes by “Big Sky Country” and “The Last Best Place”.
  10. Montana has two official state gemstones: agate and sapphire (including the famous Yogo Sapphire).
  11. More antelope, elk and deer live in Montana than people in many parts — wildlife is abundant.
  12. It has the largest grizzly-bear population in the Lower 48 states.
  13. The first U.S. national park, Yellowstone National Park, was partly in Montana (though mostly in Wyoming).
  14. One of Montana’s most scenic drives is the Going‑to‑the‑Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
  15. In 1888, the city of Helena had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world (thanks to the gold rush).
  16. A curious law: In Montana, at one time it was illegal for a married woman to go fishing alone on Sundays.
  17. The largest recorded snowflake (15 inches across) was supposedly observed in Montana on January 28, 1887, at Fort Keogh.
  18. Montana is in only one time zone (Mountain Time) across the entire state.
  19. The state telephone area code is just 406, the only code for the entire state.
  20. The state’s motto is “Ori et Plata” (Latin for “Gold and Silver”), reflecting its mining history.