A few years ago when I decided to launch my own Montana blog I began by searching for other Montana blogs. Much to my dismay I discovered there weren't many blogs in Montana about Montana...especially compared to other states. Of course Montana ranks 44th in population and offers so much to do outside one might expect fewer blogs.
Over the years, however, I collected a list of what I consider to be some of the best Montana blogs on the Internet. I follow these regularly and subscribe to them with my news reader. As such, I thought I would share them with you.
So, without further ado, this is my Montana blogroll of what I consider to be the best blogs in Montana.
A Montana View
http://www.amontanaview.com
A nature blog, of sorts, focusing mostly on bird photography. Most of the photos are taken in there Bitterroot Valley. There are some really nice photos here.
Big Sky Blog
http://bigskyblog.com/
Very possibly the only blog truly dedicated to all things Montana, Big Sky Blog has contributors from all over the state and it covers a wide variety of topics. If you live in Montana and you subscribe to just one Montana blog, this is the one to follow.
Big Sky Words
http://www.bigskywords.com/montana-blog.html
This is a blog that is rich with articles discussing the history of Montana. It is well written and seldom boring. If you are interested in Montana history this blog is for you. And if don't think you are much into Montana history, you may become interested if you give this blog a try.
Billings365
http://www.billings365.com/
More of a travel and entertainment website about Billings, Montana than a blog, Billings365 is arguably the most professional website of the bunch. It is easy to subscribe to Billings365 and receive updates about news and happenings there and it is arguably one of the most informative non-mainstream websites in Montana.
Butte, America
http://butteamerica.tumblr.com/
This is a neat Montana blog hosted on Tumblr. It is basically a Montana photo blog with some neat photographs of Butte, Montana. I'm not sure who is behind the blog, but it has some interesting photographs of Butte, Montana nonetheless.
Butte History and "Lost Butte"
http://buttehistory.blogspot.com/
Authored by Dick Gibson, a geologist, historian, and tour guide in Butte, Montana, this blog includes subject material Mr. Gibson has researched regarding the history of one of Montana's most interesting cities.
Eight Design Blog
http://www.eightdesign.co/blog
Eight Design is a Havre, Montana based company that builds website and provides graphic design and marketing related services to business and individuals on the Hi-Line. It is a whimsical blog with articles that cover everything from local design news and articles that are very Montana oriented. If you live on the Hi-Line or if you are Montana-based company interested in graphic design and web design, this will be a great blog to keep tabs on.
Flickr's Montana Group
This is not a blog. This is a depository of photographs from Flickr users. However, it does offer a RSS feed, which means you can easily receive automated updates using your favorite news aggregator or new service. Many of the photos are dull and boring, but it does give you the current visual pulse of the state from one corner to the other.
The Glacier Country Montana blog is an excellent source for information about what to see and do in Glacier Country.
Glacier Country Montana Blog
http://www.glaciermt.com/blog/
Written by the vibrant and always effervescent Tia Troy, the Public Relations Director for Glacier Country Tourism, the Glacier Country Montana Blog is regularly updated with interesting things to see and do in Glacier Country.
Growler Fills
http://growlerfills.blogspot.com/
If you like craft beer this is a great blog for you. And if you like Montana craft beer this is a must read. Written by Alan McCormick, this a Montana-centric blog dedicated to all of the craft beer geeks in Montana. And trust me, there are a lot of them.
Greater Falls!
http://www.greaterfalls.com/
Put together by the same person who is behind Big Sky Blog, Greater Falls! covers a variety of topics unique to Great Falls, Montana. It will occasionally dip into local politics, but for the most part it stays above the fray and keeps readers informed about those things that make Great Falls great.
The Idea of North
http://j-appleseed.tumblr.com/
This is an amateur Montana Tumblr blog written by an outdoors man and a family man. It is largely a Montana photo blog and for anyone living in Montana it can best be described as inspiring.
The Last Best News website and blog is a new offering to Montanans and is shaping up to be the best non-mainstream news site in Montana.
Last Best News
http://lastbestnews.com/site/
Much more of a non-mainstream news and information site than a true blog, Last Best News is a new independent online news site that covers the culture, people, and places of Billings and eastern Montana. It is well laid out and is rather informative.
Make it Missoula
http://www.makeitmissoula.com/
Make it Missoula is a website and blog that provides fun and interesting information about the Missoula community. Though largely geared for those who live in Missoula, it is still a great resources for visitors and those who live elsewhere in Montana.
Montana: A Picture Worth a Thousand Words
http://montanapic100.blogspot.com/
A neat little blog with lots of unique and relevant photos and stories from around Montana. This is not your typically blog. It is well worth your time and visit.
Montana, The Last Best Place
http://montanalastbestplace.wordpress.com/
An amateur Montana blog written by Erin Braaten. A Montana photo blog, the photos are positively Montana.
Montana Business
http://mtbusiness.com/
A Tumblr blog dedicated to covering Montana business news and happenings. It is a great resource for Montana small business owners.
Montana Department of Tourism
http://montanamoment.tumblr.com/
The Montana Department of Tourism Tumblr blog is largely centered around photography, including Montana photographs from photographers whom they do not compensate for their hard work. It is designed to gather content so people interested in Montana can share photos on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest and help advertise the state on social media, also without compensation to photographers for their hard work.
Montana Farm Girl
http://farmgirlinmontana.blogspot.com/
This is a nice blog written by a farm girl who dedicates much of her content to agriculture and homemaking. It really offers a glimpse into rural farm life in Montana.
Make it Missoula is a fine Missoula blog about Missoula for those who live, work, and play in Missoula.
Montana Film Office: The Buzz
http://www.montanafilm.com/film-news/the-buzz/
If you're into television and movies, The Buzz, produced by the Montana Film Office, is a great resource to learn about what shows and movies are filming in the state of Montana. For me as a photographer it offers additional information that is helpful for scouting Montana photo ops.
Montana for Real
http://montanaforreal.blogspot.com/
The blog Montana for Real is a behind-the-scenes look at rural ranch life in Montana. What's nice is that it is updated regularly and it features both Montana photographs and nicely written articles.
Montana Magazine
http://montanamagazine.com
While technically not a blog, Montana Magazine is now adding new content to its newly designed website on a regular basis. And of course, everything Montana Magazine posts is definitely all about Montana. Also, because Montana Magazine has a RSS feed, you can follow it with your favorite newsreader, so it is definitely now behaving like a blog. Besides, who doesn't like Montana Magazine?
Montana Mint
http://www.montana-mint.com/
The Montana Mint is a beautiful blog that provides a positive and humorous look at Montana. It's the one blog I look forward to reading whenever they post a new article. It really is a fun read. My only beef? The abundance of Instagram photos. Not a fan of their over-reaching terms and conditions and the fact they are owned by Facebook.
Montana Moments
http://ellenbaumler.blogspot.com/
Written by Ellen Baumler, an interpretive historian at the Montana Historical Society, Montana Moments is largely dedicated to nuggets of Montana history and special events. Many of the Montana photos and items on the blog come directly from the archives of the Montana Historical Society.
Montana Moves & Montana Meals
http://montanamovesandmeals.com/
While this particular Montana blog is largely intended for employees of the Montana University System (MUS) who are covered on the MUS health insurance plan, the Montana Moves & Montana Meals blog does a great job of providing articles about how to eat healthy and stay fit. What more. they almost all have a Montana slant. Simply put, you don't have to be an employee of the Montana University System to enjoy this blog.
Montana Outdoor Radio Show
http://www.montanaoutdoor.com/
If you like to wear camouflage and enjoy the smell of gun powder then the Montana Outdoor Radio Show blog is the website for you. It does a wonderful job of keeping readers up-to-date on hunting and fishing news and events in the great state of Montana.
Montana Outdoors
http://montucky.wordpress.com/
This website is dedicated nature's side of Montana. Brimming with Montana photos of scenic vistas, wildflowers, and wildlife, the Montana Outdoors blog is for anyone who enjoys spending their time in the middle of Montana's natural beauty.
Montana Stockgrowers Blog
http://mtstockgrowersblog.com/
Aimed specifically at Montana's beef producers, the Montana Stockgrowers Blog is rich with information for cattlemen and ranchers.
Montana Vacation Blog
http://montanavacationblog.com/
An amateur travel blog that provides helpful travel ideas and information about some of Montana's most popular destinations,
Montana Wild
http://www.montana-wild.com/
Zack and Travis Boughton have a made a career of documenting their outdoor adventures on film and video and the Montana Wild blog is dedicated to offering some behind-the-scenes context to their videos. There's a lot of good stuff here.
Reddit /r/Montana
This is a bulletin board and forum, not a blog. But because it offers a RSS feed you can subscribe to updates on this useful forum using your favorite news aggregator or news feed service. Highly recommended, even if some of the content is unorthodox from time-to-time.
Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere
http://www.sarpysam.com/
A ranching blog with a bit of a political tilt, Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere is filled with stories and commentary about the ranching industry and life in the middle of rural Montana.
Today in Dillon
http://www.todayindillon.com/
An entire website and blog dedicated to news and information about the city of Dillon, Montana. Subscribe to this Montana blog and you will never believe there's so much going on in Dillon, Montana.
This Week in Montana History
http://thisweekinmontanahistory.blogspot.com/
Produced by the Montana Historical Society, This Week in Montana History is regularly updated with remnants from Montana's past.
Yellowstone Gate
http://www.yellowstonegate.com/
Though most of Yellowstone National Park is located in Wyoming and not Montana, the nation's preeminent national park impacts much of the south central region of the state. And if there's one best source of news and information from Yellowstone National Park, it's this website and blog.
Are you aware of another Montana blog worthy of mention and don't see it listed here? Do you have some favorite Montana blogs you follow and you want the world to know about it? Drop me a note and I will be happy to consider them for inclusion here.
