The Uncrowded Mountainous Montana Region For Rugged And Wild Outdoor Adventures In A Serene Setting

Big Sky Country is surely one of the most jaw-dropping regions of the USA. You can head there to stand on the so-called "Front Porch of the Rockies" in Choteau or hike through the "Crown of the Continent" in the fabled Glacier National Park amid shark-fin summits and roaring waterfalls. What's striking is that Montana is the fourth largest state by area yet in the bottom three states when it comes to population density. The upshot? This is a perfect destination if you like remote, uncrowded places. If this sounds like your idea of a great place to visit, then the little settlement of Sula could be just what you've been searching for.

Sula sits on the fringes of the vast Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, straddling Highway 93 as it wiggles up from the Idaho border. Don't expect much in the way of modern development — the population count of Sula as of 2025 is a mere 45 people. What you can look forward to is a front-row view of the Bitterroot Valley, a land of soaring peaks, good access to local ski fields, and a truly serene space amid the ranches of western Montana.

Did we mention that Sula is remote? Getting here will require a bit of dedication. The nearest place to fly into is Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, which is just over 3 hours to the east by car. These days, it's got some good domestic connections to major US hubs like Chicago and Los Angeles, along with car rental outlets. The alternative is to make Sula a stop on a cross-Rockies road trip. It'll take around 4.5 hours to drive here from Spokane via I-90 and just over 6 hours to get in from Boise.

There's one main reason you'll want to venture to Sula, Montana: to immerse yourself in the region's vast wilderness. Situated in the south end of the Bitterroot Valley, the bijou town is hemmed in by mountains on both sides. To the east, the skyline is dominated by the 158,615 acres of the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness. To the west, the 1.3 million acres of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness erupt, spilling from Montana all the way into Idaho.

There's plenty here to tempt the budding adventurer. Anaconda Pintler is a land of spruce forests and glittering lakes, where wild elk roam in the shadow of 10,793-foot-high West Goat Peak. There are long sections of the Continental Divide Trail to complete within the region, but also lots of shorter day hikes, including creek trails, summit trails, and lakeside walks.

But all of that is dwarfed by the sheer colossus of a reserve that is the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness. It's the third-largest wilderness reserve in the contiguous United States, with nearly 2,000 miles of marked-out hiking trails to explore. The eastern front of the mountains is easier to reach from Sula since you only have to drive up the 93 Highway to access the trailheads there. Once you arrive, options include the stunning Blodgett Canyon hike, comprised of 8.5 miles of towering hoodoos, granite peaks, and waterfalls, and the challenging route to Trapper Peak, where you'll be rewarded with panoramic views of large portions of western Montana.

Sula is nowhere near as big as Montana's other highland getaways. Compare the population of under 50 here to Bozeman's nigh-on 60,000 people; even the secret mountain town of Anaconda, located just the other side of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, is home to nearly 10,000 inhabitants. The truth is, Sula is hardly a town at all in the classic sense. It's more of an outpost with a few services — a post office and a sandwich deli — for local ranchers.

If that sounds like just about the perfect place to visit for a serene escape in the Rockies, that's because it is! Luckily, Sula can back up its remoteness with some tempting extras for those who may want to partake in some level of creature comforts while vacationing. For example, the Lost Trail Hot Springs can be reached via a less than 10-minute drive south of town. It's been a long time resting place on the arduous pass between Idaho and Montana and touts a pool fed by natural warm waters that stay at a consistent 107 degrees Fahrenheit.

Then there's the Lost Trail Powder Mountain. If you're more into whizzing down snowy slopes than hiking uphill in the summer heat, head to Sula in the depths of winter, and you'll find this beginner-friendly (and wallet-friendly) ski field offering 60 marked runs. The best part? Just like the rest of Sula, it's rarely busy, so you shouldn't find big queues at the lifts!