Unless you plan to stay a couple of years, you won't be able to hit more than the high points in Montana! It depends a bit on your areas of interest what to focus on. For scenic areas and wildlife, Glacier Park is a must-see, as is Yellowstone. Montana is a huge state and the west side is quite different from the east side. The Rocky Mountains split the state, running approximately north-south. Central and Western Montana are the heart of the Mountain West, while Eastern Montana is on the western edge of the Great Plains. The geography of the two sides is quite different, but both are scenic.
If you visit Yellowstone, you should also plan to go a bit south to the Grand Tetons in Wyoming; beautiful, rugged mountains and lots of wildlife. And, Cody, Wyoming, has a fabulous museum complex with five distinct "museums." Very worth the time to visit.
Of course, history buffs will be intrigued with numerous Native American museums and history sites. And, the Lewis and Clark Expedition came up the Missouri River as far as Great Falls, so there are some historical things associated with it as well.
That should take care of your first yea, Neal.
As for reservations, the sooner the better but a lot of places don't seem to start taking then until after January 1. If you need help with reservations at Polson, let us know.
TJ
