Montana’s Ideal but Overlooked Mountain-Enclosed Base Camp for a Getaway

The Wild West tropes of rough-and-tumble frontier adventurers bending the land to their will through hard work haven’t exactly died out. At Ennis, Montana, they live on, in a modernized version of the old western settlements lauded in John Ford films. The wildly underrated town along the Madison River, surrounded by three mountain ranges, offers the perfect getaway for anglers and homespun roughnecks looking for a rugged weekend.

The town was established in 1863 by a homesteader, who set himself up along the Madison River. Trains were chugging through by the end of the century, supporting livestock, hunting, and fishing trades, which continue to this day. It would eventually become an incorporated town in 1956. Ennis is not so much a time warp into the past as it is an incremental upgrade carried out over decades. The ranches are still there. The cowboys never left. They just have Wi-Fi and smartphones now. You’ll find a true time portal into the past about 20 minutes away at Nevada City, an abandoned Montana mining town that’s now lively once again.

Ennis, less than a square mile in size, has a walkable Main Street with rustic storefronts, but it’s free of the inconveniences of yesteryear. Its 900 or so citizens have managed to pull off the rarest of feats — modernizing without losing their identity or putting Mother Nature’s gifts up for auction.

Visiting Ennis leaves one struck by how little has changed. In some cases, families have been working the same land for generations. That sense of continuity bleeds through in the vibes of the place, its roots so well secured they can’t be cut. This means passersby are welcomed as guests, not interlopers. The town’s mix of authentic local dining and merchandise offers a welcome escape from the cookie-cutter existence outside its boundaries. The Continental Divide, a gourmet bistro masquerading as a down-home eatery, has earned a reputation that echoes well beyond Ennis’ borders. Having a meal al fresco, the Madison Mountains serving as the background, is a must. Afterward, toss back a few rounds of the locally-made, well-regarded booze from Willie’s Distillery in downtown Ennis.

The town’s welcoming ethos and location right between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks make it a perfect hub in a four-spoke excursion. The first essential stop is the Madison River, which offers top-notch fly fishing for anglers of all experience levels. If you’re new to trout fishing, The Tackle Shop on Main Street offers a free Fly Fishing 101 class. Regardless of whether you’re reeling ’em in or coming up blank, resist the urge to become an obsessed angler. There’s more to see.

Native Americans called Ennis’ valley the “land of the shining mountains.” Those same peaks should be the other three spokes of your trip. The Madison Range, the Gravelly Range, and the Tobacco Root Mountains provide endless opportunities for hiking, hunting, and excursions into nature. Beware, though, as grizzly bears roam the mountainsides and forests, so pack bear spray.