Distinctly Montana Magazine

34 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 S OME OF THE BEST WAYS TO SEE MONTANA are lying on a rock while watching the cosmos transverse the night sky far beyond the reach of artificial lights, listening to the sound of an elk bugle carrying across the river breaks, and waking up to a frosty morning anticipating the sun's warming ascent over a distant peak. These are the siren calls of the Montana Trail, the state's 1,700-mile, ultra-long trail that beckons adventurers to experience its unblemished essence. In 2024, Jim Kleven, better known by his trail name, Costanza, became the first person to thru-hike the Montana Trail since its inception five years ago. "I was completely surprised by this trail," says Costanza. "I have seen some of Montana near the Continental Divide before, but I had no idea the beautiful areas I would end up in on this trail. I knew it would take me to places I never would have seen otherwise." MONTANA'S OWN The first step to creating the Montana Trail began when Marty Bannon—trail name is Race—wrapped up his own Continental Divide Trail (CDT) journey in 2015. Walking over 3,000 miles of- fers plenty of time to think, and as Race neared the Canadian border, a spark of an idea came to him that Montana deserved its own ultra-long trail. "Two years later, while riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route south through Montana, the idea started to solidify. I en- visioned a route that would encompass parts of the Continental Divide Trail, the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and the Pa- THESE ARE THE SIREN CALLS OF THE MONTANA TRAIL, THE STATE'S 1,700-MILE, ULTRA-LONG TRAIL THAT BECKONS ADVENTURERS TO EXPERIENCE ITS UNBLEMISHED ESSENCE. by AMY GRISAK • photos courtesy MONTANA TRAILS ASSOCIATION

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