2025-26 Winter
December 15, 2025The Winter 2025-2026 issue explores Montana’s rugged heritage, from the legacy of pioneer teacher Lucia Darling and the 703-mile expanse of Highway 200 to the harrowing history of regional smallpox epidemics. Features include the cultural rebirth of the Three Chiefs Museum , hospitality at Sage Lodge , and the immigrant history of Black Eagle. This edition also highlights the Montana Circle of American Masters , the career of author Robert Sims Reid , and a deep dive into Lake County , balanced by humorous ranching columns and vintage Treasure State recipes.
2020 Summer
June 15, 2020This issue of Distinctly Montana explores the state’s character through a lens of both legacy and transition. Key features include a guide to Glacier’s five best day hikes and an examination of the Little Belt Mountains. The magazine balances high art with cultural grit, profiling artist Carol Hagan and the Montana Territory Hat Company alongside a humorous look at the state’s most biting one-star reviews.
2020 Spring
March 15, 2020The Spring 2020 issue of Distinctly Montana explores the state’s high-desert mysteries and hidden natural wonders with a blend of curiosity and scientific observation. This issue features Chris Muhlenfeld’s investigation into Montana’s history as a UFO hotspot, accompanied by Robert Rath’s striking illustrations. Carol Polich provides a detailed, intimate look at the arrival of newborn sandhill cranes, capturing the precarious first days of "colts" in Montana's wetlands.
2025 Fall
September 15, 2025The Fall 2025 issue celebrates the winners of the Best of Montana contest while exploring the state’s complex history and untamed landscapes. Russell Rowland provides a nuanced look at the filming of the notorious flop Heaven’s Gate in Glacier National Park, while Cab Tran recounts Ed Craney’s ambitious effort to bring the first television signal to Butte. Readers will find a visceral history of the 163rd Infantry in New Guinea and an account of the military’s 1944 aerial bombardment of an ice jam in Miles City. From restoring vintage steam locomotives to wandering the Taylor-Hilgard wilderness, this issue examines Montana’s enduring spirit.
2025 Summer
June 15, 2025The Summer 2025 issue of Distinctly Montana captures the essence of the season—a time for enduring journeys, deep historical dives, and moments of quiet, blissful escape. This issue follows the incredible 1,700-mile journey of thru-hiking the Montana Trail. We also relive the wild history of the legendary Red Lodge riots of 1975, a Fourth of July that went completely sideways. Slow down to appreciate a well-cooked meal, like the Montana Gold Rush Apricot-Glazed Pork Sandwich, or escape to paradise at Quinn's Hot Springs Resort, where the scenery is "stunningly beautiful". We also dive into the history of Butte's "Band Boys" and their entanglement with the tycoon William A. Clark, and explore the Teller Wildlife Refuge, a shining example of conservation in the Bitterroot Valley. Here’s to summer days that last forever, good stories, and living in the best place on earth.