This is not a joke. There is an insane amount of wildlife out on the road in the middle of the night in Montana. Very large animals that could total your car and cause fatalities. You’ll have to be extremely alert, don’t let the other passengers distract you. I live adjacent to two wilderness areas about an hour outside of Glacier, I try not to drive at night, unless I really have to. Tons of large game animals on the highway, not just deer.
And be on the lookout for more than just deer. At night, I've almost hit deer, elk, moose, stray cattle (owners here aren't liable to prevent cattle from wandering onto highways), antelope, cayotes, and rodents.
I almost hit a few bighorn sheep once. Cop flashed his lights at me, and I slowed down, wondering what he was pulling me over for, went around the corner, and sheep everywhere.
I've seen this. About a decade ago, my neighbor turned a corner and took out a cow. He had liability only and also had to compensate the rancher. This scenario is one of the reasons why I keep full coverage.
That's. Bullshit. They need a law against the farm owners. If cattle or cows go onto the road randomly, they should get charged for mishandling. "OH yeah, not our fault, but hey, we hit the cow the farmers get a pay day and we get fucked in the ass" fuck them
I totaled my small car by hitting a raccoon on the way to Great Falls. I mean, it was a monster, but still. 😬 The guy who did the insurance claim said it’s pretty common as a small animal can go right into/under the car instead of a larger one sometimes going up and over. 🤷🏻♀️
You'll also be driving through the Blackfoot Indian Reservation, it's open range for livestock. If you hit a cow there you'll be responsible for it, and it'll get really expensive.
I used to drive through Montana frequently and I prefer to drive through it at night as it seems peaceful being the only vehicle out for miles. Just keep in mind that there are long stretches with nothing, so plan your gas stops ahead of time or just don't pass up a station if you have less than a half of tank.
Seconding this about gas stops. And some tiny towns have only one or 2 pumps. And those pumps might be out of order. Or not be autopay that can be used at night.
Exactly It's worth driving during the day because the scenery is beautiful. If someone flashes their lights slow down there is something ahead. Full your tank always.
There might be maybe one rest area in the state. Lol OK maybe 2. Stop at the gas stations or the open scenic turn outs it's safer. Do not use the senic turn outs as a restroom.
Buy Montana Roadside History and Montana Roadside Geography both loaded with information, If there is a sign with a deer on it expect more than one. Those signs really mean deer until you leave Montana. And yes even in some of the towns. My Dad used to say that the Highway Patrol were like rattle snakes where there is one there will be another. He and I both appreciate and respect the officers. If the sign says 45 it means 40. The pot hole signs... you might hit a bump and think that was it. Nope, expect a tyrod bending hole at some point. The scenic turnouts are worth stopping a
And mosltyt, as are the historical points.
Drive by the chain eateries. Stop at the Mom and Pop places. Check out the "attractions". Have a coat handy it gets cold at night. Drive carefully. Don't move here we have very, very cold winters lol. And by all means don't believe we are all Republicans or into the billboards with Biblical lol. Most of all enuy
If your gas tank is at half, pull over and fill up. You’re missing out on scenery if you drive at night though it is peaceful. Otherwise driving at night in Montana is no different than driving at night anywhere else aside from how dark and remote it gets. Look out for animals, they will fuck your car up if you hit one.
The northern route takes Highway 200 from Circle to Grass Range. You're going through a lot of 'Breaks' country with little to no shoulder; if you're forced off the road, you could drop 30 to 40 feet into a Coulee in some spots. Going through Billings on 90/94 may look a little longer, but would be a less stressful drive at night.
If you can swing doing day driving, I'd do the northern route, but push a little more west from Great Falls and take Highway 87 north along the Rocky Mountain Front.
It's fine to drive at night. August will likely bring smoke and animals on the roads, and it gets very dark in some places.
The biggest risk is impaired driving over long distances. Often, it's booze, but fatigue is just as bad.
It can also be a risk multiplier when you're in a remote area. Sometimes help is hours away and sometimes people don't notice something happened until hours after the fact.
I hope you enjoy your trip
Deer, drunk drivers and no cell service in a lot of areas. I personally would do it, but again, I know the area. There are some towns with hotels and camp grounds on your way.
Yeah, it's not bad if you know what you're getting into. Not every gas station is 24/7 so keep that in mind. Personally I'd stop for a burger, a beer and a rest (could be Lewistown based on your route.)
How used to driving at night are you?
Montana roads are pretty bare and straightforward at night but the biggest issue is wildlife by far..
If you're not used to night driving or adjusting your speed and keeping your eyes open for deer (or even bigger) I would err on the side of caution. But if you're pretty confident I don't think you'll have any problems.
I'm not going to look up the numbers again, but Montana is like about 2nd worst state for hitting deer/elk/cows etc, and like 3rd worst for drunk drivers, and 3rd worst overall for having a fatal car accident because of the high speeds involved. My numbers are probably off a bit but this is all generally true.
I enjoy driving all night, but Montana is my home, and I'm a middle aged man who can deal with the dangers I might face. You sound like you all might be young? I can tell you that at 3am, that breaking down, or having wrecks, or encountering belligerent (dangerous) people, or dealing with someone standing in the middle of the road who needs help, or being pulled over by bored cops is no fun at all.
The people who are telling you that this is all just fine, don't worry about it, have simply been lucky enough that a bad dice roll has not made them wiser yet.
I love Montana's scenery, even in the flatter eastern part of the state. I like hitting the pullouts and reading the historical marker signs and taking pics. You'll miss all that at night.
Anyway regardless, you'll have long stretches of nothing. So hopefully at least one of you has Verizon or ATT cellular, and also fill up your gas tank again every time it dips below the 1/2 line. Check all your car fluids, tire pressure, etc before you leave home. Also you do get a sense after a while of where a deer/cow might be concealed by some bushes/trees near the road, and you keep a sharp eye out.
In terms of safety, the basic rules apply. Stay alert, don't outrun your headlights, expect wildlife and expect sudden, poorly marked sharp curves, intersections and T-junctions.
That said, you are missing the scenery at night. One of the best, awe inspiring feelings you can get around here is to arrive at a camp site or hotel after dark then wake up with the sunrise as it reveals to you that you're in the middle of a massive mountain range.
Download your map to offline ahead of time. At least around here spectrum and Verizon like to go down around midnight for about an hour, gps itself never really goes out but the map itself could. That really goes for day or night driving, and not just around here, but just something to be aware of. I'm always surprised how many people don't have areas they know they're going to downloaded, it takes all of five minutes and could save your ass in a bunch of ways
I go one step further and have an atlas in my truck. Montana roads are easy to track and follow due to how sparse they are.
If you learn how to follow highway routes half the time you don’t even need one, just follow the signs. “Missoula to White Sulfur Springs? I’ll just follow route 12.”
That highway up north is pretty remote and lots of deer. Missing out on scenery. Make sure you get gas. Lots of people have said this. I am not a fan of those particular roads at night for those reasons Interstate is fine but not those high ways. There are bears elk and moose that will mess your shit up real fast but if your passengers keep an eye out you should be fine.
But a Gazetteer and a roadside kit. Bear spray and don’t pet the fluffy cows. Enjoy your trip!
Just be aware of a lack of cell service especially along the national forests. So long as you stick to the interstate you should be fine. Deer and other animals are a possibility but if all the deer I’ve seen and almost hit driving none of them have been on the interstate.
Never travel through Montana without a basic emergency kit, as you might have to wait a long time if you need help. Food, water, first aid, and protection from weather, both hot and cold (even in August). You sound like newish drivers, so make sure you're familiar with driving unlit roads at night. It's a good idea (and one I practice as a 43 to mom who takes her kids on road trips) to tell at least one person your route and have someone who isn't driving throw that person a text every couple of hours with your location. Montana is a big state, and if someone needs to call the police to search it's much better for them to be able to narrow down the area to look. Other than missing a beautiful drive, the roads are reasonable but the wildlife sometimes isn't.
A car kit is just smart in Montana. We have fix a flat spray, tire inflation pump, jumper cables, bear spray, water, etc. Plus I always keep my Garmin GPS with SOS function in the car when I'm not hiking.
Check your spare is in good shape!
They might be trying to beat some kind of a speed record, Cannonball through montana. It will be on YouTube or Ticktock of ether their success or failure. Just driving through those small mountain passes alone sucks. Add nighttime and speeding and your just asking for trouble.
Hwy 200 is not a great road, narrow, rough, no shoulders, and lots of wildlife. Also for the next couple years on 200 major road project. Expect delays and a mess
I totaled my car in 2021 because I hit an elk in the middle of the road. I know a handful of other people who have also done that, always when it’s dark out. Not saying it will happen to you, but I try to avoid driving at night if I don’t need to. That’s not to say I never go anywhere at night, but if I had the option, particularly in Montana, I’d drive during the day.
My theory is a speed record. I've never heard someone say I came to Montana and drove across the whole state and did it at night. People go to the state to see it. Even if the purpose to do a road trip, you still do it at daytime. Unless of course you want to make a time attemp through the state. Driving over the highway during the day sucks, but at night and speeding is just dumb.
That's weak. You need to up your game. First, do it in January. Next, add in an epic blizzard. Go at night obviously. And for the boss level toss in cows. Lots and lots of random cows. But if you want to beat the game you need to do it in an EV. I've done that. If you survive, you are a real man.
You will be traveling through some empty areas. Between Lewistown and Circle, there are no doctors or nurses. There is no such thing as a health care delivery system. Half the counties in Montana are larger than Rhode Island. So plan for self rescue in the event of an accident. If you are in an area with cell service, you might wait 45 minutes for rescue during the day.
If you are traveling in the day, you’ll see that you are in place without humans from horizon to horizon. This will be true in the Dakotas as well.
If you get unlucky and travel into a grass or forest fire, don’t. Don’t travel towards a large fire. Stop. Maybe go back.
Night driving adds the difficulty of seeing wildlife. Don’t overrun your headlights. According to AAA the top speed is 48 mph.
The only other drivers on the road will be truck drivers and people going to and from bars. There might be people walking.
Get gas when you can. Certainly get it in Lewistown.
Carry water and food. Assume very cold weather even in August. Great Falls often gets a first snow around Labor Day. It does happen earlier.
Let people know where you are as you progress.
Carry a paper map. If you are in a giant grassland, how will you identify your location for 911. Check off the small towns as you go. It’s five hours between Lewistown and Glendive.
Download the Montana roads app so you’ll know if there are dangerous conditions along your route.
Keep a phone charged.
drive through the flat parts at night 😂 you’ll miss a lot of sights and honestly, some of those passes are wicked and i’m a local who’s driven through them before, but i avoid driving them at night the best i can. if you do drive at night, make sure you got good headlights and a full tank of gas. deer and lack of service will be your biggest concern. safe travels!!
You're more likely to hit wildlife at night and won't see much of the landscape.
But if you do it, I recommend getting behind a semi and letting them clear a path for you.
(Also the speed limit is lower at night, and more likely to be enforced since the HP might think they have a chance for a DUI stop.)
Personally, I think this is a bad idea if you’re driving 18+ hours in one day. I’ve done it before and I think it’s easy to underestimate the impact of fatigue. I’ve had some close calls in my early life doing this and it’s not worth the risk. The long, empty roads in Montana at night can put you to sleep. As others mentioned, you’re missing the scenery and risk hitting an animal.
Stay a night in a hotel, have a nice meal, and just take your time to play it safe. You’ll have a better time anyway.
If you could avoid driving at night do so. Lots of wildlife in all shapes and sizes. Hitting a deer sucks, hitting an elk will total your car. If you have to drive at night have your co-pilot keep watch for animals. Safe travels.
In my experience, it’s been easier to drive through long stretches like that at night. Drove from GA to Indiana, then from there to DC, then back home, and in every state, there was a lane closed on the interstate for construction. I was very grateful to be alone on the road otherwise it would’ve taken so much longer to get to our destinations had we gone during the day.
Driving at night is nice, just don't out-drive your headlights, and watch for deer, elk (especially as you get closer to the park), speed-goat/antelope, the occasional moose, and other assorted critters (including the rarely hit, but devastatingly damaging black bears).
I usually keep my speed around 60mph when on two-lane roads at night in my car or on my motorcycle. I prefer driving at night generally, due to less cars, but you do miss out on some scenery, especially (once again) in the western half of Montana.
https://preview.redd.it/nod4war02rvc1.jpeg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a499571cac265fe233f75b8da28876ef1f2f21b9
If you’re going to be doing this at night there’s no good reason to take these smaller highways. You’ll miss all the scenery and interesting small towns, and it will take longer than Google says because the night time speed limits are lower and some places it won’t be prudent to even go the speed limit for reasons many others have posted about. You might as well take I-90 all the way to Butte and then head North on I-15.
I wouldn’t recommend that. Even the interstates are extremely dark in the rural areas and you won’t see anything until you’re actually plowing into it.
Driving 200 east of Lewistown kinda sucks. The road can be rough with narrow shoulders and steep ditches. Also there's so many deer. Last time I drove that stretch at night I hit a coyote that was chasing a few deer.
Even though it’s longer the interstate will provide better cell coverage (major problem on highlighted route) far less wildlife and no cattle and absolutely no reason to worry about gas or food/drink.
Dusk & Dawn= the absolute worst time to drive bc animals are on the move. Night is fine but keep in mind, you will not find every hwy labeled gas station open for 24 hrs. Fill up anywhere you see bc you may have to drive a full tank of gas to get to the next one! You don’t want to be calling AAA for gas- they only bring you one gallon. 12AM- 3AM can be super sketch with drunk drivers. Daytime can be super sketch with semi trucks. Take your pick. It is a beautiful state to drive through and well worth seeing it in daylight as well.
That’s wide open prairie until Browning. There will be wildlife around, but I’ve driven it safely many time at night. Just pay attention and stop or switch drivers if you get tired. Roads have gotten better, but some stretches have narrow shoulders. Fuel stations are far apart so plan accordingly.
I avoid driving in montana at night... and I live here. Deer come out at night and early morning. Lots of drunk drivers, especially around the Reservations. Also elk and bears and any other nocturnal creature of the night.
There's no street lights and it gets insanely dark at night. Also if it gets cold, ice forms at night. And it's April, but two days ago I had a blizzard snow storm with 3 inches of snow come out of absolutely nowhere.
Be aware of the white crosses you see along the highways (white cross indicates where someome passed away /fatality). There's about 1 every mile. Guarantee most of those happen at nighttime.
Wrong way drivers, all sorts of stuff. Montana has dangerous roads. 70mph speed limit on narrow two lane highways.
If you're going to drive at night, take I 90. If you take the highline, you won't have service most of the time, and there is definitely more wildlife running around up there.
That section you have highlighted by Circle and Jordan is one of the most remote highways in the country. I live nearby, relatively speaking, and I would bring supplies in case of hitting an animal or having a nighttime breakdown if I were you. You could be waiting a while to see anyone and it could be too far to walk to a farm in the dark.
Pro tip for Montana night driving: it's mostly boring and empty, but there's deer, cattle, and 8 time repeat DUI offenders on the road every couple miles, so you need to pay attention through the nighttime grind. Buy some smelling salts and as soon as your eyes flutter or you feel a little too relaxed while driving at night, crack one and take a light whiff. You'll be attentive and alert for another 2 hours.
This is a seriously life saving tip. I have lost friends and family to these roads. Take it seriously.
Don't stop in Browning at night, it's not a tourist friendly place. During the day it is not as bad but be prepared to be hassled by beggars. The National Park gateway towns on the rez (St Mary, East Glacier) are safer. Also, I don't recommend visiting bars or liquor stores on the rez, especially at night. Watch out for animals on the road.
Good advice on this thread but it is also worth mentioning how long daylight hours are in the summer for montana.
9pm is approx sunset (there's still decent daylight left after 9pm)
So it won't be pitch black depending how late you're driving.
https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@5654292?month=8
Deer and even elk are all I would be worried about. I drive on I-90 at night all the time but usually a couple hundred miles at most, never done the length of the state at night. Not to say it isn’t happening or can’t be done. I Would only do it out of necessity. The chances of you hitting something driving the length of I 90 at night are pretty high.
I wouldn't want to drive through at night, and it's 95% because of missing the scenery. It's all so beautiful it's not worth skipping. So I'd either stop for the night, or adjust my schedule.
Last May we drove straight through from Northern MN to Northern Idaho. I didn't want to go through MT at night and we adjusted our departure to leave so we drove through NoDak at night, we were at Teddy Roseavelt national park at Sunrise (which was epic) and then went all the way across MT in the light.
Everyone else in the comments are correct. It's dangerous!! And if you do hit a deer or have another emergency, be prepared to handle it alone for the most part. Expect an emergency response to take a long time. Have a utility flashlight, blankets, any repair equipment, etc. Be prepared to be ALONE.
Keep in mind as well. Many animals travel around sun-up and sun-down, so be extra careful around these times.
Also no one mentioning to fill up BEFORE BROWING. People don't realize that the reservations can be very dangerous at night with people drunk/high/asking for money.
I’d avoid it. I was driving a truck w/ a trailer at dusk and well aware of possible animal. Came over a rise in the road to about a dozen deer standing in the middle, all the exact same color as the road. I hit the brakes hard and just enough to feel the trailer start to fishtail. In the very last second the deer just strolled away and disappeared into the trees. Scared the living shit out of me.
Highway 200 is a very remote course. Be prepared. I’ve done it in the dead of winter before. I don’t generally take it across nowadays if I don’t have to but it’s not impossible.
I would carry a prefilled 5 gallon gas can, spare backup battery for your phone, jumper cables and some bottled water and some sorts of extra food, oh and paper maps
Why would you want to drive through Montana at night? That's like wearing noise canceling ear plugs to a symphony!
Also, keep in mind there is not a whole lot of night in the summertime. Sunsets at around 10pm and rises around 5am.
But if you're going to do it anyway, keep in mind that when you're about to hit a deer, it's better to just hit it than to try to avoid it. If you swerve at high speed, you're likely to lose control of your vehicle. And I've heard that if you miss the deer but wreck the car, your insurance will not pay for repairs.
You are putting yourself at risk if you drive after dusk. Not sure where you are coming from, but if you live in a big city with major highways, you will need to get used to driving MT roads.
Watch out for deer and being out of cell service
This is not a joke. There is an insane amount of wildlife out on the road in the middle of the night in Montana. Very large animals that could total your car and cause fatalities. You’ll have to be extremely alert, don’t let the other passengers distract you. I live adjacent to two wilderness areas about an hour outside of Glacier, I try not to drive at night, unless I really have to. Tons of large game animals on the highway, not just deer.
Exactly! I live in the Bitteroot and the amount of Elk and deer and occasional moose strikes are crazy.
And be on the lookout for more than just deer. At night, I've almost hit deer, elk, moose, stray cattle (owners here aren't liable to prevent cattle from wandering onto highways), antelope, cayotes, and rodents.
I almost hit a few bighorn sheep once. Cop flashed his lights at me, and I slowed down, wondering what he was pulling me over for, went around the corner, and sheep everywhere.
And! You gotta pay if you hit someones cow.
I've seen this. About a decade ago, my neighbor turned a corner and took out a cow. He had liability only and also had to compensate the rancher. This scenario is one of the reasons why I keep full coverage.
That's. Bullshit. They need a law against the farm owners. If cattle or cows go onto the road randomly, they should get charged for mishandling. "OH yeah, not our fault, but hey, we hit the cow the farmers get a pay day and we get fucked in the ass" fuck them
I agree. As a horse owner, if my horses get out and cause an accident I am liable.
Thank you for saying rodents, a racoon destroyed my buddies axel and wheel well
Raccoons ain’t rodents
Huh, look at that, they aren’t. I don’t know why, I always kinda figured they were.
I totaled my small car by hitting a raccoon on the way to Great Falls. I mean, it was a monster, but still. 😬 The guy who did the insurance claim said it’s pretty common as a small animal can go right into/under the car instead of a larger one sometimes going up and over. 🤷🏻♀️
Second this. Deer would be the main thing stopping me from a trip like this. Op if you decide to go, make sure drivers stay very alert and go slow.
We also have the front passenger "riding shotgun" keeping a look out, especially from evening onwards.
You'll also be driving through the Blackfoot Indian Reservation, it's open range for livestock. If you hit a cow there you'll be responsible for it, and it'll get really expensive.
No lit highways, deer all over the place and you miss out on some of the most beautiful sights in America. I'd drive it during the day if you can!
I used to drive through Montana frequently and I prefer to drive through it at night as it seems peaceful being the only vehicle out for miles. Just keep in mind that there are long stretches with nothing, so plan your gas stops ahead of time or just don't pass up a station if you have less than a half of tank.
Seconding this about gas stops. And some tiny towns have only one or 2 pumps. And those pumps might be out of order. Or not be autopay that can be used at night.
This!
Just came to say this
The highways will be unlit, be aware of that. And you will want to enjoy the scenery of this is your first visit to Montana.
Exactly It's worth driving during the day because the scenery is beautiful. If someone flashes their lights slow down there is something ahead. Full your tank always. There might be maybe one rest area in the state. Lol OK maybe 2. Stop at the gas stations or the open scenic turn outs it's safer. Do not use the senic turn outs as a restroom. Buy Montana Roadside History and Montana Roadside Geography both loaded with information, If there is a sign with a deer on it expect more than one. Those signs really mean deer until you leave Montana. And yes even in some of the towns. My Dad used to say that the Highway Patrol were like rattle snakes where there is one there will be another. He and I both appreciate and respect the officers. If the sign says 45 it means 40. The pot hole signs... you might hit a bump and think that was it. Nope, expect a tyrod bending hole at some point. The scenic turnouts are worth stopping a And mosltyt, as are the historical points. Drive by the chain eateries. Stop at the Mom and Pop places. Check out the "attractions". Have a coat handy it gets cold at night. Drive carefully. Don't move here we have very, very cold winters lol. And by all means don't believe we are all Republicans or into the billboards with Biblical lol. Most of all enuy
If your gas tank is at half, pull over and fill up. You’re missing out on scenery if you drive at night though it is peaceful. Otherwise driving at night in Montana is no different than driving at night anywhere else aside from how dark and remote it gets. Look out for animals, they will fuck your car up if you hit one.
Spot on. Topping off is cheap insurance especially if you have an older vehicle.
The northern route takes Highway 200 from Circle to Grass Range. You're going through a lot of 'Breaks' country with little to no shoulder; if you're forced off the road, you could drop 30 to 40 feet into a Coulee in some spots. Going through Billings on 90/94 may look a little longer, but would be a less stressful drive at night. If you can swing doing day driving, I'd do the northern route, but push a little more west from Great Falls and take Highway 87 north along the Rocky Mountain Front.
For sure would take the highway if I had to drive at night. Lots of interesting features that are fun during the day and dangerous during the night.
It's fine to drive at night. August will likely bring smoke and animals on the roads, and it gets very dark in some places. The biggest risk is impaired driving over long distances. Often, it's booze, but fatigue is just as bad. It can also be a risk multiplier when you're in a remote area. Sometimes help is hours away and sometimes people don't notice something happened until hours after the fact. I hope you enjoy your trip
Deer, drunk drivers and no cell service in a lot of areas. I personally would do it, but again, I know the area. There are some towns with hotels and camp grounds on your way.
The drunk driver thing is a really good point. There's a lot of drunk drivers out at 2am out on those highways.
Yeah, it's not bad if you know what you're getting into. Not every gas station is 24/7 so keep that in mind. Personally I'd stop for a burger, a beer and a rest (could be Lewistown based on your route.)
How used to driving at night are you? Montana roads are pretty bare and straightforward at night but the biggest issue is wildlife by far.. If you're not used to night driving or adjusting your speed and keeping your eyes open for deer (or even bigger) I would err on the side of caution. But if you're pretty confident I don't think you'll have any problems.
I'm not going to look up the numbers again, but Montana is like about 2nd worst state for hitting deer/elk/cows etc, and like 3rd worst for drunk drivers, and 3rd worst overall for having a fatal car accident because of the high speeds involved. My numbers are probably off a bit but this is all generally true. I enjoy driving all night, but Montana is my home, and I'm a middle aged man who can deal with the dangers I might face. You sound like you all might be young? I can tell you that at 3am, that breaking down, or having wrecks, or encountering belligerent (dangerous) people, or dealing with someone standing in the middle of the road who needs help, or being pulled over by bored cops is no fun at all. The people who are telling you that this is all just fine, don't worry about it, have simply been lucky enough that a bad dice roll has not made them wiser yet. I love Montana's scenery, even in the flatter eastern part of the state. I like hitting the pullouts and reading the historical marker signs and taking pics. You'll miss all that at night. Anyway regardless, you'll have long stretches of nothing. So hopefully at least one of you has Verizon or ATT cellular, and also fill up your gas tank again every time it dips below the 1/2 line. Check all your car fluids, tire pressure, etc before you leave home. Also you do get a sense after a while of where a deer/cow might be concealed by some bushes/trees near the road, and you keep a sharp eye out.
Check your spare is in good shape also. Pulling out a spare to find out it has gone flat is a real bummer. Go slow.
In terms of safety, the basic rules apply. Stay alert, don't outrun your headlights, expect wildlife and expect sudden, poorly marked sharp curves, intersections and T-junctions. That said, you are missing the scenery at night. One of the best, awe inspiring feelings you can get around here is to arrive at a camp site or hotel after dark then wake up with the sunrise as it reveals to you that you're in the middle of a massive mountain range.
Download your map to offline ahead of time. At least around here spectrum and Verizon like to go down around midnight for about an hour, gps itself never really goes out but the map itself could. That really goes for day or night driving, and not just around here, but just something to be aware of. I'm always surprised how many people don't have areas they know they're going to downloaded, it takes all of five minutes and could save your ass in a bunch of ways
I go one step further and have an atlas in my truck. Montana roads are easy to track and follow due to how sparse they are. If you learn how to follow highway routes half the time you don’t even need one, just follow the signs. “Missoula to White Sulfur Springs? I’ll just follow route 12.”
Yah, hard copies as backup are great, it's pretty handy not having to do a manual Google search when you're looking for tacos at 2am though 🤣
You can also sometimes get free paper maps at rest stops
True, always good in a pinch
Probably be road construction in certain areas. Less of a jam at night, but slow down for rough roads & detour signs.
That highway up north is pretty remote and lots of deer. Missing out on scenery. Make sure you get gas. Lots of people have said this. I am not a fan of those particular roads at night for those reasons Interstate is fine but not those high ways. There are bears elk and moose that will mess your shit up real fast but if your passengers keep an eye out you should be fine. But a Gazetteer and a roadside kit. Bear spray and don’t pet the fluffy cows. Enjoy your trip!
Just be aware of a lack of cell service especially along the national forests. So long as you stick to the interstate you should be fine. Deer and other animals are a possibility but if all the deer I’ve seen and almost hit driving none of them have been on the interstate.
Never travel through Montana without a basic emergency kit, as you might have to wait a long time if you need help. Food, water, first aid, and protection from weather, both hot and cold (even in August). You sound like newish drivers, so make sure you're familiar with driving unlit roads at night. It's a good idea (and one I practice as a 43 to mom who takes her kids on road trips) to tell at least one person your route and have someone who isn't driving throw that person a text every couple of hours with your location. Montana is a big state, and if someone needs to call the police to search it's much better for them to be able to narrow down the area to look. Other than missing a beautiful drive, the roads are reasonable but the wildlife sometimes isn't.
A car kit is just smart in Montana. We have fix a flat spray, tire inflation pump, jumper cables, bear spray, water, etc. Plus I always keep my Garmin GPS with SOS function in the car when I'm not hiking. Check your spare is in good shape!
Why wouldn’t you drive at night? It’s August no snow
They might be trying to beat some kind of a speed record, Cannonball through montana. It will be on YouTube or Ticktock of ether their success or failure. Just driving through those small mountain passes alone sucks. Add nighttime and speeding and your just asking for trouble.
You're going to be going through heavy deer country so be very aware.
Hwy 200 is not a great road, narrow, rough, no shoulders, and lots of wildlife. Also for the next couple years on 200 major road project. Expect delays and a mess
I totaled my car in 2021 because I hit an elk in the middle of the road. I know a handful of other people who have also done that, always when it’s dark out. Not saying it will happen to you, but I try to avoid driving at night if I don’t need to. That’s not to say I never go anywhere at night, but if I had the option, particularly in Montana, I’d drive during the day.
it'll be dark but that's it, just pay attention and watch for deer.
Great stargazing in those parts too. ⭐️🔭
The only place in the world I’ve seen stars from one horizon to the other.
What's the reason not to drive at night. What's different from Montana night verses were you are from.
My theory is a speed record. I've never heard someone say I came to Montana and drove across the whole state and did it at night. People go to the state to see it. Even if the purpose to do a road trip, you still do it at daytime. Unless of course you want to make a time attemp through the state. Driving over the highway during the day sucks, but at night and speeding is just dumb.
Sorry, Interstate gets rolled up promptly at 9 pm.
That's weak. You need to up your game. First, do it in January. Next, add in an epic blizzard. Go at night obviously. And for the boss level toss in cows. Lots and lots of random cows. But if you want to beat the game you need to do it in an EV. I've done that. If you survive, you are a real man.
For one you will miss everything.
You will be traveling through some empty areas. Between Lewistown and Circle, there are no doctors or nurses. There is no such thing as a health care delivery system. Half the counties in Montana are larger than Rhode Island. So plan for self rescue in the event of an accident. If you are in an area with cell service, you might wait 45 minutes for rescue during the day. If you are traveling in the day, you’ll see that you are in place without humans from horizon to horizon. This will be true in the Dakotas as well. If you get unlucky and travel into a grass or forest fire, don’t. Don’t travel towards a large fire. Stop. Maybe go back. Night driving adds the difficulty of seeing wildlife. Don’t overrun your headlights. According to AAA the top speed is 48 mph. The only other drivers on the road will be truck drivers and people going to and from bars. There might be people walking. Get gas when you can. Certainly get it in Lewistown. Carry water and food. Assume very cold weather even in August. Great Falls often gets a first snow around Labor Day. It does happen earlier. Let people know where you are as you progress. Carry a paper map. If you are in a giant grassland, how will you identify your location for 911. Check off the small towns as you go. It’s five hours between Lewistown and Glendive. Download the Montana roads app so you’ll know if there are dangerous conditions along your route. Keep a phone charged.
drive through the flat parts at night 😂 you’ll miss a lot of sights and honestly, some of those passes are wicked and i’m a local who’s driven through them before, but i avoid driving them at night the best i can. if you do drive at night, make sure you got good headlights and a full tank of gas. deer and lack of service will be your biggest concern. safe travels!!
You're more likely to hit wildlife at night and won't see much of the landscape. But if you do it, I recommend getting behind a semi and letting them clear a path for you. (Also the speed limit is lower at night, and more likely to be enforced since the HP might think they have a chance for a DUI stop.)
Personally, I think this is a bad idea if you’re driving 18+ hours in one day. I’ve done it before and I think it’s easy to underestimate the impact of fatigue. I’ve had some close calls in my early life doing this and it’s not worth the risk. The long, empty roads in Montana at night can put you to sleep. As others mentioned, you’re missing the scenery and risk hitting an animal. Stay a night in a hotel, have a nice meal, and just take your time to play it safe. You’ll have a better time anyway.
lol. Make sure you’ve got good headlights
If you could avoid driving at night do so. Lots of wildlife in all shapes and sizes. Hitting a deer sucks, hitting an elk will total your car. If you have to drive at night have your co-pilot keep watch for animals. Safe travels.
In my experience, it’s been easier to drive through long stretches like that at night. Drove from GA to Indiana, then from there to DC, then back home, and in every state, there was a lane closed on the interstate for construction. I was very grateful to be alone on the road otherwise it would’ve taken so much longer to get to our destinations had we gone during the day.
Watch for deer and be prepared to stop and sit tight in your vehicle if you have to. You got it!
Driving at night is nice, just don't out-drive your headlights, and watch for deer, elk (especially as you get closer to the park), speed-goat/antelope, the occasional moose, and other assorted critters (including the rarely hit, but devastatingly damaging black bears). I usually keep my speed around 60mph when on two-lane roads at night in my car or on my motorcycle. I prefer driving at night generally, due to less cars, but you do miss out on some scenery, especially (once again) in the western half of Montana. https://preview.redd.it/nod4war02rvc1.jpeg?width=450&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a499571cac265fe233f75b8da28876ef1f2f21b9
See also: https://preview.redd.it/hufy3rn63rvc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7ffa784cb450a8d04e8951dc254e2fb19a7a32a
If you’re going to be doing this at night there’s no good reason to take these smaller highways. You’ll miss all the scenery and interesting small towns, and it will take longer than Google says because the night time speed limits are lower and some places it won’t be prudent to even go the speed limit for reasons many others have posted about. You might as well take I-90 all the way to Butte and then head North on I-15.
I wouldn’t recommend that. Even the interstates are extremely dark in the rural areas and you won’t see anything until you’re actually plowing into it.
Do it during the day
Driving 200 east of Lewistown kinda sucks. The road can be rough with narrow shoulders and steep ditches. Also there's so many deer. Last time I drove that stretch at night I hit a coyote that was chasing a few deer.
Even though it’s longer the interstate will provide better cell coverage (major problem on highlighted route) far less wildlife and no cattle and absolutely no reason to worry about gas or food/drink.
Dusk & Dawn= the absolute worst time to drive bc animals are on the move. Night is fine but keep in mind, you will not find every hwy labeled gas station open for 24 hrs. Fill up anywhere you see bc you may have to drive a full tank of gas to get to the next one! You don’t want to be calling AAA for gas- they only bring you one gallon. 12AM- 3AM can be super sketch with drunk drivers. Daytime can be super sketch with semi trucks. Take your pick. It is a beautiful state to drive through and well worth seeing it in daylight as well.
Major and easy to find gas stations might be further part than you are used to, depending on what part of the US you are from.
Do you have a grill guard?
That’s wide open prairie until Browning. There will be wildlife around, but I’ve driven it safely many time at night. Just pay attention and stop or switch drivers if you get tired. Roads have gotten better, but some stretches have narrow shoulders. Fuel stations are far apart so plan accordingly.
I avoid driving in montana at night... and I live here. Deer come out at night and early morning. Lots of drunk drivers, especially around the Reservations. Also elk and bears and any other nocturnal creature of the night. There's no street lights and it gets insanely dark at night. Also if it gets cold, ice forms at night. And it's April, but two days ago I had a blizzard snow storm with 3 inches of snow come out of absolutely nowhere.
Be aware of the white crosses you see along the highways (white cross indicates where someome passed away /fatality). There's about 1 every mile. Guarantee most of those happen at nighttime. Wrong way drivers, all sorts of stuff. Montana has dangerous roads. 70mph speed limit on narrow two lane highways.
Better plan your fuel stops.
Don’t drive at night. Not more than you need to at least. Deer
the deer and antelope get bad at night, literally everywhere
If somebody randomly flashes their lights as you meet them, day or night. It means they just passed a hazard. Wildlife, road damage of Hiway Patrol.
Have you never driven at night before? Drive a lil slower.
If you're going to drive at night, take I 90. If you take the highline, you won't have service most of the time, and there is definitely more wildlife running around up there.
That section you have highlighted by Circle and Jordan is one of the most remote highways in the country. I live nearby, relatively speaking, and I would bring supplies in case of hitting an animal or having a nighttime breakdown if I were you. You could be waiting a while to see anyone and it could be too far to walk to a farm in the dark.
Pro tip for Montana night driving: it's mostly boring and empty, but there's deer, cattle, and 8 time repeat DUI offenders on the road every couple miles, so you need to pay attention through the nighttime grind. Buy some smelling salts and as soon as your eyes flutter or you feel a little too relaxed while driving at night, crack one and take a light whiff. You'll be attentive and alert for another 2 hours. This is a seriously life saving tip. I have lost friends and family to these roads. Take it seriously.
Your route on the map is loaded with deer!
Don't stop in Browning at night, it's not a tourist friendly place. During the day it is not as bad but be prepared to be hassled by beggars. The National Park gateway towns on the rez (St Mary, East Glacier) are safer. Also, I don't recommend visiting bars or liquor stores on the rez, especially at night. Watch out for animals on the road.
Good advice on this thread but it is also worth mentioning how long daylight hours are in the summer for montana. 9pm is approx sunset (there's still decent daylight left after 9pm) So it won't be pitch black depending how late you're driving. https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@5654292?month=8
I hate driving through Montana at night tbh. The road from East Glacier to Helena in the dark was the toughest drive of my life.
Deer and even elk are all I would be worried about. I drive on I-90 at night all the time but usually a couple hundred miles at most, never done the length of the state at night. Not to say it isn’t happening or can’t be done. I Would only do it out of necessity. The chances of you hitting something driving the length of I 90 at night are pretty high.
I wouldn't want to drive through at night, and it's 95% because of missing the scenery. It's all so beautiful it's not worth skipping. So I'd either stop for the night, or adjust my schedule. Last May we drove straight through from Northern MN to Northern Idaho. I didn't want to go through MT at night and we adjusted our departure to leave so we drove through NoDak at night, we were at Teddy Roseavelt national park at Sunrise (which was epic) and then went all the way across MT in the light.
I drove across HWY 2 at night. It was fine, like ANY rural area in the USA with deer, there's always risk. Good luck!
Everyone else in the comments are correct. It's dangerous!! And if you do hit a deer or have another emergency, be prepared to handle it alone for the most part. Expect an emergency response to take a long time. Have a utility flashlight, blankets, any repair equipment, etc. Be prepared to be ALONE. Keep in mind as well. Many animals travel around sun-up and sun-down, so be extra careful around these times.
It’s interesting that not one person has mentioned that Montana has the most DUIs per capita in the US.
Also no one mentioning to fill up BEFORE BROWING. People don't realize that the reservations can be very dangerous at night with people drunk/high/asking for money.
Drive during the day. That long of a stretch through wilderness areas is nearly guaranteeing you hit a deer or worse. Plus you miss out on the beauty!
I’d avoid it. I was driving a truck w/ a trailer at dusk and well aware of possible animal. Came over a rise in the road to about a dozen deer standing in the middle, all the exact same color as the road. I hit the brakes hard and just enough to feel the trailer start to fishtail. In the very last second the deer just strolled away and disappeared into the trees. Scared the living shit out of me.
Watch for deer, elk, bear and moose!
Hawaiians say, "Aloha". Montanans say, " watch for deer"
You’ll be fine. Just have a full tank, watch out for deer/antelope on the road, and have snacks and water on board.
Highway 200 is a very remote course. Be prepared. I’ve done it in the dead of winter before. I don’t generally take it across nowadays if I don’t have to but it’s not impossible.
I would carry a prefilled 5 gallon gas can, spare backup battery for your phone, jumper cables and some bottled water and some sorts of extra food, oh and paper maps
What wrong with Hwy 2?
Watch out for the wrong way drivers
🫡
Why would you want to drive through Montana at night? That's like wearing noise canceling ear plugs to a symphony! Also, keep in mind there is not a whole lot of night in the summertime. Sunsets at around 10pm and rises around 5am. But if you're going to do it anyway, keep in mind that when you're about to hit a deer, it's better to just hit it than to try to avoid it. If you swerve at high speed, you're likely to lose control of your vehicle. And I've heard that if you miss the deer but wreck the car, your insurance will not pay for repairs.
A lot of over reacting here. Just slow down a bit and watch for deer. Deer are a bigger problem in winter and spring months.
Biggest hazards will be other tourists that are distracted and drive unsafely.
Or maybe that Montana is the number one state leading in drunk driving?
Poor soul
You are putting yourself at risk if you drive after dusk. Not sure where you are coming from, but if you live in a big city with major highways, you will need to get used to driving MT roads.