Best Small Towns in northwest MT & WHY (Missoula, Helena: real estate, house)

[Genevieveporkchop]

Hello,


What are the best small towns in the North Western portion of Montana that are scenic with mountain views and forested areas., and why. I'm not too concerned with work since my hubby will be remote working. Prefer something that has an authentic vintage or old fashioned feel, that has charm and is not bloated with commercialism, and where I could find a house with some acreage under a million just away from the town some, "out in the country" but close enough for community/town events like a farmer's market (so needs to be big enough for those types of things, maybe 2-5K max. Must say "why", please, I'm looking for opinions, and thanks for your time .

[NW Crow]

Outside Troy could be close to what you want. A mini-regional hub. Take a look at Superfund cleanup discussion.

Thompson Falls is pretty nice for small place with basics, if you rarely want to go to the city. LONG drives for that.

Might be outside your defined area but Darby might work (with access to Hamilton, hub for about 20k region).

Possibly Deer Lodge (3,000 in city, 7,000 in total county. Pretty self-sufficient community. Many of the jobs are with the prison. Most don't want that and the real estate prices reflect that (now and into future). Some will dwell on that, some will ignore it like they ignore what jobs other people have anywhere else. Less an issue if you live outside. It is vintage / old-fashioned Montana, near a famous old ranch and pretty close to great, uncrowded mountains.

Philipsburg and Lincoln are recreation oriented but not that fancy and might work. Doable drives to bigger towns / cities but not close.

Seeley Lake may or may not be down to earth / your people enough. Maybe 1/3 to 1/2 longer-term residents might be. Is that enough? Would running into Missoula be a turn-off? Could go Helena or even Bigfork but none are close.

I am not recommending the Flathead generally for your criteria; but if you look there, maybe Marion area or stretch up to Trego. Eureka would have been a rec in past but it is changing some. Maybe ok in right neighborhoods. Possibly Columbia Falls or Hungry Horse.

Check them out, you'll sort them into maybe or no.

[NW Crow]

Libby is the actual hub of course, Troy the accessory. But form an area.

Superfund covers Libby.

[Clark Fork Fantast]

I think Trout Creek might work for you, halfway between the ID/MT border and Thompson Falls on Hwy 200. Extremely scenic, and great fishing. Charming little community. For shopping, Sandpoint, ID has more options than Thompson Falls. It's about 40 miles away, and Sandpoint has a small hospital. For major shopping you'd go to Missoula (about 2 hours) or Coeur d'Alene (ID) or even Spokane, WA (about 2 1/2-3 hours).

I know you're also considering North Idaho, so you could do a road trip loop including Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry, Moyie Springs, Troy, and Libby, then back down Hwy 56 to Noxon with a side trip to Trout Creek and Thompson Falls, and back on Hwy 200 through Clark Fork and Hope to Sandpoint. From Sandpoint you could check out a few of the smaller towns on Hwy 2 going into WA.

[Redraven]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Outside Troy could be close to what you want. A mini-regional hub. Take a look at Superfund cleanup discussion.

Thompson Falls is pretty nice for small place with basics, if you rarely want to go to the city. LONG drives for that.

Might be outside your defined area but Darby might work (with access to Hamilton, hub for about 20k region).

Possibly Deer Lodge (3,000 in city, 7,000 in total county. Pretty self-sufficient community. Many of the jobs are with the prison. Most don't want that and the real estate prices reflect that (now and into future). Some will dwell on that, some will ignore it like they ignore what jobs other people have anywhere else. Less an issue if you live outside. It is vintage / old-fashioned Montana, near a famous old ranch and pretty close to great, uncrowded mountains.

Philipsburg and Lincoln are recreation oriented but not that fancy and might work. Doable drives to bigger towns / cities but not close.

Seeley Lake may or may not be down to earth / your people enough. Maybe 1/3 to 1/2 longer-term residents might be. Is that enough? Would running into Missoula be a turn-off? Could go Helena or even Bigfork but none are close.

I am not recommending the Flathead generally for your criteria; but if you look there, maybe Marion area or stretch up to Trego. Eureka would have been a rec in past but it is changing some. Maybe ok in right neighborhoods. Possibly Columbia Falls or Hungry Horse.

Check them out, you'll sort them into maybe or no.

If the OP is in any way interested in the bar/tavern scene, forget Hungry Horse. The last tavern just recently closed! The Dam Town Tavern is no more. There are no longer any bars in HH. One of them (The Club Rocco bar/supper club) is now a Baptist church. Well, it was the last time I drove through there, several years ago. I don't know what is left in Martin City.
I have heard it said that "You can't go home again!" When "home" is GONE, that is so very true. I grew up in Hungry Horse; Every house I lived in in that town is GONE!! The town (and the entire Flathead Valley) has changed, and not necessarily for the better. I won't even go to a class reunion these days.

[mlulu23]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Libby is the actual hub of course, Troy the accessory. But form an area.

Superfund covers Libby.

Libby's cancer rate because of the vermiculite/asbestos mining contamination was/is super high. But it was beautiful, and deadly. Hope they get it fixed.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...-libby-montana

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