UPDATED: September 15, 2021
We have all gone to great lengths to help control the spread of COVID-19, and it remains imperative that we continue to do our part by following community and CDC guidelines. By being conscious we are protecting Montana's most vulnerable from COVID-19, and by continuing to take measures seriously, we protect our family, friends and neighbors.
At this time social distancing is still expected and everyone, especially those at higher risk of getting sick, should continue to follow Montana Department of Public Health and CDC recommendations to protect themselves and others.
Although face coverings in Montana are not regulated by state mandate, they are required or recommended on certain tribal lands and on federal properties when you’re inside public indoor spaces and outdoors where social distancing isn’t possible. Currently, those include the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Glacier National Park.
They also may be required by individual private businesses, from restaurants to guide services. Please know a business’s mask requirement before you enter, and be respectful of it. A business has the right to decline service and may choose to exercise that right when a customer is not compliant.
If you’re not sure about a community’s face-covering regulations, play it safe and wear a mask.
Visit SafetyFirstMT.com for face coverings, social distancing, illness prevention and other safety guidelines.
The two Tribal Nations in Western Montana may have mandates that differ from the state’s, and it is important that travelers are up-to-date to avoid disappointment and to keep Tribal Nations safe.
Blackfeet Indian Reservation
On August 16, 2021 due to an increase in COVID-19 cases the Blackfeet Nation issued a mandatory mask requirement for residents and visitors above the age of 2.
Click here for more details.
Flathead Indian Reservation
The Flathead Indian Reservation is open to nonresidents. All recreation restrictions were lifted, effective September 8, 2020, on Tribal lands within the Flathead Indian Reservation, although Tribal conservation and fishing permits are required. View the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Who’s at Risk campaign before traveling to our Tribal Nations.
In order to plan accordingly, travelers are encouraged to contact Tribal governments for the latest information before beginning their trips.
Glacier Country Tourism, Glacier National Park, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Flathead National Forest, Montana Office of Tourism, Discover Kalispell and Explore Whitefish have launched “Recreate Responsibly,” a nationwide initiative that guides and informs those recreating in our state to be good stewards of Montana’s people, culture and land. The campaign targets visitors, residents and businesses, providing education and tools for best practices on how to minimize impact, leave no trace, know before you go, prevent wildland fires, stop aquatic invasive species, and travel safely.
Building upon messaging from the Recreate Responsibly.org , Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, and Tread Lightly, the comprehensive campaign includes resources available to businesses throughout the state as well as marketing and messaging targeted at travelers and recreators.
Our messaging has two audiences—consumers and Montana business partners. Consumer messaging builds upon standard Recreate Responsibly principles by explaining what those principles are and how to apply them. Partner messaging is encouraging businesses to join this initiative by integrating elements of the RRMT program into their business practices, marketing and interactions. For those who would like to become an official Recreate Responsibly Business Partner, we created an official business partner certification program.
Additionally, The Montana Office of Tourism created a toolkit of resources available to businesses statewide, or order free recreate responsibly materials our official partners have printed for distribution.
To view our current safety and recreate responsibly messaging for residents and travelers please visit SafetyFirstMT.com, glaciermt.com/recreate-responsibly and glaciermt.com/travel-updates.
Before I share with you what we are doing at Glacier Country Tourism, I want to take a moment to share with you an optimistic thought.
The challenge that this outbreak represents to you, and to your family, friends and community is unlike anything we have seen before. Throughout history, people have always risen to meet whatever challenges have been thrown their way—usually emerging stronger than ever.
What is most important now is that you stay safe and healthy. To that end, here is what Glacier Country Tourism is doing to help share messaging about how to ensure the safety and health of our communities and industry.
Glacier Country Tourism is monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation closely. Montana public health agencies, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Travel Association and many other trusted agencies and associations are providing regular updates regarding the current status and its impact on the travel and tourism industry. We will be making every effort to help share current information about ongoing developments.
We are doing our best to keep our communities healthy and safe, which means incorporating a social distancing into our operations including our staff working from home. Our team and on-line visitor resources are fully operational and can be reached during normal business hours.
Thank you for your flexibility and understanding as we face these challenging times together.
Racene Friede l President CEO
September 15: The Latest on Coronavirus
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August 31: Travel Recovery Data Report August
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August 3: The Latest on Coronavirus
July 29: Travel Recovery Data Report July
July 1: Travel Recovery Data Report June
May 27: Travel Recovery Data Report May
For information about federal relief funding:
Montana specific information about federal relief funding:
CDC Resources on COVID-19:
How to protect yourself from scams related to COVID-19:
For up-to-date information:
For information from specific federal agencies and departments:
In the past year, the number one reference to our webpage has been Glacier Country Tourism. In fact, 43% of our webpage hits have come from Glacier Country Tourism.