Welcome to Ovando, Montana

Ovando is northeast of Missoula and was named for Ovando Hoyt, the first postmaster. Ovando is a supply point for hay and sheep ranches and for small logging camps. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)

Ovando is the perfect scenic blend of old and new. Buildings over a hundred years old mingle with newer ones, and all of them are nestled in the beautiful valley and the Swan and Garnet mountains rising from its edges. Hundreds of thousands of acres of open ranch country surround you. Just by strolling the streets you will walk through a piece of Montana history and culture.

Ovando is full of recreational possibilities and dreams. It is the southern entry to the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat Wilderness and home to the fabled Blackfoot River and its tributaries. Ovando is the perfect remote spot to spend an hour, a day, a weekend or a week.

With only a population of 50 residents, Ovando provides the quiet solitude so expected on a Montana retreat. Remotely situated on Highway 200 60 miles from Missoula and over 80 from Helena and Great Falls, Ovando allows for more scenery per capita than any other small town.

Come visit Ovando anytime of year. Summer allows for some of the best fishing in the state, camping along brooks, rivers and lakes, and riding horses and hiking into the mountains and wilderness. Winter allows for snowmobiling through hundreds of miles of groomed trails, cross-country skiing on gentle slopes and snowshoeing through rugged terrain. Spring allows for glorious views of wildflowers and the greening of the valley from its ranch land pastures to the turning of the deciduous larches. Fall brings its own spectrum of colors and beautiful, crisp days.

Mountain meadows ablaze with wildflowers with the mountain peaks of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness as a backdrop greet the visitor to Ovando. A number of guides and outfitters in the area will take you into the wildlands, or several guest ranches offer accommodations. Fishing and windsurfing are excellent reasons to visit Browns Lake, near Ovando. It is also great for the birdwatcher. See eagles, loons, herons and pelicans, just to name a few.

Don't miss Ovando, the little jewel in the heart of the Treasure State!

Elevation: 4,100 feet