The world can be a noisy place, but when you’re ready for a break from it all, we know exactly where you should go.
The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse (NPC), an organization that tracks and works to reduce excessive noise levels, has a secret little map hiding on its website showcasing the last remaining natural quiet places in the U.S. And, according to that map, Montana stands out for its hushed tones.
As the map notes, while you can find “some solitude in any of the dark green areas, there are some spots where you’re more likely to be free from road, rail, and air-related for extended periods.” To figure out where those are places, the team analyzed all those factors, including air traffic patterns for commercial domestic flights, but noted it did not include or account for international or military flight paths. It listed 16 areas that are “roadless and railless” and the furthest from known flight paths.
After looking at all that information, it found a bulk of the quiet spaces left in the U.S. are tucked away between Wyoming and Montana.
In fact, you’ll find six of the 16 quiet places in Wyoming, including the North Absaroka Wilderness area, Fitzpatrick Wilderness area, Washakie Wilderness area, Bridger Wilderness Area, Popo Agie Wilderness area, and the Teton Wilderness area. These are all within the northwest corner of the state, encompassing hundreds of thousands of acres of natural spaces without a soul around to make a noise.
While travelers can explore and hike through each of these destinations, their best bet is visiting the Teton Wilderness area, home to 450 miles of hiking trails and spaces for hunting, fishing, and quiet camping.
Across the border in Montana, travelers will find Glacier National Park. The park includes a massive million acres of protected land, including verdant meadows, towering peaks, and glittering glacial lakes, where the only sound is the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the trees, and 700 miles of trails to explore. It’s so great that it became the first U.S. Wilderness Quiet Park in 2022, a designation bestowed by Quiet Parks International.
“This award reinforces the natural sounds educational efforts the park makes to distinguish the natural soundscape from noise, and the importance of the visitors’ opportunity for that experience,” Matt Mikkelsen, the executive director of Wilderness Quiet Parks, shared in a statement at the time. “Increasing awareness of natural sounds helps promote reverence for the park, its natural ecosystems and wilderness character.”
Beyond Glacier, Montana is also home to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, with more than one million acres of pristine terrain; the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, spanning 920,310 acres of hushed landscapes; and the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, renowned for its stunning mountain peaks and library-quality quiet, all of which made their way onto NPC’s map. And doesn’t that all just sound lovely?
See all the best quiet places across the U.S. on NPC’s map and at quietparks.org.
