Is This Montana’s Newest Popular Outdoor Sport? It’s Wild

This is the one sport I would never imagine would be popular in Montana but call me surprised. 

Montanans will make any excuse to go outside and have fun. Whether it's to go kayaking, fishing, or golfing, there are several options during the beautiful summer months. What about during the winter? Montana s limited by the elements, but several folks will go cross-country skiing, snowboarding, skiing, and ice fishing. Now we have one more outdoor craze you might want to try. 

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Grab your wetsuits and find a surfboard because surfing is the new outdoor sport to try in Montana. That's right, surfing. When people think of surfing, they think of California, Hawaii, or even Australia, where guys are on twenty to thirty-foot waves. The thing is, surfing in Montana isn't new. 

The Red Bull Surfing team comes to Montana every couple of years or so to surf on the wild rapids of the Yellowstone River. The surfers are pulled by a jet ski while going down the rapids in 45-degree water. Now, this might seem intense surfing experience, but according to the Red Bull Surfing team, it's a one-of-a-kind experience. 

Surfing in Montana might seem like a niche idea, but people surf all over Montana. During the spring through the fall, you can catch people surfing rapids in the heart of downtown Missoula. If you walk over the bridge on Higgins Avenue and look down, you will see a handful of brave individuals rocking wetsuits and surfboards waiting to shred the water. 

Plus, growing up on Flathead Lake, my dad who is from California, would always bring one of his longboards out on the boat and have us pull him slowly on the lake. He would make any excuse to get on his board and paddle on the water. 

So is surfing in Montana that crazy? Well, not, The only downside is trying to find a place to buy a surfboard in our landlocked state. If you plan on surfing in Montana soon, get a wetsuit and a board, and have fun.