Fort Smith, MT

Fort Smith sits at the end of Highway 313 in southern Montana, right where the Bighorn River flows out of the towering cliffs of Bighorn Canyon. Home to fewer than 200 year-round residents on the Crow Indian Reservation, this tiny community is famous worldwide for exceptional tailwater fly fishing. The surrounding area once hosted an 1860s military outpost along the Bozeman Trail, and today the settlement serves as a quiet jumping-off point for exploring the northern end of the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area.

ATTRNational Park Service / Public domain

Day-to-day life here centers on the water, with the Afterbay Reservoir, river access points, and Ok-A-Beh Marina offering easy boating, camping, and world-class angling. Relocating to Fort Smith requires a self-reliant mindset, as the town has minimal commercial services and no public transit. For groceries, healthcare, and schooling, residents make the 45-minute drive north to Hardin along Highway 313. For people who value solitude, river access, and dramatic canyon scenery above convenience, Fort Smith offers a uniquely peaceful lifestyle.