Next Eclipse in Montana Could See Big Crowds

So much for the eclipse of 2024. There are some pretty amazing pictures out there of the views in Montana. But, for a lot of the state, it was a cloudy day and we were so far outside of the "path of totality" that it didn't look like much. If you were disappointed with the 2024 eclipse, there may be some good news, there will be another total solar eclipse in 2044 and this time parts of Montana will be in the "path of totality".

Read More: When Is Montana's Next Solar Eclipse?

Is that "good news"? It will be for those in the state that want to see a full eclipse without having to travel. For those that don't like a lot of tourists or people visiting our state, it may not be the best news.

An Eclipse Will Bring Tourists

This past eclipse saw parts of the country declare a "state of emergency" to deal with the amount of visitors to some of the more rural areas. There were warnings of traffic jams. There were warnings of making sure visitors had paper maps of unfamiliar areas, in case GPS wasn't working. Hotels and motels were booking rooms over a year in advance for the event.

via GIPHY

Will Small Montana Towns Be Able to Handle the People?

Looking at the map of the "path of totality" in Montana provided by Nationaleclipse.com, there are quite a few smaller Montana towns that may be getting a lot of visitors. Glasgow, Sidney, Poplar, Havre, Shelby are all in the path. According to Nasa the eclipse will take place on August 23rd 2044. That time will also fall during the Montana "tourist season" too.

A Lot Can Happen in 20 Years

There is a lot that can happen in the next 20 years before the eclipse. We can only speculate about what Montana will look like that far in the future. Regardless of what Montana will look like then, we can pretty much count on one thing, people will come.