By Eisla Sebastian, Contributing writer

Montana is a state that has not lost its sense of adventure. While many places in the American West have become urban centric, Montana still clings to what makes it special, its wild places. Whether you are interested in exploring the wilderness or hunting for ancient treasures, you will find several affordable adventures waiting for you.

Hiking in Montana

Hiking trails can be found in nearly every community. Local trail systems will lead you through the most scenic parts of the city or take you to the most popular wild areas found near the city. These local trails are usually free of charge. However, the trails found within state parks may charge a small entrance fee. The most popular trail systems in the state, according to Trails.com, are found in the two national parks that call Montana home: Glacier and Yellowstone. To hike these trails, you will need to pay the entrance fee for each park.

Float Tubing in Montana

Float tubing is another very popular activity, allowing you to mix fun and adventure as you drift down western rivers in an inflatable tube. You can usually rent one for about $5 a day from gas stations and outfitters found near river access points.

White Water Adventures

If you are up for a faster-paced adventure, then head for Montana's white water hotspots for rafting, kayaking and wakeboarding (riverboarding). The cost of this adventure will depend on how much equipment you already own and if you need a guide. If you don't need a guide, then you can keep the cost of this activity to a few dollars per person. More at Montana Riverguides

Treasure Hunting

Treasure hunting in Montana is both fun and potentially profitable. According to Treasurefish.com, there are dozens of different treasures that you can find, from gold to historical coins. If you are interested in hunting for gold, then you will want to look in rivers and streams near Virginia City and in Broadwater County, where gold has been found before. If you are interested in finding sapphires, then you can search in the Missouri River and in Rock Creek, or you can visit a local sapphire mine that is open to the public. Garnets are another gemstone that you can find in Montana, usually alongside sapphires, as well as in the Ruby River. Finally, you can hunt for Montana moss agate in the Yellowstone River. Most of the treasure hunting adventures in the state are free of charge. That said, the mines that are open to the public will charge a small fee.

Fossil Hunting

If you are a fan of dinosaurs, then Montana has a surprise for you. Montana is a hotbed for fossils. In fact, according to Science Daily, it is one of the few places on Earth where you can find the fossilized remains of the T. Rex and plesiosaurs. In addition to big finds, you can also find fossils of tropical plants, insects and fish. Keep in mind that you aren't allowed to take vertebrate fossils from public lands. However, you are free to take invertebrate fossils and plant fossils that you find. If you would like to take part in an organized dig, then you will want to visit the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center of Montana, or Montana State University.