Boys’ Cross Country was first introduced as a fall sport in Montana in 1964, initially featuring two classes: Class A and Class B. Over time, the competition expanded to include Classes AA, A, B, and C to align with the classification system used in basketball. Since its inception, the state championships have consistently been held in October.

Girls’ Cross Country became an officially sanctioned sport in the fall of 1971. Because a boys’ program was already established, girls’ cross country was launched with all four classifications—AA, A, B, and C—making it one of the few sports in Montana to do so from the outset.

When cross country first began, races for both boys and girls were 2 miles in length. The distance later increased to 2.5 miles, then to 3 miles, and today, athletes compete in 5-kilometer races.