Cities & Towns

Wisdom was named for the Wisdom (now the Big Hole) River that flows through the town. It is located in the Big Hole Valley, often called the "Valley of 10,000 Haystacks" which dot the ranchland with beaver slides. The Big Hole National Battlefield, part of the Nez Perce National Historic Park Trail is nearby, as well as outstanding fishing, camping, hiking and cross-country skiing opportunities.

Reed Point is a small town nestled below the foothills on its south and bordered by the Yellowstone River on its north. Home of the annual Great Montana Sheep Drive held each Labor Day weekend and a stop over on the three-day Yellowstone River Boat Float held every July. Reed Point provides access to the Yellowstone River at Indian Fort Fishing Access with boat ramp and campground.

Rollins is in a beautiful location on the western shore of Flathead Lake offering beaches and panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains. From here, it's an easy drive to most of the Flathead Valley's major attractions. Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 states, with over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline.

Opheim is located 10 miles from the Saskatchewan border in rich wheat-growing country. On the 51 mile stretch of road between Glasgow and Opheim along Montana Highway 24 lie some of the wildest prairie lands in the northern part of Missouri River Country. One mile south of Opheim is Granrud's Lefse offering home-made style Norwegian potato lefse. People come from all over to tour their unique operation and sample lefse hot off the grill.

Alder has a gem mine open to the public. Folks can go just south of town to search for garnets and other stones. About five miles north of the town is Robber's Roost, an old stage stop. It is open to the public and features an antique store and museum. Hold-up gangs used to hang out here during the early gold rush days when stagecoaches made regular runs between Bannack and Virginia City.

Fort C.F. Smith was established on August 12, 1866, to protect immigrants traveling on the Bozeman Trail from attacks by the Sioux Indians. The Bozeman Trail crossed the Bighorn River 400 yards from the fort. Located near the present town of Fort Smith, all that remains of the site are low mounds and interesting stories. The nearby Bighorn Lake extends approximately 60 miles through Wyoming and Montana, 55 miles of which are held within spectacular Bighorn Canyon.

Dayton is located on the west shore of Flathead Lake. The consistent winds of Dayton Bay make it the perfect location for a day of sailing. Nearby is Mission Mountain Winery, Montana's first bonded winery. In the tasting room you can sample the products of this small winery in northwest Montana, which are among the finest in the world.

Conner is 25 miles south of Hamilton along the West Fork of the Bitterroot River in western Montana. Conner is near Painted Rocks State Park offering boating, camping and fishing in a scenic, western pine forest setting. Also just a short drive away, the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness contains sheer walls, cliffs, tumbling waterfalls, hanging valleys and subalpine lake basins with many mountaineering opportunities.

Pony, is located on the northeastern edge of the Tobacco Root Mountains. Originally, Pony was a prosperous gold-mining community with at least 5,000 residents. A number of historic buildings from Pony's boom era remain in the old town today. Nearby, Norris Hot Springs offers guests a soak in mineral water pouring from the earth's depths at 120 degrees. Not far from Pony is the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, featuring one of the largest known limestone caverns in the Northwest.

Whitewater is 16 miles south of the Morgan port of entry into Canada (or Monchy port of entry from Canada) and north of Sleeping Buffalo Rock and Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge and is in the Milk River Valley.

Once a thriving gold camp, Marysville now a small community with several historic buildings listed on the National Register. There is more to see here than in most ghost towns. The town is not quite deserted, and some mining still goes on, but it's nothing like the rip-roaring period when Irishman Tommy Cruse's Drumlummon Mine poured out an estimated $50 million in gold. Enjoy a unique, one-of-a-kind atmosphere in a historic ghost town while eating dinner next to a cozy fire at the Marysville House. Nearby Great Divide Ski Area on the Continental Divide and offers an amazing 107 trails spread out on three mountain peaks and in three valleys.

Grass Range grew up in the middle of some of the finest open grassland used by the early cattle operations and was named for this range grass. Grass Range is east of Lewistown in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains. A short drive will take you to the headwaters of Fort Peck Reservoir and the picturesque Missouri Breaks.

Rapelje is a small farming community about 25 miles north of Columbus between Hailstone National Wildlife Refuge and Halfbreed National Wildlife Refuge. Both are a part of the Big Lake Complex and the most productive areas in central Montana for waterfowl and shorebirds. The refuge is a breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. Rapelje is home to Montana's original 24-hour endurance mountain bike race held on the weekend in June closest to the summer solstice.

Scenic ViewPhoto courtesy: MTOTLocal BuildingsPhoto courtesy: MTOTHighway Near HarrisonPhoto courtesy: Bill Kuney Harrison is a ranch town with a single street and a cluster of houses. It was named for the Henry C. Harrison family, which settled in the Willow Creek Valley in 1865 and became known for their Morgan horses, short-horn cattle, and large steam dairy. (from Cheney's Names on the Face of Montana, Mountain Press Publishing Company)At the foot of the Tobacco Root Mountains, Harrison resides in a beautiful area. It is on one of the direct routes to Yellowstone National Park and only a short distance from Lewis and Clark Caverns, which feature one of the largest known limestone caverns in the Northwest. Above ground, a self-guided nature trail provides opportunities to understand the natural surroundings and guided tours are conducted daily between May 1 and September 30. The Caverns offer campsites, cabins, picnic tables and other amenities.Potosi Campground and Norris Hot Springs, and the historic mining town of Pony are a short drive from Harrison. There's also hiking and camping at Hollow Top Mountain throughout the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest as well as fishing and boating on Harrison Lake. The lake is 40 acres in size and is located on the Blackfoot River.

Hingham, on the Hi-Line, is a shipping and storing station for stock and grain. The Hi-Line is a much-used Montana term which indicates both the route laid out by the Great Northern Railroad and U.S. Highway 2 where it traverses the windswept, glaciated plains and rolling prairie of northern Montana. Hingham is not far from Fresno Reservoir, which offers good fishing opportunities for walleye, northern pike, and perch. The reservoir has a concrete boat ramp, picnic shelters, and swimming beach, and nearby camping.

Silver Gate is located on the Montana/Wyoming border at the northeast entrance into Yellowstone National Park. Surrounded by the Beartooth Mountains' peaks of 10,000 feet on US Highway 212, the town has an alpine village appearance with many of its structures made of log and other natural materials. Silver Gate is the perfect mountain getaway, with unlimited outdoor recreation available year-round.

Greycliff is located ten miles east of Big Timber and is named for the grey-tinted conglomerate rock cliff east of town. While here visit the Greycliff Prairie Dog Town State Monument and watch the blacktailed prairie dog community. Interpretive displays at the site help to tell the story of these small entertaining prairie dogs. The Yellowstone River is accessed at Greycliff. Enjoy fishing, camping and boating along Yellowstone River.

Cooke City is one of the entrances to Yellowstone National Park. It is perhaps most famous for the road that connects Cooke City with Red Lodge. Called "the most scenic drive in America", the Beartooth Pass on U.S. Highway 212 has dramatic switchbacks traversing the spectacular Beartooth Range. Surrounded by national forest, wilderness and Yellowstone National Park, the area is an outdoor recreationist's dream.

Winston is between Townsend and Helena. It is located at the foot of the Elkhorn Mountains with access to nearby Canyon Ferry Lake, which offers excellent boating and fishing opportunities.

Bearcreek, located 7 miles east of Red Lodge was founded between 1905 and 1906 on the wealth of vast coal deposits beneath it. Now home to the famous Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse where the infamous Bear Creek Downs Pig Races are held during the summer months Thursday through Sunday. Cheer for (or place a wager on!) your favorite porkers.

Loma is northeast of Fort Benton where the Marias joins the Missouri River. Cross the Missouri River by ferry upriver at Carter or down-river at Virgelle; both ferries operate from March through October. One mile south of Loma, in June 1805, is where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent nine days at the Marias River deciding which fork would lead them to the Northwest Passage. The "Decision Point" marker on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is where they determined the Marias was not the main stem of the Missouri. A visit to the landmark will reward you with a beautiful overlook of the confluence of the Marias and Missouri Rivers.

Brady is located between Great Falls and Conrad and serves as one of the area's centers for trade. The railroad runs through town making it possible for most of the five thousand acres of grain watered by the nearby Bynum Irrigation Project to end up in Brady elevators. Brady is the birthplace of actor George Montgomery who made a name for himself as a stunt double and actor in Hollywood during the middle of the twentieth century.

Kevin is located 25 miles south of the Canadian border. Kevin is most noted for its proximity to Kevin-Sunburst oil field, which produced oil and gas in the 1920s. Nearby Sweetgrass Hills comprising of 6,983 foot West Butte, plus Gold Butte, Mount Royal, and Mount Brown, maintain a religious and cultural significance to the Blackfeet people and other tribes.

Birney is about twenty-five miles south of Ashland on the Tongue River at the mouth of Hanging Woman Creek.

Fishtail is in the foothills of the dramatic Beartooth Mountains. This area offers opportunities for camping, hiking, fishing and a variety of other outdoor activities. Rosebud Isle is a state fishing access site on Fishtail Creek.

Local BusinessesPhoto courtesy: John Ansotegui J.J. Thornton started the community of Edgar in 1907 when he purchased the Pendergast homestead and named it for his brother Edgar. Thornton insisted on a "dry" town and the establishment of a park near the railroad tracks, and he encouraged development of other businesses by donating land for the new town.(Copyright 2009, Montana Historical Society: Montana Place Names from Alzada to Zortman, Montana Historical Society Research Center Staff)Edgar is located near the Crow Indian Reservation near Pryor, the home and gravesite of the well-known Crow Chief, Plenty Coups. At Chief Plenty Coups State Park there is a display of Crow artifacts and history, and a scenic picnic area.

Located along the Musselshell River, Melstone began as a Milwaukee Railroad station and was named for Melvin Stone, an Associated Press reporter who was aboard the train with the railroad's president, his daughter and a friend, all of whom were naming towns along the line. The station was a freight division and promised to be important. Dry land farmers followed the railroad but the surrounding acres proved too dry, and now they are dotted with producing oil wells.

Flaxville is located in the northeast corner of the state, just south of the Canadian border. Nearby attractions include the Daniels County Museum and Pioneer Town in Scobey and fishing at Whitetail Reservoir. To the south is the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, home to Sioux and Assinniboine.

Silver Star is between Whitehall and Twin Bridges and is one of the oldest towns in the state. Silver Star was a supply point for silver miners and the only town between Virginia City and Helena. Silver Star is located along the Jefferson River, and the Tobacco Root Mountains provide the backdrop for this town. This range has numerous old mining claims and prospect sites near the towns of Twin Bridges and Sheridan, which were most active from the 1880's until the 1930's.

Paradise is located along the Clark Fork River. The river provides excellent fishing. The surrounding area offers boating at Flathead Lake State Park and camping in Thompson Falls State Park, or wildlife viewing at the National Bison Range. Take a dip in one of the hot springs located near Paradise or enjoy golfing or museums in the Flathead Lake area.

Geyser was named for the nearby bubbling mud springs. In the very early days, it was a stagecoach overnight stopping place on the trail from Lewistown to Great Falls.

Zortman is a historic mining town, nestled in the Little Rocky Mountains, offering a good base for camping, hiking, gold panning, hunting and trail rides. Gold mining arrived in 1884. Historic log cabins and miners' shacks lean between modern buildings and trailers in a mishmash of architecture. Visitors enjoy the nearby Little Rocky Mountains and the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge.

Sun River is 18 miles west of Great Falls. Ranch life and small town hospitality characterize this small community that shares its name with the Sun River, one of Montana's most beautiful and scenic rivers. The Sun begins in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and flows southeast to Great Falls where it meets the Missouri River. You will enjoy great fishing for trout and mountain whitefish as well as excellent boating on Gibson Reservoir.

Vida is located along the Big Sky Back Country Byway, which links the two major rivers in the state, the Yellowstone and the Missouri in eastern Montana. This route follows a section of the historic Regina-Yellowstone (R-Y) Trail, which tourists from Canada used to reach Yellowstone National Park. The north-south orientation of the trail will give you a glimpse of dry land farming, rolling prairie grassland, scenic scoria buttes, and badlands terrain. The entire route is well marked with directional signs and is approximately 105 miles long.

Glen is near Beaverhead Rock State Park. Sacajawea recognized this huge landmark, resembling the head of a swimming beaver, while traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805. Beaverhead Rock is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Huson, is located northwest of Missoula along Interstate 90. The Huson area offers abundant hiking and biking trails, campgrounds, and picnic areas in the Lolo National Forest. The Ninemile Historic Remount Depot introduces the public to a historic and working Ranger Station. Whitewater raft through the nearby Alberton Gorge or fish the Clark Fork River and other streams in the area.

Helmville located in the scenic Garnet Range of the Rocky Mountains where Nevada Creek empties into the Blackfoot River is a gathering place for farmers and ranchers in the surrounding valley. The town was named for Henry Helm, a pioneer settler. Helmville Labor Day Rodeo is the biggest little rodeo in Montana.

Essex is a popular year-round stop for visitors, especially railroad buffs and cross-country skiers. It is halfway between East and West Glacier and is situated at the southernmost area of Glacier National Park just twenty-five miles south of the West Glacier entrance to the Park.

Nye is southwest of Columbus on the Stillwater River. The nearby Beartooth Mountains are a portion of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness which is located on the Custer-Gallatin and Shoshone National Forests. This Wilderness offers a variety of nature related recreation experiences.

Acton is a farming and ranching community located 20 miles northwest of Billings.Yellowstone Drag Strip in Acton features paved pit areas, six staging lanes, and a large grandstand. Nearby Acton Recreation Area consists of diverse landscape with sandstone, minor badlands, steep drainages, weathered shale, and scattered ponderosa pine, with many recreation possibilities.

Radersburg is located southwest of Townsend. Radersburg is an old mining town located near the Elkhorn Mountains offering ample opportunities for outdoor recreation. A popular trail west of Radersburg is Crow Creek Trail which follows the creek 3.5 miles into a beautiful waterfalls. Radersburg was the birthplace of Myrna Loy, a glamorous classic Hollywood star during the early years of film.

Rosebud is located along the Yellowstone River. The region was originally explored and used by the fur traders. Near the town of Rosebud is Rosebud Battlefield State Park. Here, General Custer camped at the mouth of Rosebud Creek before traveling up that creek on his way to the Little Bighorn in his ill-fated campaign against the Indians. Montana State Parks has developed a self-guided walking tour at the Rosebud Battlefield site.

Hall is situated south of Drummond on the Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Highway; Montana Highway 1. This 63-mile Scenic Highway goes from Drummond to Anaconda, through Georgetown Lake and Philipsburg, some of Montana's most historic towns. The road travels through both conifer-clad mountains and sage-covered hills following the Flint Creek and is a wonderful alternative to Interstate 90 when traveling between Butte and Missoula.

Polebridge is at the northwestern edge of Glacier National Park. Today Polebridge consists of a scattering of houses, cabins, trailers and small ranches up and down North Fork Road. At the heart of the community is the unique and historic Polebridge Mercantile, a combination store, post office, gas station and a few rental cabins. The Northern Lights Saloon serves beer and meals beneath propane lights. At Home Ranch Bottoms you can join the locals for live music and huckleberry treats. 

This area is all about fishing! Craig is located in southwest Montana on the Missouri River, one of the world's premier trout streams. Here you will find fishing guides, fishing lodges, fishing shops and fishing access sites. Located in the area is the Craig Fishing Access Site, offers camping with restrooms and drinking water.

Mountain meadows ablaze with wildflowers and mountain peaks of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Scapegoat Wilderness as a backdrop greet the visitor to Ovando. A number of guides and outfitters in the area will take you into the wildlands, or several guest ranches offer accommodations. Fishing and birdwatching are excellent reasons to visit Browns Lake near Ovando. See eagles, loons, herons and pelicans, just to name a few.

Outlook located in the northeast corner of Montana is nine miles from Canada and about twenty-five from North Dakota. To the south is Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge, where thousands of migrating waterfowl make their summer home at Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Great blue herons, white pelicans, sandhill cranes, grebes and 12 different species of ducks share the prairie lake ecosystem.

Coffee Creek was named for the creek with water a dark, coffee-brown color. In early days this was a favorite stopping place for cowboys riding the open ranges around it. The town itself began as a station of the Milwaukee Road. Two grain elevators and an International Harvester farm machinery store indicate this is now grain, rather than range country.

Turner is an agricultural community twelve miles south of the US/Canadian border. The port on the US side is named Turner and the port on the Canadian side is named Trelon which is French for Lone Tree Lake. The area has upland game bird and deer and antelope hunting. This small town is north of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

Zurich is located on the Hi-Line between Harlem and Chinook along the Milk River. Zurich is near Bear Paw Battlefield, the final stop on the Nez Perce National Historic Trail. At this site, Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce surrendered on October 5, 1877 after a 1,300 mile retreat. It was here that Chief Joseph made his eloquent speech of surrender, stating, "From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."

Cardwell is a small town with an old brick school building, beautiful patchwork farmland near the mountains and a quaint country church. Cardwell Bridge Fishing Access Site is located one mile south of Cardwell, and Cardwell Campground is just off the Cardwell Exit from I-90.

Niarada is on Sullivan Creek twenty miles west of the Big Arm of Flathead Lake. Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. 28 miles long and 15 miles wide, Flathead Lake offers unlimited recreational opportunities and wildlife habitat. Niarada is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation home to the Bitterroot Salish, Upper Pend d'Oreille, and Kootenai tribes.

In the early 1900s mining dominated the mountains south of Great Falls and countless small settlements filled the coulees and gulches. Raynesford was a railroad town to service those mines. Raynesford is just north of Sluice Boxes State Park. Soaring cliffs and precipitous ledges mark the Belt Creek Canyon as it slices out of the Little Belt Mountains and winds toward the town of Belt. Sluice Boxes State Park consists of the northern most 8 miles of the Belt Creek canyon.

Box Elder was named for the creek, which in turn was named for the box elder trees that line its banks. The town serves as headquarters for the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation. The Rocky Boys are often called "the landless Indians" coming from Canada in the 1870s and lived first around the Assiniboine and the Bear Paw foothills. Later they scattered over other parts of Montana. These Indians, also called Metis, come from a northern tribe of Chippewa-Cree.

Shawmut is east 16 miles east of Harlowton along the Musselshell River. Nearby, Deadman's Basin Reservoir is well known for camping, fishing boating and swimming. Avaceratops lammersi dinosaur was discovered in the Shawmut area and is now housed in the Upper Musselshell Museum in Harlowton. This two-story limestone building, constructed in 1909, is filled with treasures that belong to the people who lived in, worked and developed the Upper Musselshell River country.

Located in the foothills of the Continental Divide, in the extreme southwest portion of Montana near the Montana-Idaho border, is the small mountain community of Lakeview. Lakeview is surrounded by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and Red Rocks Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The Red Rock Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 to protect trumpeter swan. Today, the Refuge continues to be one of the most important habitats in North America for these majestic birds.

De Borgia was a station on the Northern Pacific twenty miles from Lookout Pass, which separates Montana and Idaho. The town derives its name from the St. Regis de Borgia River.

Musselshell is located 20 miles east of Roundup along the Musselshell River. Musselshell takes its name from the Musselshell River, named by Lewis and Clark for the freshwater mussels lining the riverbank. In nearby Roundup, Musselshell Valley Historical Museum recreates the area's history with photographs and detailed displays of the area's homesteading, mining. Explore the natural science exhibit and view birds and wildlife that are native to the surrounding hills and prairies.

Martinsdale was a sheepman's town; to the west is the Smith ranch of 86,000 acres and to the east the Bair spread of 80,000 acres, two of the biggest sheep outfits in the state. Bair was one of the most successful sheep owners in the world, at one time running over 300,000 head. The Bair Family Museum gives an intimate view of one of Montana's most prosperous families.

This historic mining town is in the heart of the Little Belt Mountains. Local creeks have excellent trout fishing. Take the 10-mile drive north of nearby Monarch to Sluice Boxes State Park where hiking, biking, hunting and wildlife viewing are popular. Neihart also boasts excellent creek fishing and recreation opportunities. There are snowmobiling and ski rentals available at Kings Hill Pass. Be sure to visit Memorial Falls and take the nature trail which is handicapped accessible.

Kremlin is located on the Montana Hi-Line west of Havre. Nearby, Fresno Reservoir offers good fishing opportunity for walleye, northern pike, and perch. Facilities at Fresno Reservoir include a concrete boat ramp, picnic shelters, swimming beach and a campground.

Dell is located near Red Rock River, nestled between the Blacktail and Tendoy Mountains. Just south of Dell, Big Sheep Creek - Medicine Lodge Backcountry Byway begins. It is a scenic drive through the backcountry of southwestern Montana. The Byway is just over 50 miles long with side trips that provide opportunities for solitude and exploration.

Biddle is a community near the Wyoming border on the Little Power River. 25 miles to the north in Broadus is the Powder River Historical Museum and Mac's Museum where there are historical collections, including photos and books, Indian artifact's, old guns and ammunition, pre-1900 buggies, vintage autos, rebuilt engines, threshing machines, tractors and farm implements.

Sula, located 13 miles from the Idaho border, offers abundant winter recreation in downhill and cross-country skiing and summer recreation such as hiking, camping and fishing. The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, known for its high, rugged and beautiful mountain scenery is located nearby. Relax at the end of the day at Lost Trail Hot Springs and rejuvenate your spirit while you reflect on the memories made.

Luther is located in the mountains northwest of Red Lodge along the beautiful Beartooth Mountain Range. The nearby Beartooth Highway, designated a National Scenic Byway, is one of the most beautiful drives in America. Reaching heights of nearly 11,000 feet, this 53.7-mile, offers views of snowcapped peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes and plateaus. Another nearby attraction, Red Lodge Mountain Resort, offers a ski area with 71 runs spread across 2 mountains, with a variety of terrain sure to please any skier.

Inverness is on the Hi-Line on Highway 2 between Havre and Shelby. Communities along the Hi-Line traces its roots back to the Great Northern Railway where depots were established at regular 8 to 10 mile intervals. Stop by and visit the Inverness Supper Club which was built in the early 1900s.

Hogeland is located north of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation 12 miles south of the Canadian border. Nearby, Blaine County Museum in Chinook offers the visitor the opportunity to experience the West from prehistoric to pioneer, through thought-provoking exhibits, that tell the story of this land and its people. The museum's Paleontology Exhibit displays a dozen Judith River Formation exhibits including Hadrosaur, Gorgosaurus, and Edmontonia fossils from the area.

Canyon Creek is just a few miles from Marysville, a former gold camp that is now almost a ghost town. The small community of Marysville has several buildings on the National Historic Register. The Marysville/Austin System Snowmobile Trail, Great Divide Snowsports, Stemple Pass Ski Trail and Helena National Forest are also nearby.

Boyd is located on Rock Creek, 21 miles north of Red Lodge. Cooney State Park reservoir is 8 miles west of Boyd. This reservoir is a popular recreation and features good walleye and rainbow trout fishing, abundant boating opportunities, and five campgrounds with 82 campsites.