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Major city · United States

DillonDillon, Montana

Give Dillon one night as an I-15 stop between Butte and Idaho Falls; add a second only if you fish the Beaverhead or day-trip to Bannack.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Dillon is a small railroad-and-ranch town of about 3,800 people on I-15 in southwest Montana, home to University of Montana Western. The walkable core is four blocks of Montana Street; almost everything worth seeing — Bannack ghost town, Beaverhead Rock, Clark Canyon Reservoir, Maverick Mountain — needs a car. It works as a quiet overnight on the Butte–Idaho Falls run, a trout-fishing base, or a Labor Day rodeo stop, not as a destination in itself.

basic guide: no trip line yet
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep for Bannack, fishing and the rodeo; Jan–Mar for Maverick Mountain skiing
avoid Nov–Apr for Bannack and high-country drives (snow, closures); late Jul–Aug afternoons are hot and smoky some years
Airports
BTM · IDA · BZN
Nights
1–2
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Dillon911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Beaverhead County Sheriff (non-emergency)406-683-3700
  • Montana Road Report (511)511

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Dillon, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSteak dinner$30–55
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–16
  • BeerCraft beer, pint$6–8
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40
  • Budget bedChain motel double (Motel 6, Super 8, Quality Inn), a night, per roomUS$80
  • Mid-range bedChain motel double (Motel 6, Super 8, Quality Inn), a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedChain motel double (Motel 6, Super 8, Quality Inn), a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$140 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Bannack State Park ghost townBeaverhead and Big Hole river trout fishingLabor Day PRCA rodeoUniversity of Montana WesternBeaverhead Rock
Airports
BTM Bert Mooney Airport, Butte (About 65 mi north on I-15; the usual arrival airport. Small, few daily flights — check schedules.) · IDA Idaho Falls Regional (About 110 mi south on I-15; more flights, longer drive.) · BZN Bozeman Yellowstone International (About 130 mi northeast; biggest choice of flights, 2 h+ drive.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Care

    1°C (34°F)

  2. Feb

    Care

    4°C (39°F)

  3. Mar

    Care

    9°C (48°F)

  4. Apr

    Avoid

    14°C (57°F)

  5. May

    not flagged

    19°C (66°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    24°C (75°F)

  7. Jul

    Care*

    30°C (86°F)

  8. Aug

    Care

    29°C (84°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    15°C (59°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    1°C (34°F)

Best: Jun, Sep. Mixed: Jan–Mar, Jul–Aug. Avoid: Apr, Nov–Dec. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (30°C (86°F)), coolest Jan (−11°C (12°F) low), wettest May (10 rain days), driest Feb (6). Averages, not a forecast.

* only part of the month (early, mid or late).

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Dillon: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

1°C (34°F)

−11°C (12°F)

7 rd

Feb

4°C (39°F)

−9°C (16°F)

6 rd

Mar

9°C (48°F)

−5°C (23°F)

8 rd

Apr

14°C (57°F)

−1°C (30°F)

8 rd

May

19°C (66°F)

4°C (39°F)

10 rd

Jun

24°C (75°F)

8°C (46°F)

9 rd

Jul

30°C (86°F)

11°C (52°F)

6 rd

Aug

29°C (84°F)

10°C (50°F)

6 rd

Sep

23°C (73°F)

5°C (41°F)

6 rd

Oct

15°C (59°F)

0°C (32°F)

6 rd

Nov

6°C (43°F)

−6°C (21°F)

7 rd

Dec

1°C (34°F)

−11°C (12°F)

7 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The central business area is walkable in 10–15 minutes. Everything else needs a car: Bannack is 25 mi west, Beaverhead Rock 16 mi east, Clark Canyon Reservoir 20 mi south, Maverick Mountain 50 mi west. The city runs a free City Bus on weekdays during the day — call the city to request a ride.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Bannack State Park

go

Door to door: About 45 min each way

Drive MT-278 west from Dillon, about 25 mi

Best-preserved Montana ghost town; guided tours in summer, visitor centre summer only. Day-use fee per vehicle — check the state parks site.

Beaverhead Rock State Park

go

Door to door: About 30 min each way

Drive east of Dillon about 16 mi

A Lewis and Clark landmark; a short roadside stop, not a half-day.

Clark Canyon Reservoir

go

Door to door: About 30 min each way

I-15 exit 44 south, then MT-324, about 20 mi

Boating, fishing and campgrounds; site of Camp Fortunate on the Lewis and Clark route.

Maverick Mountain Ski Area

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min each way

Drive MT-278 and the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway to Polaris, about 50 mi

24 trails, uncrowded; no cell service on most of the drive or at the resort. Sleep in Dillon or the lodge rather than driving back at night.

Virginia City and Nevada City

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Drive MT-287 northeast

Gold-rush buildings and a living-history town; pairs with a Butte run.

Butte

overnight

Door to door: About 1 h

I-15 north about 65 mi

Worth a night of its own for the mining history and uptown district.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Montana Street core

Walk to dinner, bars and the museum; the Andrus Hotel and the chain motels sit within a few blocks.

I-15 exit 62 strip

Best Western, Motel 6, Quality Inn, Super 8; free parking, 5-min drive to the centre.

Clark Canyon Reservoir / Southside RV Park

Campers and boaters; 20 mi south, no walkable town.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain motel double (Motel 6, Super 8, Quality Inn)1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Bannack day-use fee, per vehicle1 × US$8US$8
Rental car, one day, midsize1 × US$80US$80
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$25US$50
Sit-down dinner with tip, per person2 × US$30US$60
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$60
Trip total≈ US$329 per person per day, bed includedUS$658

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Diner breakfast$10–16
Burger or sandwich plate$14–22
Steak dinner$30–55
Craft beer, pint$6–8
Gallon of gas$3.20–4.00
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$20–40

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Dillon is a low-crime small town; the real risks are long rural drives, winter ice, wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk, and no cell service on the Maverick Mountain route. Carry water and a paper map, and tell someone your route.
  • Distances are real: Bannack is 25 mi and Maverick Mountain 50 mi each way, with no cell service for most of the Maverick drive.
  • Winter storms close or ice the secondary roads; check Montana road conditions before leaving I-15.
  • Bannack's visitor centre is summer-only and day-use fees are per vehicle — carry cash or check the state parks site.
  • Rural Montana bars and small motels can be cash-first; keep some cash.
  • Summer fire season can bring smoke and closures — check air quality and fire restrictions.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Beaverhead County Sheriff (non-emergency)
406-683-3700
Montana Road Report (511)
511

Pocket card

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Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

DillonDillon, Montana

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Beaverhead County Sheriff (non-emergency)406-683-3700
  • Montana Road Report511

Embassy

No consulates in Dillon; nearest are in Denver or Salt Lake City, embassies in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bannack day-use, per vehicle: $8
  • City Bus, weekdays: free; call the city to request a ride
  • Butte (BTM) to Dillon by car: about 65 mi, 1 h on I-15

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is the road open? — Is the road open?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • How far is it? — How far is it?
  • I have a reservation. — I have a reservation.
  • Thank you — Thank you

Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis. Emergency number is 911.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Dillon. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for Bannack, fishing and the rodeo; Jan–Mar for Maverick Mountain skiing · avoid Nov–Apr for Bannack and high-country drives (snow, closures); late Jul–Aug afternoons are hot and smoky some years · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BTM and IDA: last flights, rental-car desks, winter-road fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Montana Street core, the I-15 exit 62 strip, the university side, and the reservoir/RV south side.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Bannack, Beaverhead Rock, Beaverhead County Museum, Clark Canyon, Maverick Mountain) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rodeo-weekend and winter-storm fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources