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Major city · United States

SidneySidney, Montana

Give Sidney one night, two if you fish or hunt: the heritage centre and a brewery fill an afternoon, and the oil-boom hotels book out first.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Sidney is a small eastern-Montana service town on the Yellowstone River, at the junction of MT-200 and MT-16, about 3 hours by car from Billings and close to the North Dakota line. It runs on oil, agriculture and a sugar-beet refinery, so hotel beds are business beds: book ahead or you sleep in Williston. Come for the MonDak Heritage Center, river fishing, agate hunting and a brewery, not for a resort.

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
May–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (cold, snow, icy roads)
Airports
SDY · ISN · BIL
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 Sidney911 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance911

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 Sidney, 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$3–5
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–16
  • BeerBrewery pint$6–8
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (MonDak Heritage Center)check current hoursFree
  • Budget bedHostel or campground bed, a night, per personUS$30
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$130
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$220

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220

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.

MonDak Heritage CenterYellowstone River fishing and agate huntingSugar-beet refinery and oil-boom economyMeadowlark Brewing
Airports
SDY Sidney-Richland Municipal Airport (Small field with service to Billings; check current schedules and book early.) · ISN Williston Basin International (Williston, ND) (About 1 h by car east on MT-200/US-2; more flights and rental cars.) · BIL Billings Logan International (About 3 h by car southwest; the usual full-service gateway.)

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    −4°C (25°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    −1°C (30°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    6°C (43°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  5. May

    Best

    20°C (68°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  7. Jul

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  8. Aug

    Best

    29°C (84°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    14°C (57°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    4°C (39°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    −3°C (27°F)

Best: May–Sep. Avoid: Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (29°C (84°F)), coolest Jan (−16°C (3°F) low), wettest Jun (10 rain days), driest Feb (5). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Sidney: 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

−4°C (25°F)

−16°C (3°F)

6 rd

Feb

−1°C (30°F)

−14°C (7°F)

5 rd

Mar

6°C (43°F)

−7°C (19°F)

6 rd

Apr

14°C (57°F)

0°C (32°F)

7 rd

May

20°C (68°F)

6°C (43°F)

9 rd

Jun

25°C (77°F)

11°C (52°F)

10 rd

Jul

29°C (84°F)

14°C (57°F)

8 rd

Aug

29°C (84°F)

13°C (55°F)

7 rd

Sep

23°C (73°F)

7°C (45°F)

6 rd

Oct

14°C (57°F)

0°C (32°F)

6 rd

Nov

4°C (39°F)

−8°C (18°F)

6 rd

Dec

−3°C (27°F)

−15°C (5°F)

6 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

You need a car. Downtown is walkable for a few blocks, but motels, the airport and the river sites sit outside it. Richland Car and Truck Rental at the airport is the local option; otherwise rent at Billings or Williston. Fuel up before long empty stretches on MT-200.

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Williston, North Dakota

go

Door to door: About 1 h

MT-200 east, then US-2

Bigger town for fuel, food and rooms when Sidney is full.

Fort Buford and the Confluence

go

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Drive east past Williston, then north

Historic fur-trade post where the Missouri and Yellowstone meet; check seasonal hours.

Glasgow, Montanacaution

Door to door: About 2.5 h

MT-200 west

Long return drive on a two-lane highway; better as a leg than a day trip.

Makoshika State Park, Glendive

overnight

Door to door: About 2.5 h

MT-16 south, then I-94 west

Badlands badlands scenery and dinosaur fossils; sleep in Glendive rather than drive back.

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.

Downtown / South Central Ave

Walkable strip of shops, the brewery and the heritage centre; most useful if you are here without a car.

MT-200 and MT-16 highway strip

Chain motels, fuel and truck stops on the edges of town; drive-in, drive-out, free parking.

Williston, ND (fallback)

About 1 h east when Sidney is full during oil or harvest surges; more rooms, longer drive.

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
$120–190 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × US$130US$130
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$130US$260
Rental car, one day1 × US$70 · checkUS$70
Fuel, 300 km of driving1 × US$35 · checkUS$35
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 · checkUS$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$53
Trip total≈ US$289 per person per day, bed includedUS$578

2026 estimate in US dollars; prices shown before sales tax. Flights and rental car excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–5
Diner breakfast$10–16
Burger or plate lunch$12–20
Brewery pint$6–8
Motel room, midweekHigher when crews are in town.$90–160
Gallon of fuelcheck$3–4
Museum entry (MonDak Heritage Center)check current hoursFree

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Sidney is a small town and the usual street risk is low; the real risks are long empty drives, winter roads, patchy cell coverage and hotel beds that vanish during oil or harvest surges.
  • Hotel beds are limited and fill with oil and harvest crews: reserve before you drive in.
  • Distances are long and cell coverage is patchy outside town: carry water, a spare tyre and offline maps.
  • Winter brings snow, ice and wind chill well below freezing; check road conditions before any highway leg.
  • The sugar-beet refinery gives the town a strong smell in autumn; it is normal, not a hazard.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

SidneySidney, Montana

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Sidney; nearest consulates are in Denver or Minneapolis. US visitors: your own embassy is in Washington, DC.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi or rideshare across town: $10–20 (check)
  • Sidney → Williston, ND by car: about 1 h, 100 km (62 mi)
  • Sidney → Billings by car: about 3 h, 400 km (249 mi)

Say or show

  • Where is the highway? — Where is the highway?
  • Is this road open in winter? — Is this road open in winter?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the nearest fuel? — Where is the nearest fuel?
  • Do you have a room for tonight? — Do you have a room for tonight?
  • Thank you — Thank you

English is the only language you need here.

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 Sidney. 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: May–Sep · avoid Dec–Feb (cold, snow, icy roads) · 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. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for SDY and Williston: last flights, taxi and rental-car fallbacks, overnight rung.
  2. Walking cluster for downtown Sidney with rescue anchors (heritage centre, brewery, Main Street).
  3. Place pages with verified hours and cutoffs (MonDak Heritage Center, Seven Sisters WMA, Richland Park) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter and hostile-arrival fixtures so highway legs can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources