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Major city · United States

Malta, MontanaMalta

Stop for one night off the Empire Builder or US-2: the dinosaur museum and the refuge are the reason, and a car is the only way to see the rest.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Dec–Feb (cold, snow, some seasonal closures)
Airports
GGW · BIL · GTF
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
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.

Malta is a small Hi-Line town on US-2 and US-191 where Amtrak's Empire Builder still stops, in flat prairie that has produced some of the world's most important dinosaur finds. Two small museums, a bird refuge east of town and a hot spring 19 miles away fill a day. Without a car you are limited to a walkable four-block centre; with one, the Little Rocky Mountains and Nelson Reservoir open up.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

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

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$2–5
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$10–18
  • BeerDraught beer$5–8
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry, adultcheck; children about $3$5
  • Budget bedCity park campsite, a night, per roomUS$5
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$120
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$180

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$140 · High US$240

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

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.

Great Plains Dinosaur MuseumPhillips County MuseumBowdoin National Wildlife RefugeEmpire Builder rail stopHi-Line prairie and dinosaur country
Airports
GGW Glasgow (nearest small commercial field, about 1 h 15 min west) (check current service) · BIL Billings Logan International (about 4 h 30 min by car; the usual larger-airport option) · GTF Great Falls International (about 4 h 30 min by car)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Malta, Montana: 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

−16°C

6 rd

Feb

−1°C

−14°C

5 rd

Mar

7°C

−7°C

6 rd

Apr

14°C

−1°C

7 rd

May

20°C

5°C

9 rd

Jun

25°C

10°C

10 rd

Jul

30°C

13°C

7 rd

Aug

30°C

12°C

6 rd

Sep

23°C

6°C

6 rd

Oct

14°C

0°C

5 rd

Nov

4°C

−8°C

6 rd

Dec

−3°C

−14°C

6 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

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

Getting around

The centre is small enough to walk or bike; everything else needs a car. Fuel up in town before heading out, download offline maps, and do not count on phone service or services in the surrounding country.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min

Drive east on US-2, turn at the refuge sign and follow the paved road about 6 miles to the entrance

Open sunrise to sunset, free; auto tour road, birds and prairie, no fishing.

Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs

go

Door to door: About 25 min

Drive east on US-2 about 19 miles

Pool, hot tub and sauna; the only natural hot spring resort in northern Montana.

Nelson Reservoir

go

Door to door: About 25 min

Drive east on US-2 about 17 miles

Walleye, pike and trout; paddlefish need a special permit.

Zortman and the Little Rocky Mountains

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Drive south on US-191 about 47 miles

Camping, hiking, horseback riding and gold panning; fuel and services are limited.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

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

Downtown US-2 strip

Motels and the historic hotel sit within a few blocks of the Amtrak platform; walkable to both museums and most food.

Trafton Park

City park campground north of the US-2 junction; basic sites, no hookups, no reservations.

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
Motel double room1 × 1 night × US$120US$120
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$140US$280
Museum entries, both museums2 × US$10 · checkUS$20
Fuel, 100 miles of local driving1 × US$15 · checkUS$15
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$47
Trip total≈ US$256 per person per day, bed includedUS$512

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–5
Diner breakfast$10–18
Pizza or burger with a side$12–22
Draught beer$5–8
Museum entry, adultcheck; children about $3$5
Campsite, city parkcheck$5

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are driving distances, weather and isolation. Tell someone your route, carry water and a spare, and treat winter roads with respect.
  • Distances are long and services thin outside town: fill the tank and carry water.
  • Cell coverage drops quickly on the prairie and in the Little Rocky Mountains.
  • Winter brings snow, ice and wind; some seasonal businesses close.
  • The Amtrak stop is unstaffed with no ticket machine or baggage service: sort tickets before you arrive.

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.

Malta, MontanaMalta

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies here; nearest consulates are in Denver or Minneapolis (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Empire Builder, Malta → Havre: check current Amtrak fare and timetable
  • Empire Builder, Malta → Glasgow: check current Amtrak fare and timetable
  • Fuel, Malta to Zortman and back: about 95 miles round trip; fill up in Malta

Say or show

  • Where is the gas station? — Where is the gas station?
  • Is the museum open today? — Is the museum open today?
  • How far is the refuge? — How far is the refuge?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • I need help. — I need help.
  • Thank you. — Thank you.

Print this card: fuel, water and phone coverage are the things that matter out here.

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 Malta, Montana. 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, some seasonal closures) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 2 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. An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
  2. Walking clusters with bag rules
  3. Day plans checked against opening hours
  4. Field-verified times and fares

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources