Why visit Columbus
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 2 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Atlas Block and Michael Jacobs House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 10°F, and about 48 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Columbus
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Columbus
Columbus is a city in and the county seat of Stillwater County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,857 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Columbus, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Atlas Block
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Commercial building in Columbus, Montana
Michael Jacobs House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Columbus, Montana, listed on the NRHP in Stillwater County
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes2
The Whistlestop Cafe
Restaurant · Burger, Chicken, American, Ice Cream · 0.4 mi
306 East Pike Avenue, Columbus
Where to stay2
History
The community originated as a stagecoach station on the Yellowstone River.
The original name was Sheep Dip, then changed to Stillwater, but because of a Stillwater, Minnesota on the Northern Pacific Railway, the mail presented a problem. The name was ultimately changed to Columbus, Montana in 1893.
From the History section of Columbus, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship9
Shopping1
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Healthcare1
Map of Columbus
28 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 10°F | 0.6 in | 7.0 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 13°F | 0.7 in | 8.8 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 21°F | 0.9 in | 7.7 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 28°F | 2.0 in | 4.5 in |
| May | 67°F | 37°F | 2.8 in | 0.5 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 45°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 85°F | 50°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 48°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 39°F | 1.4 in | 0.2 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 29°F | 1.5 in | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 19°F | 0.7 in | 5.9 in |
| Dec | 37°F | 11°F | 0.7 in | 9.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Columbus (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Stillwater County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
- 2023-10-11: Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-06-16: Severe Storm And Flooding (Flood)
- 2020-08-02: Falling Star Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 36 miles away.
- Absarokee 13 mi southwest, about 20 min by car
- Park City 16 mi east, about 25 min by car
- Joliet 17 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
- Rockvale 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Laurel 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Fromberg 24 mi southeast, about 38 min by car
- Bridger 29 mi southeast, about 46 min by car
- Red Lodge 31 mi south, about 49 min by car
- Billings 35 mi east, about 57 min by car
- Big Timber 36 mi west, about 59 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Saint Mary Catholic Church in Columbus Montana, Always dreamin, CC0
- Norton House, Columbus, Montana, John.banfill, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Columbus montana 1-8-2008, Bradley Gordon from Lakewood, Colorado, U.S.A., CC BY 2.0
- Stillwater County Courthouse, Columbus, Montana 02, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stillwater County Courthouse, Columbus, Montana 01, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- ColumbusMThillsideC, Travellers & Tinkers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jacobi House2, Gwesterdale, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Atlas Block NRHP 11000588 Stillwater County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stillwater county courthouse, Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0
- Jacobs House NRHP 86003676 Stillwater County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Mountain View Cemetery NRHP 87001200 Stillwater County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mountain View Cemetery2 NRHP 87001200 Stillwater County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
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