Why visit Dillon
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 11 parks and trails, 13 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include University of Montana Western, Big Sky Cinemas, Hotel Metlen and Martin Barrett House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; December lows average 13°F.
Weather in Dillon
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Dillon
Dillon is a city in and the county seat of Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,880 at the 2020 census. The city was named for Sidney Dillon (1812–1892), president of Union Pacific Railroad. The Dillon City Hall Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the Wikipedia article Dillon, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
University of Montana Western
School · 0.7 mi
Public university located in Dillon, Montana, United States; part of the Montana University System
Museums and landmarks6
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Hotel Metlen
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Dillon, Montana, US
Martin Barrett House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Dillon, Montana, United States
University of Montana Western Gallery
Museum · 0.7 mi
710 South Atlantic Street, Dillon
Parks, trails and playgrounds11
Restaurants and cafes13
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza
205 South Atlantic Street, Dillon
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
1 more on the map.
History
Dillon was founded in the Beaverhead Valley as a railroad town in 1880. Originally named “Terminus” as it was temporarily the northernmost stop on the Utah and Northern Railway while it was under construction, in 1881, the community was renamed for Union Pacific Railroad President Sidney Dillon, who had directed the project of bringing the railroad through to Butte, Montana. The town's location was selected by the railroad in part because of its proximity to gold mines in the area.
The first ore discovered in the Dillon area was silver. Gold was first discovered at Grasshopper Creek in 1862, precipitating a flood of immigration to the area. The last real gold rush in the area occurred near Argenta in 1920 and lasted for 30 years.
Dillon served as a central location for transporting goods to nearby boomtowns such as Bannack, Argenta, Glen, and Virginia City. In 1881, Dillon became part of a contentious battle with Bannack to become the county seat of Beaverhead County. The first brick building in Dillon was built in 1882. In 1884, Dillon became an incorporated town and began building sidewalks and permanent dwellings for the residents.
From the History section of Dillon, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay8
Churches and places of worship4
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare1
Map of Dillon
57 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 33°F | 14°F | 0.3 in | 1.7 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 16°F | 0.3 in | 0.9 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 22°F | 0.7 in | 0.4 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 28°F | 1.5 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 64°F | 36°F | 1.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 42°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 48°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 46°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 39°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 30°F | 0.9 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 21°F | 0.5 in | 2.9 in |
| Dec | 32°F | 13°F | 0.5 in | 4.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Dillon U Of Montana Western Hcn (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
Beaverhead County has had 6 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-08-14: Sand Creek Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2000-08-30: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2000-08-08: Mt - Central Zone 3C Fire Complex (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Dillon Airport (DLN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Sheridan 27 mi northeast, about 44 min by car
- Ennis 45 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Rader Creek 46 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Butte-Silver Bow (balance) 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Whitehall 52 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 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
- Russell Lee street corner Dillon Montana, Russell Lee, Public domain
- Dillon City Hall HD NRHP 100004712 Beaverhead County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dillon City Library (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- US Post Office - Dillon Main (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Rose Catholic Church in Dillon Montana, Always dreamin, CC0
- Hotel Metlen, Toomuchvoltage, CC BY-SA 3.0
- The University of Montana Western campus, RB2013, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Andrus Hotel NRHP 100004711 Beaverhead County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Andrus Hotel2 NRHP 100004711 Beaverhead County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Oregon Short Line Passenger Depot (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- XPRO1822, Robert Amundson, CC BY-SA 4.0
- XPRO1825, Robert Amundson, CC BY-SA 4.0
- XPRO1821, Robert Amundson, CC BY-SA 4.0
- XPRO1824, Robert Amundson, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Montana State Normal School - Main Hall (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Montana State Normal School - Roe House (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Barrett Hospital (site) NRHP 85000109 Beaverhead County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Clark's Lookout (2013) - Beaverhead County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
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