Townapedia
HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSE, PLAINS, SANDERS COUNTY
HISTORIC SCHOOLHOUSE, PLAINS, SANDERS COUNTY · JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ninemile Packstring at Plains Day Parade, 2017
Ninemile Packstring at Plains Day Parade, 2017 · Forest Service Northern Region, CC BY 2.0
Forest Service in the Plains Day Parade, June 3, 2017 (34495402763)
Forest Service in the Plains Day Parade, June 3, 2017 (34495402763) · Forest Service Northern Region from Missoula, MT, USA, Public domain
Skycrane Helicopter (52940821649)
Skycrane Helicopter (52940821649) · Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain
Firehawk River Road East Fire (53798500593)
Firehawk River Road East Fire (53798500593) · Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain
Skycrane Helicopter (52940674101)
Skycrane Helicopter (52940674101) · Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain

Plains, Montana

Plains is a town of 1,195 people in Sanders County, Montana.

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Population1,195 +13.9% since 2019
CountySanders County
Elevation2,477 ft 755 m
Land area0.6 sq mi
ZIP code59859
Nearest airportThompson Falls Airport (THM) 21 mi

Why visit Plains

Townapedia lists 2 parks and trails, 3 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Llano Theater.

August is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; December lows average 21°F.

About Plains

Plains (Salish: ncc̓kʷi) is a town in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 1,106 at the 2020 census. It was founded as Horse Plains and sometimes called Wild Horse Plains, as the local Native Americans would winter their horses here to feed on the grasses in the valley. The name was later shortened to Plains when the US Postal Service established a presence in 1905.

From the Wikipedia article Plains, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Llano Theater

Cinema and theater

112 Railroad Avenue, Plains

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Parks, trails and playgrounds2

Fred Young Memorial Park

Park

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Plains Park

Park

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Restaurants and cafes3

Em's Cafe

Restaurant · 0.6 mi

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Farmhouse Cafe

Cafe · 0.6 mi

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Ripples Ice Cream Parlor

Ice cream · 0.4 mi

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Where to stay3

Dew Duck Inn

Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi

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Glacier Crossroads Quinn's Hotsprings Motel

Motel and hotel · 0.8 mi

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Glacier Crossroads Quinns Motel

Motel and hotel · 0.7 mi

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Churches and places of worship7

Shopping4

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Gas and EV charging1

Schools, colleges and libraries5

Healthcare1

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Map of Plains

27 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 1.2 in of rainFebruary: 1.3 in of rainMarch: 1.1 in of rainApril: 1.4 in of rainMay: 1.8 in of rainJune: 2.0 in of rainJuly: 0.9 in of rainAugust: 1.1 in of rainSeptember: 1.0 in of rainOctober: 1.3 in of rainNovember: 1.9 in of rainDecember: 1.4 in of rainJanuary: 35°FFebruary: 41°FMarch: 51°FApril: 59°FMay: 69°FJune: 76°FJuly: 86°FAugust: 87°FSeptember: 76°FOctober: 58°FNovember: 42°FDecember: 33°FJanuary: 22°FFebruary: 21°FMarch: 26°FApril: 32°FMay: 38°FJune: 44°FJuly: 47°FAugust: 45°FSeptember: 39°FOctober: 32°FNovember: 26°FDecember: 21°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan35°F22°F1.2 in
Feb41°F21°F1.3 in
Mar51°F26°F1.1 in
Apr59°F32°F1.4 in
May69°F38°F1.8 in
Jun76°F44°F2.0 in
Jul86°F47°F0.9 in
Aug87°F45°F1.1 in
Sep76°F39°F1.0 in
Oct58°F32°F1.3 in
Nov42°F26°F1.9 in
Dec33°F21°F1.4 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Saint Regis 1 Ne Hcn (14 mi away), rain and snow from Superior, NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$25,491median household income
$248,300median home value
$843median monthly rent
43.3median age
13.4%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
53.1%of homes are owner-occupied
15.0 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1811%18 to 3430%35 to 6437%65 and over22%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Sanders County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.

  • 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
  • 2025-12-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2023-08-19: River Road East Fire (Fire)
  • 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2017-09-10: Highway 200 Fire Complex (Fire)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Thompson Falls Airport (THM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.

  • Hot Springs 14 mi northeast, about 23 min by car
  • St. Regis 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
  • Superior 18 mi south, about 30 min by car
  • Riverbend 21 mi south, about 34 min by car
  • Thompson Falls 23 mi northwest, about 38 min by car
  • Ronan 37 mi east, about 59 min by car
  • Polson 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
  • Frenchtown 42 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Lakeside 49 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Wallace 49 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.