The Town of Dillon, Montana

Dillon is the seat of Beaverhead County, Montana's largest county. Dillon began as an important shipping point from Utah to the gold fields of Montana. The Utah and Northern Railroad reached Dillon in the fall of 1880, but the town was named for the president of the Union Pacific Railroad, Sidney V. Dillon. Sheep were introduced to the rich agricultural valley in 1869. At one time Dillon was the largest wool shipping point in Montana. The first cattle were brought to the valley in 1865 and they, too, have played a major role in Dillon's development. The area was central to early Montana mining camps and settlements. Bannack, Montana's first territorial capital and now a well-preserved ghost town, is nearby. The Montana Normal College was established in Dillon in 1892 and is now called University of Montana-Western.

Fortune smiled on the company of Lewis and Clark as they traveled through this area looking for a way west. Three generations later, the Nez Perce fled this region after a tragic battle at the Big Hole. Amid the scenic byways, abundant wildlife and historic towns, you'll find country with a lasting role in the settling of the western frontier.

Some interesting things to do in Dillon include:

Visitor information: as the Beaverhead County seat and a convenient stop for interstate travelers, Dillon has a lot to offer. Stop at the old Union Pacific Railroad depot for statewide visitor information and a look at a restored Lewis and Clark diorama.

Beaverhead County Museum: exhibits include early mining and ranching exhibits, Indian artifacts and natural history. The bones of a mammoth and a branded boardwalk are among impressive indoor and outdoor displays.

The Seidensticker Wildlife Collection is a featured exhibit at the gallery on the campus of University of Montana-Western.

Historical Walking Tour: take a look at turn-of-the-century architecture on homes and buildings dating from Montana's gold rush era.

Nearby attractions include:

Clark Canyon Reservoir: many fishing access sites and a park that provides areas for boating, picnicking and camping, 20 miles south of Dillon.

Lewis & Clark Trail Sites: several locations of interest such as Lewis & Clark Canyon Dam, Beaverhead Rock north of Dillon and others.

More about Dillon

Dillon is admirably situated in a broad agricultural valley, magnificently framed by mountain ranges: to the east, the Bitteroots, to the southeast, the Centennial Range, southwest are the Tendoys, and close on the western horizon lie the Pioneer Mountains. The cottonwood and willow lined Beaverhead River flows south to north through the valley's center. The Big Hole River enters the Beaverhead Valley via ranch lands from the west, then flows north, joining the Beaverhead north of Dillon. Rangeland, with its sagebrush and native grasses, lies above and around the cultivated fields. Shouldering the surrounding peaks are open timberlands of pine, fir, aspen, and juniper

Dillon is the county seat of Beaverhead County. At 5551 square miles in area, it is one of the largest counties in the nation, as large as the states of Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.

Running straight through the county and wrapping around Dillon is the Continental Divide. The entire county can be considered high country, with a low elevation of 4770 on the Big Hole River, and a high point of 11, 154 feet at the summit of Tweedy Mountain. Dillon itself is nearly a mile high at 5200 feet.

Its central location makes Dillon a convenient and attractive base camp for the adventurous. Lying along interstate highway I-15, it is easily accessible by interstate from the north and south. An hour north is the historic mining town of Butte and the junction to I-90. Dillon is approximately a two hour drive from the cities of Helena, Bozeman, and Missoula, and to Idaho Falls, Idaho. It is under three hours to West Yellowstone, about five hours to East Glacier and to Spokane, Washington, and six hours from Salt Lake City, Utah.