Hamilton (Montana)

Hamilton is a small city in Northwestern Montana, and is the and the county seat of Ravalli County. Just under 5,000 people lived there in 2020. It is the central trade area for the many farms, ranches, and orchards in the Bitterroot valley.

Understand
Hamilton was founded by copper king Marcus Daly in the late 19th century. It was named for J.W. Hamilton, who provided the right-of-way to the railroad. Daly is said to have wanted to begin business in the then county seat of Grantsdale, but was denied the opportunity. He supposedly founded Hamilton out of his own pocket as a reaction to being rebuffed at Grantsdale.

Get in
Hamilton is located directly on US-93. The nearest airport is 50 miles north in Missoula. 50 miles to the south is Lost Trail Pass taking you into Idaho. The few towns on this stretch of 93 are quite small.

Get around
Many of the shops and restaurants are spread out along I-93, making a car or bicycle best for getting around.

Go next

 * Lake Como (8 miles south): Swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking trails. Camping available.
 * Lost Trail Ski Area (47 miles south): Over 60 marked trails on 1,800 acres. Covers 2 mountains.
 * Skalkaho Falls: Take a scenic drive through Skalkaho Pass, a primitive seasonal road to reach the falls. The road ends in Philipsburg. To get there go 3 miles south of Hamilton, then turn east on Hwy 38. No RVs or trailers. There are no guardrails on this narrow, mostly gravel mountain road.