Overview
Colstrip is a city of 2,300 people (2018) in Southeastern Montana, the largest city in Rosebud County. Colstrip's rolling grass hills have sandstone outcroppings, ponderosa pines, and sagebrush. It is near a coal strip mine, and coal-powered electricity generating plants. The entire community celebrates Colstrip Days annually on the weekend prior to the 4th of July.
2 sights · 5 things to do · 4 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Colstrip
Colstrip Power Plant
Contact for tour
Westmoreland Coal, Western Energy
Contact for tour of Rosebud Mine
Bruce Schaeffer Fields - Disc Golf
An 18-hole disc golf course. Varied terrain and well maintained.
Castle Rock Lake
Fishing, picnic area, playground, horseshoes, 2½ mile path around lake to walk or bike, 3.2 mile hiking trail.
Colstrip Park and Recreation District
Fitness facility and community center, playground, splash park, pool.
Ponderosa Butte Golf Course
challenging 9-hole public golf course.
Plan your trip
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SHR Sheridan County Airport, Sheridan — 79 mi away. Directions
- BIL Billings Logan International Airport, Billings — 92 mi away. Directions
Colstrip is on State Highway 39 (MT-39), 29 miles south of Interstate 94. There are no commercial buses or trains that service Colstrip.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Castle Rock Lake, Schoolhouse History and Art Center
- Lunch Coal Bowl
- Afternoon Colstrip Park and Recreation District, Ponderosa Butte Golf Course
- Dinner June's Bungalow
- Evening Miner House Inn
Day 2
- Morning Colstrip Power Plant, Bruce Schaeffer Fields - Disc Golf
- Lunch Mulligans Restaurant and Pub
- Afternoon Westmoreland Coal, Western Energy
- Dinner Rizo's
- Evening Whiskey Gulch Saloon
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
History
Colstrip was established by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1924 as a company town to provide coal for their steam locomotives. The mining at Rosebud Mine two miles south of the town is open pit strip mining, where draglines remove soil above the layer of bituminous coal from the Fort Union Formation.
During World War II, the Colstrip mine was identified as strategically important because it supplied coal for the Northern Pacific Railway steam locomotives hauling military equipment for the war effort. The mine was guarded from sabotage, and the employees were not allowed to quit their jobs.
In 1958 the railroad switched to using diesel locomotives and the Colstrip mine was shut down. In 1959 Montana Power Company purchased the rights to the mine and the town, and resumed mining operations in the 1970s with plans to build coal-fired electrical plants.
The power plants were built in the 1970s and 1980s by a collection of contractors including Bechtel. During this construction period Colstrip was a boomtown, with a large increase in population. Plants 1 & 2 were operational in 1975 and 1976, and plants 3 & 4 were operational in 1984 and 1986.
Local information
Get in
Colstrip is on State Highway 39 (MT-39), 29 miles south of Interstate 94. There are no commercial buses or trains that service Colstrip.
The nearest commercial airport is Billings Logan International Airport (BIL), 120 miles from Colstrip.
Get around
There is no taxi service for Colstrip. You should have your own car or motorcycle, or rental to get around.
See
Do
- Every year on the last weekend in June, the town celebrates Colstrip Days. This is a great opportunity to visit Colstrip, since there are tours, parades, plays, and other special events.
Buy
Shop Colstrip Super Stop
Eat
Eat Mulligans Restaurant and Pub
Breakfast all day, burgers
Drink
Sleep
Stay safe
Be careful when visiting bars in and around Colstrip. Be respectful, and if you enter a bar that has tree stumps chained to the floor for bar stools, be very respectful.
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Nearby
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