Cut Bank is a small city in northwest Montana, near Glacier National Park. It has a population of about 3,000 and is the county seat of Glacier County.
Understand
Glacier County is home to about half of Glacier National Park, and most of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, though Cut Bank is not on the reservation. Once the "Oil Capital of Montana," oil production has diminished and Cut Bank is now a regional service center for Blackfeet Reservation and surrounding area, including the east approach to Glacier National Park. Cut Bank has gained national attention from time to time by sometimes reporting the coldest temperature in the 48 contiguous states. However, being in Montana's "Chinook Zone," it can also report rapid warming in mid-winter accompanied by strong Southwest winds.
Additional information is available from the Cut Bank Chamber of Commerce and from the Cut Bank Pioneer Press.
Get in
By plane
- Scheduled air service is available at Great Falls (GTF IATA) about 110 miles to the southeast; Lethbridge (YQL IATA) about 90 miles to the north; and at Kalispell (FCA IATA) about 130 miles to the west.
- 1 Cut Bank Municipal Airport (CTB IATA). No scheduled air service, but its airport can handle most aircraft and is a National Weather Service (AWOS) reporting station.
By train
Amtrak's, "Empire Builder" passenger train serves Cut Bank daily at 10:40AM eastbound to Chicago, and 5:51PM westbound to Seattle (May 2019). Amtrak information: +1-800-872-7245, .
By car
Cut Bank is on US Highway 2 which runs east to west across Montana's northern tier. Highway 213 north from Cut Bank becomes Alberta 62 at the International border and leads to Magrath and eventually (via Hwy 5) Lethbridge. The major north-south highway in the area is Interstate 15. Exits for Cut Bank are 363 (23 miles east) and 379 (28 miles northeast).
By bus
Northern Transit Interlocal (NTI) Bus offers free bus service every Thursday to and from Great Falls and Shelby and service to Kalispell every Tuesday and Wednesday. Call to make arrangements. http://www.cutbankchamber.com/visit/gettinghere.html
Get around
There is no taxi service in Cut Bank. Rental cars are available at:
- Rent-A-Wreck (Ace Auto), 11 9th Ave SE, ☏ +1 406 873-3303.
- Bell Motor Company, 121 East Main St., toll-free: +1-800-823-2355. 8AM - 5PM, year-round. +1-800-735-1849
- 1 Northern Ford, 120 W Main St., toll-free: +1-800-823-1234. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-noon.
Rent-A-Wreck and the local dealerships do not feature unlimited mileage.
For visitors to the east side of Glacier National Park, Cut Bank offers the only car dealerships (and their associated services, such as repair and maintenance) immediately adjacent to the park. There are no dealerships in Browning or Shelby, and the next closest are in Conrad, Great Falls, or the Flathead Valley.
See
- Glacier National Park, 45 minutes west.
- 27-foot tall talking penguin. At the east end of Cut Bank.
- Murals throughout the downtown area.
- Willie DeGroot Gymnasium. Seating 5500 people, Montana's largest high school gymnasium.
- 1 Glacier County Museum.
Do
- Cut Bank Golf and Country Club. Across the river from the city,
- [dead link] Glacier Cinema. Two screens.
- Glacier Lanes, 34 South Central Ave, ☏ +1 406 873-4018. Bowling.
Buy
- J C Penney, 110 East Main St, ☏ +1 406 873-5616. One of only 9 remaining full-service JC Penney stores in Montana.
- Norman's Western Wear, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-5313.
- Albertson's Food and Drug, 501 West Main, ☏ +1 406 873-5035. Daily 6AM-11PM.
- Osco Pharmacy, ☏ +1 406 873-2055. M-F 9AM-7PM; Sa 9AM-5PM; Su 10AM-4PM.
- Drug Mart, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-5631.
- Connectronics / Radio Shack, 21 West Main St, ☏ +1 406 873-5747.
- Ben Franklin / Hardware Hank, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-2522.
Eat
- Adam's Point Drive Inn, 1119 East Main St, ☏ +1 406 873-2188.
- C&L Country Cafe, 112 North Central, ☏ +1 406 873-2979.
- Cowboy's Coffee and Cowgirl's Dream, 310 East Main, ☏ +1 406 873-4833.
- The Den (Bar and Grill), 3 North Central Ave, ☏ +1 406 873-2553.
- Golden Harvest Cafe, 13 West Main St, ☏ +1 406 873-4010.
- Java Time, 210 West Main, ☏ +1 406 873-5688.
- Village Dining and Lounge, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-5005.
- 38 Degrees Below Ice Cream Shop, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-5077.
- Smokehouse Deli, 5 North Central Ave, ☏ +1 406 873-4747.
- The Snack Shop, 601 West Main (Northern Village Shopping Center), ☏ +1 406 873-5077.
- Shenandoah, 918 East Main, ☏ +1 406 873-4401.
- Taco John's, 14 East Railroad St (adjacent to Glacier Cinema), ☏ +1 406 873-2592.
- Albertson's. Bakery and deli.
Drink
Sleep
- Cut Bank Super 8, 609 West Main St, ☏ +1 406 873-5662, toll-free: +1-800-800-8000.
- Glacier Gateway Inn, 1130 East Main, toll-free: +1-800-851-5541.
- Glacier Gateway Plaza, toll-free: +1-800-851-5541.
- Terrace Motel, 11 9th Avenue S (on Main Street), ☏ +1 406 873-5031. E.
Go next
- Glacier National Park Cut Bank provides the nearest full-service tourist facilities to the east side of Glacier National Park: banking, car rental and repair, full service grocery, clothing stores, lodging, campground, medical, dental.
Routes through Cut Bank |
Spokane ← Browning ← | W E | → Shelby → Minot |
Kalispell ← Browning ← | W E | → Shelby → Williston |