Darby, MT

 

Established- 1888

Population- 860

Elevation- 3,891

Darby, Montana, a town steeped in frontier spirit at the southern tip of the picturesque Bitterroot Valley, boasts a captivating history from its 1888 establishment as a mining and fur trading outpost to its later reliance on logging, agriculture, and cattle ranching, even making history with one of Montana’s first all-woman town councils in 1930 and hosting the Civilian Conservation Corps-built Alta Ranger Station, an early conservation landmark. Today, Darby retains its authentic Western charm, offering a tight-knit community and unparalleled access to the Bitterroot National Forest and Lake Como for outdoor enthusiasts, a heritage preserved at the Darby Pioneer Memorial Museum, and a recent claim to fame as a filming location for the Yellowstone TV series, making it a uniquely desirable place embodying both a rich past and an active, peaceful present.