Welcome to Malta, Montana Small-Town Charm • Big Sky Views • Hi-Line History

Welcome to Malta, Montana—where small-town charm meets big-sky beauty and history runs as deep as the prairie itself. Set along the Hi-Line beneath endless horizons, Malta invites you to slow down, look up, and discover a place shaped by railroad roots, rugged landscapes, and generations of resilient community spirit. Whether you’re drawn by wide-open views, rich local stories, or the warmth of a town that still knows how to say hello, Malta is a destination that feels both timeless and genuinely welcoming.

Malta was once the focal point of a vast beef empire and was founded to serve the area ranches. Big cow outfits held sway, and names like Phillips, Coburn, Matador (originally the Circle C Ranch 3*, Reynolds Cattle Company (Long X brand) and the Circle Diamond Ranch are all etched in Montana’s history. While farming is historically important to the area, it is still primarily considered ranching country, with approximately 77 percent land base used as rangeland. 1*

The Great Northern Railroad reached the present day site of Malta on August. 13, 1887. As was custom of the day, the management at the Great Northern Railroad office in Minneapolis was in charge of designating a name for the fledgling community.  Legend has it, a G.N.R.R. employee was blindfolded and asked to point their finger on a spot on the globe.  The employee’s digit landed on the Mediterranean island of Malta. 1* 

The Malta Women’s Club

Six years prior to the incorporation of the town of Malta in 1909, there was the Malta Women’s Club. The club historically supported the community by providing a library and managing local improvement projects like fencing the cemetery. A $40,000 “New Deal” Works Progress Administration project in Malta included the construction of a new city hall (picture below), a resettlement administration building, and a “ladies community center.”(picture below)  2* From montanahistoriclandscape.com 

1*  From University of Montana’s “This is Montana”

3*  Malta’s Circle C Ranch https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/archiveComponent/70973259

Explore The Country Around Malta Montana

The area around Malta, Montana offers a wonderful break after traveling across the vast “Big Sky Country” during a toasty Summer day. The shaded Trafton Park Campground on the west side of Malta is one of the best on the “Hi-Line.” Be sure to look for the ancient encampment on the west side of Bowdoin Lake, then marvel at the magnificent Sleeping Buffalo Rock (pictured below) found east of Malta. If the summer heat is too much, pay a visit to Nelson Reservoir to cool off.