Columbus lies at the confluence of the Stillwater River and the Yellowstone River and serves as a gateway to the Absaroka-Beartooth Mountains and Yellowstone National Park. In town, riverbanks and parks meet sports and the history of Stillwater County. This makes it easy to shape your stay around different interests: nature, activity or culture.

Riverbanks, Parks and Trails

Itch-Kep-Pe Park is located on the banks of the Yellowstone River. It has 30 sites for tents and RVs, making camping one option for a stay in Columbus. Other parks offer their own attractions: Heritage Park has a swimming pool complex and tennis courts; Beartooth Park offers sledding in winter.

The trail system also connects two parks: a route runs from Granite Peak Park to Itch-Kep-Pe Park along Highway 78. It is part of a trail-system expansion completed in 2022. Alongside the amenities at each park, visitors can choose between two named endpoints on a connecting trail.

Jim Yeager Outfitters is based in Columbus, in the scenic Stillwater Valley. The company offers guided rafting trips on the Stillwater River and the Yellowstone River, as well as fly-fishing lessons. For a different kind of sport, the Stillwater Golf Course has nine holes in Columbus, where PGA professionals offer lessons and training courses.

History and Local Culture

The Museum of the Beartooths reflects the local history of Stillwater County. Its main building was purpose-built as a museum in 1993 and traces the region’s history back to the 1870s. The collections reflect the diverse multicultural mix of miners, frontier pioneers, ranchers, settlers and Indigenous cultures that made their home in Stillwater County. Visitors can also see a Northern Pacific freight caboose from the 1960s, donated by the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad Company. Admission to the museum is free for all visitors.

The Atlas Block tells another chapter of the city’s history. This stone commercial building dates from the early 20th century and is an exceptionally well-preserved example of commercial stone construction. It was built with locally quarried sandstone from Columbus Quarry, northeast of Columbus. Since 1916, the Atlas Block has continuously provided the people of Stillwater County with goods and entertainment—a place where architectural and commercial history come together.

Pike Avenue Park, also known as Railroad Park, features a memorial wall honoring veterans. It is also part of a recurring Christmas tradition: volunteers decorate the park each Christmas, making it the main holiday display in the central business district. The same park thus combines a permanent memorial with a seasonal role in community life.

Getting Your Bearings

The Stillwater County Chamber of Commerce serves as a visitor information center in Columbus. It is located right by the Columbus exit off I-90, Exit 408, at Apple Village Plaza. Columbus offers several practical starting points for planning a stay: its rivers and parks, recreational activities for different interests, and its museum and historic buildings.

For the broader travel overview: Stillwater County.