Recreation

Recreational opportunities abound in Richland County! 

Among the many facilities and activities available are:

  • The ONLY Indoor Hockey Rink in Eastern Montana
  • Bowling Alley
  • Hunting and Fishing
  • Outdoor Archery Range
  • River Floating & Canoeing
  • Parks and Campgrounds
  • Community Health Center
  • Baseball & Softball Fields
  • Tennis Courts
  • Outdoor Hockey & Ice Skating Rinks
  • Movie Theatre
  • Swimming Pool
  • Country Club with the ONLY 18 Hole Golf Course in Eastern Montana
  • Skate Park
  • Walking Path
Special Highlights/Events
The MonDak Heritage Center & Art Gallery:  Located in Sidney, this spacious modern facility is open year round and features two art galleries, a full "street scene" of a turn of the century community, two research libraries (one of local history, the other art) and numerous smaller displays and exhibits.  A highlight is the annual Ethnic Christmas held each December.
Ft. Union Trading Post/Ft. Buford:  Just 22 miles north of Sidney, Fort Union and Fort Buford provide a unique look back in history.  Now a National Historic Site and partially rebuilt, Fort Union was originally the crown jewel of the mid-1800's fur trade.  Strategically perched at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, the Fort hosts an annual Rendezvous each June in which history buffs from all across the country gather to re-enact the life of the early fur traders.  Just upstream from Ft. Union, is Ft. Buford, an early military post established in the 1860's to protect the valuable fur trade and the influx of homesteaders to the region.  Ft Buford was also the site of the surrender of the Great Sioux Chief Sitting Bull.  A visitor Center will be constructed on this site beginning in 2001
Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center: The center is considered part of Fort Buford, it is located just 1/2 mile east of the site.  It features exhibits that explore the geography and geology of the area.  It also has a Lewis & Clark gallery. 
Richland County Fair & Rodeo:  The four-day Richland County Fair held in Sidney features top name entertainers, rodeo events, carnival rides, numerous displays and typically attracts more than 25,000 visitors from throughout the region.  A unique feature of this fair can be found in the agriculture building, where local communities display unusual "seed picture" backdrops along with their harvest bounty.
Snowden Bridge:  Located 23 miles north of Sidney along the Missouri, Snowden Bridge is one of the few vertical lift bridges left in the country.  Designed to lift in one section, the bridge was last raised in 1935 to allow passage of boats carrying supplies for the construction of Fort Peck Dam.
Fairview Bridge:  Fairview is host to a very special lift bridge located west of the town at Sundheim Park.  The lift bridge and Cartwright tunnel have been the center of historical preservation for the past several years.   Follow the link for more information. 
Sunrise Festival of the Arts:  This very successful event brings hundreds of crafters and artists from Montana and area states to Sidney's beautiful Central Park to buy, sell and exhibit crafts on a sunny Saturday in July.
 

Nature's Abundance

Nature

Prime whitetail deer hunting is available in Richland County, along with an abundance of antelope, mule deer, waterfowl, turkeys and upland game birds.Our scenic badlands and river breaks also offer many recreational opportunities for the hiking of photography enthusiast, as well as rock and fossil hunters.Fishing options are also plentiful with several local dams sporting trout, perch and bass.  Anglers also have easy access to the many fish varieties found in the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers, both of which run through Richland County.Of particular interest to anglers is the annual paddlefishing season.  The Missouri River drainage system and China are the only two places in the world you can fish for this prehistoric throwback.  Native to the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, the spoonbilled paddlefish make their annual spawning run up the two rivers in late spring.  Thousands of fishing enthusiasts from all across the nation converge during May and June to try snagging "the big one."

And There's More....There are also a number of other recreational sites within easy driving distance of Sidney including: