Babb, Montana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Babb, Montana
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The mountains of Glacier National Park rising to the west over Babb
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 Babb, Montana
Location in Montana
Babb, Montana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Montana |
| County | Glacier |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.56 sq mi (24.76 km2) |
| • Land | 9.48 sq mi (24.57 km2) |
| • Water | 0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,524 ft (1,379 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 130 |
| • Density | 13.71/sq mi (5.29/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
59411
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| FIPS code | 30-03250 |
| GNIS feature ID | 802006 |
Babb is a small community in Glacier County, Montana, United States. It's located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The Blackfeet people have two names for Babb: Paahtomahksikimi, meaning "Lakes Inside," and Saiyapakaitapisko, meaning “Cree Town.”
Babb is a popular spot for tourists, especially in the summer. It's known as the main entry point to the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park. Even though it's small, Babb is recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a "census-designated place" (CDP) for counting people. In 2020, about 130 people lived there.
The community has a few important places. These include Babb Elementary School, a U.S. Post Office, and a fire station for the Babb/St. Mary Volunteer Fire Department. You can also find Thronson's General Store and Motel, some restaurants, two churches, and a gas station.
Contents
Exploring Babb's Past
Babb was officially started in 1905 when a post office was opened there. The town got its name from Cyrus C. Babb. He was an engineer who worked on surveying the St. Mary Irrigation Canal for the U.S. Reclamation Service.
This canal was a big deal! It moved water from the St. Mary River to the Milk River. This project was one of the very first major water management efforts by the Bureau of Reclamation in the United States.
Where is Babb Located?
Babb is in the northwestern part of Glacier County. It sits in the valley of the St. Mary River, about 4,524 feet (1,379 meters) above sea level.
U.S. Route 89 goes right through Babb. If you head north on this road for about 10 miles (16 km), you'll reach the Canadian border at Piegan. Going south for about 9 miles (14 km) will take you to St. Mary.
There's also Many Glacier Road, which goes west from Babb. It's about 5 miles (8 km) to the edge of Glacier National Park at Lake Sherburne. The road continues another 7 miles (11 km) west to the famous Many Glacier Hotel.
The total area of Babb is about 9.6 square miles (24.8 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
People Living in Babb
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2020 | 130 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Babb was 130 people.
Cool Places to Visit Near Babb
Babb is surrounded by amazing natural attractions, especially those connected to Glacier National Park.
Discovering Many Glacier
The Many Glacier area is a special part of Glacier National Park. You can get there easily from Babb. It's on the east side of the park, north of the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Lake Sherburne is a large lake in this area. The Many Glacier Hotel, which is the biggest hotel in the park, is located right next to Swiftcurrent Lake. This hotel and the buildings around it are considered a National Historic Landmark. They were first built way back in 1915!
Many Glacier is surrounded by tall mountains from the Lewis Range. There are many hiking trails you can explore here. The area is famous for its many lakes, beautiful waterfalls, and thick forests mixed with open mountain meadows.
Some popular spots you can reach by trail include Lake Josephine, Grinnell Lake, the Grinnell Glacier, and Cracker Lake. You can also find the Granite Park Chalet, the Iceberg Cirque, and the Ptarmigan Tunnel. The Ptarmigan Tunnel is a hiking tunnel carved through the mountains in the 1930s.
You can take boat tours on Swiftcurrent Lake. Other fun things to do include guided nature hikes with park rangers, horseback riding, fishing, and camping.
The Historic Many Glacier Hotel
The Many Glacier Hotel was built in 1914. It still feels very historic today, partly because there are no televisions in the guest rooms. Most rooms offer amazing views of Swiftcurrent Lake or the surrounding mountains.
The hotel has several places to eat and relax, like the Ptarmigan Dining room and the Swiss Room Lounge. There's also Heidi's Snack Shop and the Grizzly Track Traders Gift Shop. The hotel is part of a group of buildings that are a National Historic Landmark. It's also a member of Historic Hotels of America.
The main reasons people visit this area are for hiking, enjoying boat rides, or simply soaking in the beautiful western environment.
The St. Mary River
The St. Mary River flows north into Alberta, Canada. It eventually joins the Oldman River, which is part of the larger Saskatchewan River system.
This river, along with the Belly River and Waterton River, drains a small part of Montana into the Hudson Bay in Canada. The St. Mary River starts as a small stream on Gunsight Mountain inside Glacier National Park. It then flows into Gunsight Lake and then into Saint Mary Lake.
After leaving the park, the river flows into Lower St. Mary Lake on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The river leaves Lower St. Mary Lake about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Babb. From there, it continues north into Alberta.
Chief Mountain's Grandeur
Chief Mountain is a very noticeable peak located northwest of Babb. It sits right on the border between Glacier National Park and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.
This mountain is one of the most famous peaks along the Rocky Mountain Front. This front is a long line of mountains, about 200 miles (320 km) long, formed by a special type of geological fault called the Lewis Overthrust. This fault stretches from central Montana into southern Alberta.
Chief Mountain Border Crossing
The Chief Mountain Border Station and Quarters is a place where people cross the border between Canada and the United States. It's in Glacier County, Montana.
You can find it on Montana Highway 17, about 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Babb. This border station is open only during certain seasons, mostly for tourists traveling between Glacier National Park in Montana and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta, Canada.
The station is named after Chief Mountain itself. It's located inside Glacier National Park and is a great example of the "National Park Service Rustic" building style. It's even listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Babb's Weather and Climate
| Climate data for Babb, Montana (Elevation 4,524ft) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (17) |
70 (21) |
69 (21) |
85 (29) |
88 (31) |
92 (33) |
96 (36) |
99 (37) |
94 (34) |
84 (29) |
77 (25) |
70 (21) |
99 (37) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 29.8 (−1.2) |
34.4 (1.3) |
40.1 (4.5) |
50.8 (10.4) |
60.6 (15.9) |
67.7 (19.8) |
76.2 (24.6) |
75.4 (24.1) |
65.3 (18.5) |
55.8 (13.2) |
41.9 (5.5) |
33.5 (0.8) |
52.6 (11.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 6.7 (−14.1) |
10.6 (−11.9) |
16.7 (−8.5) |
26.3 (−3.2) |
34.4 (1.3) |
40.7 (4.8) |
44.2 (6.8) |
42.9 (6.1) |
36.3 (2.4) |
30.1 (−1.1) |
20.0 (−6.7) |
11.2 (−11.6) |
26.7 (−2.9) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −54 (−48) |
−53 (−47) |
−39 (−39) |
−18 (−28) |
2 (−17) |
20 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
21 (−6) |
−3 (−19) |
−20 (−29) |
−31 (−35) |
−48 (−44) |
−54 (−48) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.83 (21) |
0.74 (19) |
0.99 (25) |
1.50 (38) |
2.65 (67) |
3.52 (89) |
1.79 (45) |
1.87 (47) |
1.93 (49) |
1.05 (27) |
0.83 (21) |
0.82 (21) |
18.53 (471) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.3 (26) |
9.0 (23) |
10.5 (27) |
7.5 (19) |
2.4 (6.1) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2.9 (7.4) |
4.9 (12) |
7.7 (20) |
9.0 (23) |
64.5 (164) |
| Source: The Western Regional Climate Center | |||||||||||||
Babb experiences a climate with warm summers and very cold, snowy winters. The highest temperature ever recorded was 99°F (37°C) in August. The lowest was a chilly -54°F (-48°C) in January.
On average, July is the warmest month, with highs around 76°F (24°C). January is the coldest, with average lows around 7°F (-14°C). Babb gets a fair amount of rain and snow throughout the year. June usually sees the most rain, while December and January get the most snow.
See also
