Pinesdale, MT

Set in the foothills of the Bitterroot Mountains, Pinesdale sits just three miles west of Hamilton. The community was established in the early 1960s by members of the Apostolic United Brethren, an independent Mormon fundamentalist group seeking a quiet place to live and practice their faith communally. Incorporated in 1980, the town steadily grew around its own private school, chapel, and family homes.

Living in Pinesdale feels distinctly quiet and self-contained, even though residents are only a short drive from Hamilton's jobs, grocery stores, and medical services. Local governance still relies on open town meetings, reflecting the close-knit traditions that built the area. While the town has worked through questions regarding property ownership and church leadership over the years, it maintains a unique identity within the Bitterroot Valley.