[6] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 1.83 square miles (4.74 km2), all land.

[7] The Teton River runs nearby, although for some distance upstream of Choteau it is dry during much of the year.

[8] About 15 miles (24 km) west is the Teton Pass Ski Area.

[10] Choteau experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and warm, more humid summers.

The town is near one of the world's most important paleontology sites, Egg Mountain.

[16] The Old Trail Museum in Choteau is home to the Montana state fossil, the Maiasaura.

Also showcased is the Egg Mountain find along with a commentary on its significance in paleontology.

Bynum, 13 miles (21 km) north, is home to The Montana Dinosaur Center.

Choteau made national news in the U.S. because it is the town nearest to a 2,700-acre (11 km2) ranch that David Letterman purchased in 1999 as a vacation home.

On his first show after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Letterman gave an impassioned monologue about New York City in the aftermath.

He concluded his seven-minute speech by mentioning Choteau's rally to raise money for victims of the attacks, despite the long drought there, as an example of the spirit of the United States.

[22] On March 19, 2009, Letterman married his girlfriend of 23 years at the Teton County Courthouse in Choteau.

[23] In 2008, school authorities in Choteau made national news headlines by canceling a speaking engagement by Nobel laureate climate researcher Steve Running, who was scheduled to speak to local high school students.

[27] The Choteau Acantha is a newspaper printed weekly or accessed online.