Big Butte takes you back in geological time: it is the eroded volcanic neck of an extinct volcano that last erupted more than 49 million years ago. Alongside this geological history is Butte’s much more recent mining history. Museums, historic buildings and outdoor sites offer different ways to explore these topics.
Geology, Trails and Landscape
Thompson Park is a municipal recreation area with 25 miles of non-motorized trails for hiking, horseback riding or mountain biking. The Milwaukee Road Trail in the park offers a more specific route: It is 4.5 miles long, gently sloping and extends south to Pipestone Pass. There are fire pits and restrooms at the Eagle's Nest Trailhead and in the picnic areas.
The Silver Bow Creek Greenway Corridor covers a different scale. It stretches for 26 miles along Silver Bow Creek between Butte and the Warm Springs Ponds. About 70 percent of the corridor has been cleaned up and restored. The trail mileage in Thompson Park and the length of this corridor therefore describe different ways to explore the landscape: one is a network of non-motorized trails with named activities, while the other is an extensive corridor along the creek.
Experience Butte’s Mining History
The Berkeley Pit can be viewed from a designated viewing platform. The Viewing Stand is generally open from mid-May to mid-September; weather conditions may affect the season. Check seasonal information before your visit. The story of copper production is also told on a grand scale here: From 1955 to 1982, the Berkeley Pit produced enough copper to pave a four-lane, four-inch-thick highway from Butte to Salt Lake City, Utah, and another 30 miles beyond.
The World Museum of Mining was built on the historic site of the Orphan Girl Mine, which covers 22 acres. Exhibits include Hell Roarin' Gulch, a reconstructed 1890s mining town with more than 50 buildings. The Mineral Museum offers a different focus: It displays more than 1,300 specimens, including minerals from Butte and Montana, as well as exhibits on local mining history. Admission is free. In the fluorescence room, minerals glow pink, orange or blue under ultraviolet light.
Guided and self-guided tours are available for exploring the Butte-Anaconda Historic District. The district includes the communities of Butte and Walkerville. Its buildings and mining facilities showcase architecture connected with the development of a Western mining economy. Old Butte Historical Adventures offers three different tours year-round; reservations are recommended. The tours cover every decade from the 1890s through the 1950s.
Buildings, Museums and Memorials
The preserved Mai Wah Noodle Parlor and Wah Chung Tai buildings house a museum that shares the history of Montana’s Asian community. The Mai Wah Museum explores the history and culture of Asian people in the Rocky Mountain West. These museum offerings extend beyond mining history and make room for other chapters of the region’s past.
The Copper King Mansion was built for William A. Clark from 1884 to 1888. The brick mansion has 34 rooms; stained-glass windows, frescoed ceilings and hand-carved woodwork are among its architectural features. Tours with trained guides are offered from May to September. As this is a seasonal period, it is a good idea to check the dates before making plans.
The Covellite Theatre also connects architectural history with contemporary culture: It was built in 1896 as the First Presbyterian Church and has served Butte as a performing arts venue since the 1940s. The Covellite International Film Festival takes place there on the second weekend of every April. The Granite Mountain Memorial honors 168 miners who died in the deadliest disaster in hard-rock mining.
More Discoveries and Seasonal Events
Our Lady of the Rockies is 90 feet tall and stands on the Continental Divide. The statue is on private property and cannot be reached in a private vehicle; visits are possible only as part of an official tour. This access requirement is especially important to keep in mind when planning your outings.
In August, a free, family-friendly festival at the historic Original Mine Yard celebrates Irish heritage with traditional music, dance and cultural workshops. An annual, free, community-organized winter festival in Butte offers cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, curling and ice skating, among other activities. Together with the film festival in April, these events show how varied the cultural offerings are throughout the year.
Butte is located at the junction of Interstates 15 and 90. When planning, you can focus on your interests: mining and architecture, museums and their collections, or trails and landscape. For seasonal offerings such as tours at the Copper King Mansion and viewing the Berkeley Pit, it is worth checking the relevant visitor information.
Discover more destinations: Walkerville, Butte, Mccone County, Phillips County, Garfield County, Carbon County, Gallatin, Musselshell County.
For the main travel overview: Montana.
