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Butte

Butte in southwest Montana, "The Richest Hill on Earth" from around 1880 to 1920, was the largest and most notorious copper boom town in the American West, home to hundreds of saloons and a famous red-light district. The city still flaunts its legacy of industry, wealth and squalor. As the sign along I-15 states::"Butte has a most cosmopolitan population derived from the four corners of the world. She was a bold, unashamed, rootin', tootin' hell-roarin' camp in days gone by and still drinks her liquor straight."

See
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Do
13
Eat
10
Drink
11
Buy
1

47 places

  1. See

    Anselmo Mine

    The most intact mineyard in Butte, with many auxiliary buildings surrounding the headframe.

  2. Drink

    Butte Depot

    A classic dive bar with frequent concerts. Housed in the former Great Northern Railway depot.

  3. Do

    Butte Irish

    Enjoy an ice-hockey game at the Butte Community Ice Center. The Irish play in the North American Tier III hockey league.

    See website for current season schedule

  4. Do

    Butte Trolley

    2 hour historical tour. Starts and ends at Chamber of Commerce.

    Summer hours: Mon-Fri 8AM-6PM, Sun 9AM-4PM.

  5. Drink

    Cavalier Lounge

    Offers a dark, more lounge-like feel—chairs, tables, smoking.

  6. See

    Clark Chateau Museum and Gallery

    Guided building tours and rotating art exhibits in the mansion of Charles Clark, son of the Copper King William A. Clark.

  7. See

    Copper King Mansion

    34-room Victorian mansion built as the Butte residence of William Andrews Clark, one of Montana's three famous "Copper Kings". The home features fresco painted ceilings, elegant parquets of rare imported wood, gas and electric chandeliers, ornate hand-carved fireplaces and stairways and stained-glass windows. They offer 90 minute tours during the day, as well as overnight stays as a bed and breakfast.

    By tour, hours vary seasonally$22 adults, $20 seniors, $10 children

  8. See

    Dumas Brothel Museum

    Longest operating brothel in the U.S. (established 1890, shut down for tax evasion in 1982). The building is in poor condition with a long history of financial problems and the contents are likely not original (the site was burglarized soon after a museum in the house closed in 2005). Offering paranormal tours by reservation or check website for events. All that remains of Butte's Red-light District is on display!

    Every other Sat 11AM-6PM

  9. Do

    Eagle's Nest Disc Golf

    18-hole disc golf course in a forested area. Mining City Disc Golf Club continuing to make improvements making this a great destination.

    Free

  10. Do

    Granite Mountain Memorial Trail

    This 1.2 mi one-way trail winds its way up the hill from Uptown, through historic mineyards and along many of the remaining headframes, up to the Granite Mountain Memorial. Interpretive signs along the way provide details on each of the many relics along the way.

  11. Drink

    Hops

    They have one of the best bartenders in town and despite the shiny neon casino on one side, it has a pretty nice atmosphere.

  12. Drink

    Hummingbird Cafe

    Serves good espresso drinks, loose leaf tea, breakfast and lunch. Possibly Butte's best selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other specialty foods.

  13. See

    Mai Wah Society Museum

    In one of the only buildings of Butte's original Chinatown. Butte's Chinatown was once the largest between Minneapolis and Seattle.

    Jun-Sep: Tue-Sat 10AM-4PM$8 adults, $5 students, seniors, free for under 5

  14. Do

    Maud S Canyon Trail

    This trail runs 2 mi one-way and up 900 ft through an old gold claim to an overlook of the city, and then a steeper 1.5 mi miles to the Continental Divide Trail. The area boasts aspen groves, deer and other wildlife.

  15. Do

    Old Butte Historical Adventures

    Walking tours explore the colorful history of Butte, Montana — "The Richest Hill on Earth". 1½-hour tours.

    Adult $10, child under 12 $5, senior over 65 $8

  16. See

    Our Lady of the Rockies

    Our Lady of the Rockies is a 90-foot (27 m) statue, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, that sits atop the Continental Divide overlooking Butte, Montana. It is the second tallest statue in the United States after The Statue of Liberty. The statue was built by volunteers using donated materials to honor women everywhere, especially mothers. The base is 8,510 feet above sea level and 3,500 feet above the town. The statue is lit and visible at night.

  17. Eat

    Pork Chop John

    Fast food. Butte residents talk about the local variety of fried, breaded pork chop sandwich. Former Butte residents frequently wax nostalgic for Butte pasties and pork chops.

    Mon-Sat 10:30AM–10:30PM

  18. Drink

    Silver Dollar Saloon

    Offers a friendly place for a drink, with a youthful atmosphere.

  19. Eat

    The Derby

    Steakhouse. If you want steak, it's arguably one of the best in town.

  20. See

    The Mineral Museum

    1,300 specimens of minerals from around the world. The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Earthquake Studies Office is also located in the Museum, offering the visitor an opportunity to see active seismographs recording real time data from Montana's seismic network. The Mineral Museum conducts tours, lectures and workshops.

    Jun 15-Sep 15: daily 9AM–5PM; Sep 16-Jun 14: Mon-Fri 9AM–4PMFree admission

  21. See

    The Original Mine

    On the site of Butte's first copper mine, from 1878. The grounds are now an event space that is occasionally open to the public.

  22. Drink

    The Vu Villa

    It's one of the main student hangouts for Tech and has an attached pizza restaurant with decent pizza.

  23. Do

    Thompson Park

    Park with 25 miles of trails, picnic areas. Multiple trail options with access to the Continental Divide Trail.

    May-Oct: daily

  24. Eat

    Truzzolino Tamales

    This takeout window sells several kinds of pasties as well as their generously filled version of cornmeal tamales, a recipe this Italian family learned as they migrated through Latin America before starting the business in 1896.

  25. Eat

    Uptown Cafe

    Good, more upscale American food; very good lunch served cafeteria style.

  26. See

    World Mining Museum

    Located on an actual mine yard, includes reproduction of an entire mining town, plus hundreds of original mine equipment. Plan plenty of time, this is a big museum.

    Hours: Apr–Oct 9AM-6PM; Underground Mine Tours 10:30AM, 12:30PM, 3PM. Call ahead, weather may change timesAdults: $8.50 museum, $12 underground tours

  27. Do Not mapped

    An Ri Ra Irish Festival

    Celebrating the cities Irish history. Music, dance, vendors and other activities.

    August$25 adult weekend pass

  28. See Not mapped

    Berkeley Pit

    "Butte Hole"

    The most interesting (horrifying?) feature of Butte is the 1,700-foot-deep site of a former copper mining operation that is now partially filled with toxic runoff and is listed as a Superfund site (a federal government program to clean up toxic problems). Despite the frightening description, The Pit is an interesting and instructive side trip and should not be passed up. The viewing stand offers a look at the toxic lake and surrounding mine workings.

    May-Oct 10AM-5PM$6

  29. Buy Not mapped

    Butte Copper Co.

    Signature item is copper, in many distinct forms from kitchenware to jewelry, to actual copper mineral samples.

  30. Do Not mapped

    Evel Knievel Days

    celebration for the World's Greatest Daredevil, various activities each day.

    Fourth weekend in JulyFree