Where to
Stay
By 1915, Butte was home to 70,000
people, most of them there because of the huge Anaconda
Mining Company. Earlier, in the 1860s, Butte and
particularly the nearby foothills were the scene of the
great Montana Gold Rush with silver and copper strikes to
follow. It is said that the mines of Butte have produced
more than 20 billion pounds of copper. Millions of ounces
of gold and silver have been extracted from the mines,
by-products of the amazingly rich copper ores.
the Old and New Butte
The result of all the early mining fervor
is two Buttes: Uptown Butte is the original downtown,
with elaborate architecture including turreted brick
structures and the famous Copper King Mansion, the
home of copper magnate William A. Clark. A two-hour
walking tour will take you throughout the historic area,
visiting union halls, churches, the courthouse, fire hall
and the original copper mine. You may also tour old Butte
on Old No. 1, a replica of an early Butte
streetcar. The tour begins at the Chamber of Commerce
(1950 Harrison).
The other Butte is the modern city, a
bustling center of commerce which services the ranchlands
which lie around the city.
For outdoor recreation, the
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is less than an hour's
drive from Butte. This 62-mile route provides a loop
through the heart of the old gold country, taking modern
travelers to ghost towns and lake recreation. The
wilderness area is a 159,000-acre stretch of forest and
lakes, extending more than 30 miles along the Continental
Divide. Access to the area is from Georgetown Lake -- on
the Pintler Scenic Drive -- and the East Fork of
the Bitterroot River, off Highway 97. No motorized travel
is permitted in the Wilderness. Closer to Butte, at
Anaconda, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort features hot
pools, an 18-hole golf course and an RV park as well as
deluxe family accommodations.
Railroad fans should not miss the
Neversweat & Washoe Railroad at the World
Museum of Mining. The museum features exhibits on the
mining history of the region. The "Neversweat" takes
riders on a railway trip past six former mining
operations. The Kelly Mine was the last operating
underground mine in Butte. Other places to see include
the C.W. Clark Mansion, now a city arts museum
featuring regional artists. Our Lady of the
Rockies is a 90-foot statue atop the Continental
Divide, east of Butte. The Humbug Spires Primitive
Area is 18 miles south of the city on Interstate 15
(at the Moose Creek exit). The area features rock
climbing and hiking around the fascinating limestone
formations.
Butte Hotels
Copper King Lodge
4655 Harrison Avenue
With 141 rooms and two suites, this hotel
is well-situated, close to the historic "Uptown" district
. It has more amenities than most of the other hotels,
most of them chain motor hotels. There is an informal
restaurant, he Copper King Cafe, open for brteakfast,
lunch and dinner. The Columbia Gardens Cafe is open from
5 p.m., serving prime rib and a selection of standard
dinner fare. Other features include a large indoor pool
with waterslide, and WiFi hot spots.
You'll also find hotels and motels -- of
the chain variety in town and on the approaches to Butte.
Butte KOA
(406) 782-0663
Take Exit 126 off I-90 for this full-service campground,
complete with fishing, swimming and a deli.
