Butte

Butte is one of the major towns in Montana, with a population of 35,000 (2020). In its heyday between the late 19th century and about 1920, it was one of the largest and most notorious copper boomtowns in the American West, home to hundreds of saloons and a famous red-light district.

Understand
It used to be Montana's largest city, but has dwindled in size and importance along with the state's mining industry. The essence of the town is summed up by the sign on the northern approach from the I-15:


 * "The "greatest mining camp on earth" built on "the richest hill in the world". That hill, which has produced over two billion dollars worth of gold, silver, copper and zinc is literally honeycombed with drifts, winzes and stopes that extend beneath the city.  There are over 3000 miles of workings and shafts reach a depth of 4000 feet.
 * "This immediate country was opened as a placer district in 1864. Later Butte became a quartz mining camp and successively opened silver, copper and zinc deposits.
 * "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."

By car
Butte is right along I-90 between Deer Lodge and Whitehall, and also at the intersection with the I-15 highway.

By bus
Bus service into town is provided by Salt Lake Express and Jefferson Lines. Both stop at the bus station at 1324 Harrison Ave.

Get around
Butte is large and businesses are spread out into several sections. You can walk once you get into a section, but a vehicle is needed to get around. There is also a developed bike trail system.



See

 * The most interesting (horrifying?) feature of Butte is the 1,700-foot-deep Berkeley Pit (sometimes referred to by out-of-staters as the "Butte Hole"), the 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.

Do

 * Ice Skating is available at 7 city parks.
 * Urban trails have been extensively developed. Use these for leisure strolls to see the scenery, go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. The nearby Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest has a variety of trails also.
 * Ice Skating is available at 7 city parks.
 * Urban trails have been extensively developed. Use these for leisure strolls to see the scenery, go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. The nearby Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest has a variety of trails also.
 * Urban trails have been extensively developed. Use these for leisure strolls to see the scenery, go hiking, biking, or horseback riding. The nearby Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest has a variety of trails also.

Eat
Butte is known for the food of its Irish-influenced mining heritage. Pasties are a meat potato and onion mix, enclosed in a semicircle of pastry dough with a crimped edge, served baked smothered with brown gravy. Miners used their helmet candles to heat the self-contained meal down in the shaft below Butte. The crimped edge was used to handle the pastry with dirty hands, then discarded at the end of the meal. (You should go ahead and eat it if you haven't been working in the mine) Pasties are served locally at restaurants with Joe's giving them top billing.

Butte has a selection of fine dining establishments



Sleep

 * Free RV parking is available downtown at the parking lots near Old Lexington Gardens Park (304 E Granite St). There is nothing to indicate that overnight parking is not allowed. Follow signs for "Visitor & R.V. Parking".
 * Free RV parking is available downtown at the parking lots near Old Lexington Gardens Park (304 E Granite St). There is nothing to indicate that overnight parking is not allowed. Follow signs for "Visitor & R.V. Parking".
 * Free RV parking is available downtown at the parking lots near Old Lexington Gardens Park (304 E Granite St). There is nothing to indicate that overnight parking is not allowed. Follow signs for "Visitor & R.V. Parking".
 * Free RV parking is available downtown at the parking lots near Old Lexington Gardens Park (304 E Granite St). There is nothing to indicate that overnight parking is not allowed. Follow signs for "Visitor & R.V. Parking".
 * Free RV parking is available downtown at the parking lots near Old Lexington Gardens Park (304 E Granite St). There is nothing to indicate that overnight parking is not allowed. Follow signs for "Visitor & R.V. Parking".

Go next

 * Take the 15 mile winding drive to Pipestone Trailhead on MT-2 E and take in the gorgeous scenery.