Butte

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 plane

• Bert Mooney AirportSkywest operating as Delta Connection, is the only airline offering daily flights to Butte from Salt Lake City International Airport. Be aware that if visibility is too low to land in poor weather, flights may divert to Gallatin Field Airport in Bozeman, MT.

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.

• The Bus

  phone: +1 406 497-6515
  County-run bus system. Routes are only on the main city streets

• Mining City Taxi

  phone: +1 406 723-6511

• 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. Despite the frightening description, The Pit is an interesting and instructive side trip and should not be passed up.

• Butte Trolley

  phone: +1 406 723-3177
  address: 1000 George St
  2 hour historical tour. Starts and ends at Chamber of Commerce

• Copper King Mansion

  phone: +1 406 782-7580
  address: 219 West Granite
  34-room Victorian mansion built as the Butte residence of William Andrews Clark, one of Montana's three famous "Copper Kings". Tours and a bed and breakfast

• The Mineral MuseumIs on the Montana Tech Campus. 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. Summer Hours: daily, 9AM–5PM (June 15 through September 15). Winter Hours: Weekdays, 9AM–4PM. Free admission.

• Old Butte Historical Adventures

  phone: +1 406-498-3424
  Walking tours explore the colorful history of Butte, Montana — "The Richest Hill on Earth". 1 and a half hour tours. Adults: $10.00, children under 12: $5.00, seniors over 65: $8.00

• World Mining Museum

  phone: +1 406-723-7211
  address: 155 Museum Way
  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.

• Our Lady of the RockiesOur 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.

• Dumas Brothel Museum

  phone: +1 406 530-7878
  address: 45 E Mercury St
  Longest operating brothel in the US (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), but a $10 tour was still being offered sporadically (summer only) as of 2018. All that remains of Butte's Red-light District is on display!

Events

• Saint Patrick's DayThe Saint Patrick's Day celebration is a regional legend. It is the kind of party that parents warn their kids about. Butte is one of those rare places that does not have an open container law. Butte is heavily Irish to this day, and the local heritage extends into the enthusiasm for this holiday. Beer is colored green, and many people flock to the town for drinking and partying.

• Evel Knievel Dayscelebration for the Worlds Greatest Daredevil, various activities each day

• An Ri Ra Irish FestivalCelebrating the cities Irish history. Music, dance, vendors and other activities.

• Butte Vigilante RodeoWeekend after the 4th of July.

Skiing/snowboarding

• Discovery Ski Area

  phone: +1 406 563-2184
  address: 180 Discovery Basin Rd

• Butte Copper Co.

  phone: +1 406-494-2070
  address: 3015 Harrison
  Signature item is copper, in many distinct forms from kitchenware to jewelry, to actual copper mineral samples

• Cavanaugh's County Celtic

  phone: +1 406-723-1183
  address: 131 W. Park St.
  Variety of retail items with an Irish theme

• Paula's Curiosity Shoppe

  phone: +1 406-560-8946
  address: 33 North Main St
  Gift shop

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 two (Joe's and Nancy's) giving them top billing.

• Joe's Pasties

  phone: +1 406 723-9071
  address: 1641 Grand Ave

• Nancy's Pasties

  phone: +1 406 782-7410
  address: 2810 Pine St

• Park Street Pasties

  phone: +1 406 782-6400
  address: 800 W Park St
  Relative newcomer serving traditional pasties.

• Pork Chop John

  phone: +1 406 782-0812
  address: 8 W. Mercury
  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.

• Muzz and Stan's Freeway Tavern

  phone: +1 406 723-9083
  address: 2001 S Montana
  Home of the Wop Chop. Family friendly for lunch.

• Fred's Mesquite

  phone: +1 406 723-4440
  address: 205 S. Arizona
  BBQ, steaks and burgers; pricey, but has a nice outdoor deck and good food.

• Sparky's Garage II

  phone: +1 406 782-2301
  address: 222 E Park St
  BBQ. Automotive theme restaurant with great food.

• Montana Club

  phone: +1 406 494-1400
  address: 3540 Harrison
  American.

• Spaghettini'sFor surprisingly good upscale Italian. Location varies—ask around.

Butte has a selection of fine dining establishments

• Casagranda's Steakhouse

  phone: +1 406 723-4141
  address: 801 Utah Ave
  Steaks and seafood. Sushi night every Thursday.

• Uptown Cafe

  phone: +1 406 723-4735
  address: 47 E. Broadway
  Good, more upscale American food; very good lunch served cafeteria style.

• The Derby

  phone: +1 406 723-9086
  address: 2016 Harrison Ave
  Steak house; on the Flat and not within walking distance of any of the hotels. But if you want steak, it's arguably one of the best in town. (on the Flats)

• Lydia's Supper Club

  phone: +1 406-494-2000
  address: 4915 Harrison Ave.
  Full-course dinners served with pride since 1946.

Coffee

• Venus Rising Espresso House

  phone: +1 406 491-4476
  address: 1 S Main St - Center of uptown Butte
  Butte's only non-profit coffee house adds more than just feeling good about your purchase. Local goods, free wi-fi/public computer, in-house bakery, light lunches, and an artistic atmosphere are sure to please artists and supporters alike. Open 7 days a week at 7AM

• Hummingbird Cafe

  phone: +1 406 723-2044
  address: 605 W Park St
  Uptown and serves good espresso drinks, loose leaf tea, breakfast and lunch. Possibly Butte's best selection of vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other specialty foods.
• For just a drive-through coffee, the best coffee place is Mountain Coffee. They have locations on Montana Street (corner of Montana and Iron) and on Harrison Ave., at the corner of Harvard and Harrison (across Harrison from a Conoco gas station, and across Harvard from a Chinese restaurant.)

Bars

• Butte Depot

  phone: +1 406-782-2102
  address: 818 S Arizona Av
  A classic dive bar with frequent concerts. Housed in the former Great Northern Railway depot.

• Party PalaceLives up to its billing, with pool and karaoke and cheap beer. It has a reputation for rowdiness among the locals.

• Silver Dollar SaloonOffers a friendly place for a drink, with a youthful atmosphere.

• ZeppiesThe former Irish Times Pub is uptown, and shares its youthful crowd with the Silver Dollar across the street

• Maloney'sIn uptown Butte is where you will find exotic beers, including Guinness.

• The Cavalier LoungeIn the Finlen Hotel offers a dark, more lounge-like feel—chairs, tables, smoking.

• HopsIn the Butte Best Western Inn down on the Flats, next to the Perkin's Restaurant. Don't let this stop you; they have one of the best bartenders in town and despite the shiny neon casino on one side, it has a pretty nice atmosphere.

• The Vu VillaUptown, but a bit west of the main business district on Park Street. It's one of the main student hangouts for Tech and has an attached pizza restaurant with decent pizza.

• Metals BankA sports bar with a bank vault.

• The Times Bar (Night Club)

  address: 2 E Galena St, Butte, MT 59701
  Open Friday night and Saturday night. Typically music is Dj'd unless special event.

• The Post

  address: 2 E Galena St, Butte, MT 59701
  The post is a wine and cocktail bar upstairs above The Times Bar. Typically live music Friday and Saturday.

Microbrewery

• Quarry Brewing

  phone: +1 406-723-0245
  address: 45 West Galena St
  Brewer: Chuck Schnabel. Live music most Fridays.

• Muddy Creek Brewery

  address: 2 E Galena St, Butte, MT 59701
  Muddy Creek Brewery is located in the heart of Uptown Butte in the Daily Post Building above the Irish Times Pub on the corner of Main and Galena. We have some great beers with wonderful back stories that you'll love. Several of our beers will also be served on nitrogen lending extra richness and flavor.

Distillery

• Headframe Spirits

  phone: +1 406 299-2886
  address: 21 S Montana St
  Tasting room.

• Finlen Hotel

  phone: +1-800-729-5461
  address: 100 E Broadway St
  An inexpensive and historic hotel, well-located to accommodate walking through the rest of Butte's downtown. Rooms are clean and well-maintained, but be aware that cheaper rooms may actually be located in the motel section, a not-as-historic add-on with much more spartan accommodations.

• Hampton Inn Butte

  phone: +1 406-494-2250
  address: 3499 Harrison Ave

• Toad Hall Manor Bed and Breakfast

  phone: +1 406-494-2625
  address: 1 Green Ln
  An elegant, charming bed & breakfast which takes its name from the British children's classic, "The Wind in the Willows". This is truly a wonderful place for a relaxing change of pace, celebration of a special occasion, or a romantic getaway.

• Super 8 Butte

  phone: +1 406-494-6000
  address: 2929 Harrison Ave
  Charges extra for more than 2 adults even if it has 2 queen beds. Includes breakfast.
• 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".

• Visit Butte

  address: 124 S Main Street