History

Bannack State Park 2

Bannack State Park

Bannack State Park

Bannack State Park

Bannack State Park is the location of Montana's first major gold discovery, founded in 1862 this historic ghost town still has over 50 standing buildings!

Find out more about the history of the park down below.

Bannack State Park
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Tours are conducted from the visitor center, which is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Bannack Days, with historic displays, re-enactors, and activities, are held the 3rd weekend annually in July (Bannack days has been cancelled for 2020).

The campground has 28 sites, including a rental tipi located along Grasshopper Creek, a hike-in/bike-in campsite, with four tent pads, and a group picnic site.

Bannack State Park is a National Historic Landmark and the site of Montana's first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. This strike set off a massive gold rush that swelled Bannack's population to over 3,000 by 1863.

As the value of gold steadily dwindled, Bannack's bustling population was slowly lost. Over 50 buildings line Main Street; their historic log and frame structures recall Montana's formative years.

Did You Know

Curious what other visitors have had to say about the park?

"This was a great Ghost town. So many buildings to explore and go into. Well worth the drive and a day trip."

"Very interesting!! Crazy these buildings are still standing. Would have paid for a guided tour to explain everything."

"One of the best ghost towns I've been to. Most buildings are open and you can go in them."

"Didn't find any ghosts, but had a great, informative evening tour. Fun, well-preserved town with interesting stories of the wild west and life in a gold boom town. And when it gets dark, the starry sky is mesmerizing."

 

Designation

"Bannack is a beautiful area that holds so much Montana history. I always find it fascinating to see how people lived in that era, how much we take for granted, and just how tough and hardy they had to be back then."

Quick Facts
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    Park

    Open all year.

    Summer Hours:
    Memorial Day - August 10, 2022
    8 am - 9 pm

    Shoulder Season Hours:
    August 11, 2022 - September 30, 2022
    8 a.m. - Sunset

    Winter Hours:
    Oct 1, 2022 - Memorial Day 2023
    8 am - 5 pm
    Closed December 24 & 25

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    Campground

    Open all year.

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    Potable Water

    Available summer season.

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    Visitor Center

    Open Memorial Day - Labor Day
    10 am - 6 pm

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    Location

    721 Bannack Rd Dillon, MT

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Bannack State Park Read More »

Anaconda Smelter Stack State Park 1

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park is located off of I-90, 24 miles from Butte, MT.

Situated on top on a hillside of the Anaconda Pintler Mountain Range foothills, you can see this state park from miles around.

As a monument to the nation's period of industrialism, particularly when viewed in conjunction with Butte’s Berkely Pit, it immortalizes the scale of the mining that once dominated and influenced this part of Montana.

Anaconda Smelter Stack State Park
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Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the smelter closed in 1980.  In 1983, the stack, the smelter, and the other buildings nearby were listed as a Superfund cleanup site.  Efforts to clean up contaminated soils, structures, and other mine debris began in the 1980s and are ongoing.  In order to protect the public and limit their liability, the Atlantic Richfield Company closed the area around the stack and public visitation is allowed only during officially organized tours or events.

Much like the smelter and other buildings that used to be located on Smelter Hill nearby, the smokestack was likely to be demolished as part of the Superfund cleanup efforts.  A group of longtime Anaconda residents formed the "Anacondans To Preserve The Stack" committee.  Their efforts led to the preservation of the big stack and they continue to work to find ways to preserve the stack and make it accessible to the public.  Today visitors can view and photograph the stack from a distance.

Interpretive signs describing the history of the stack are located in the viewing site near Goodman Park. 

Montana Public Radio produced a great story about the Anaconda Smoke Stack for its 100th anniversary in August of 2018.  You can listen to and read that story here.

The Anaconda Smoke Stack is taller than the Washington Monument by 30 feet. In fact, the Washington Monument would easily fit inside this smokestack.

Did You Know

Curious what other visitors have had to say about the park?

"Cool town to drive through. Tower is visible for miles from Highway..so we had to check it out on drive back through."

"Worth the stop. Very well done."

"Nicely done. Very interesting, worth a look and reading about the stack."

"Great History of Anaconda and Butte when Mining was heavy in this area, Learned a lot more than I knew. Definitely worth visiting Anaconda area."

 

Designation

"The very essence of what the town of Anaconda was and is! Great interpretive signs and a mock circumference of the stack showing you just how big it really is! Must see"

Quick Facts
  • Tree icon

    Park

    Open daily all year
    Daylight hours

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    Location

    100 Anaconda Smelter Rd, Anaconda, MT 59711, United States

Parks That Others Are Visiting

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park Read More »

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