Whether you’re new to the Treasure State or you have a Montana birth certificate, there are always things about our beautiful state that will surprise you. They call it Big Sky Country for a reason – there are plenty of secret spots to explore. Take a look at this list the next time you want to go off the beaten path.
- Spend enough time in Nevada City and you’ll realize there’s a 2-story outhouse there.
Jeff B / TripAdvisor Nevada City is comprised of authentic Wild West buildings meant to transport you to another time. One of those buildings is a 2-story outhouse. Doesn’t that make you grateful for modern conveniences?
- There are tunnels under Butte, and they have quite a history.
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr Back when Butte was “The Richest Hill on Earth,” it had a booming mining industry and close to 100,000 residents. The underground tunnels contain the remnants of restaurants, a jail, and even one of the country’s most infamous speakeasies, the Rockwood. You can see it all on Butte’s Underground City Tours.
- The O’Fallon Historical Museum in Baker is pretty ordinary, other than the fact that they have the stuffed remains of the world’s largest steer.
Jimmy Emerson / Flickr Steer Montana weighed 3,980 pounds in life.
- Montana may be known as Big Sky Country, but we happen to have the world’s tiniest river.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM / Flickr The Roe River is located at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls, and at 201 feet long, it’s definitely the shortest.
- At the Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse, dinner comes with a side of entertainment.
Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse Facebook After dinner, patrons place their bets and head outside for some exciting pig races. Proceeds are donated to a local scholarship fund.
- Cut Bank has a giant penguin statue, and it talks.
Cedar / Flickr Cut Bank probably isn’t the coldest spot in the nation, but the town does hold the record for the biggest temperature change in a single day (100 degrees), so it’s understandable that locals would feel that way.
- There is a Chinese Wall right here in Montana.
Brian Timmons / alltrails.com Hidden deep within the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Chinese Wall is legendary among hikers - but many Montanans don’t even know it exists. It takes quite a trek to reach it (the trail in its entirety is 53 miles), but everyone who has seen it says it’s worth it.
- At one point, more millionaires lived in Helena than anywhere else in the world.
NESRI / Flickr In 1864, four prospectors discovered Last Chance Gulch, which is currently Helena. Gold miners rushed to the area over the next 20 years, and many of them were VERY successful.
- Most people know that Butte has a toxic lake, the Berkeley Pit. But not many know how dangerous it actually could be.
ccarlstead / Flickr Earlier this year, the pit killed 3,000 geese who made the unfortunate choice to land there during a storm. Their deaths raised some questions about whether or not ederal regulators will be ready to prevent the heavily acidic, metal-laden water from contaminating other waterways and Butte’s ground water system. Yikes.
- We have tree people.
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Facebook Don’t worry, this isn’t as terrifying as it sounds. Lee Steen’s Tree People “live” in the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls, the work of a late local artist who once filled his yard with mechanical junkyard animals and wooden tree people sculptures.
Discovering Montana’s hidden secrets and gems is so much fun. How many of these places have you experienced?
Jeff B / TripAdvisor
Nevada City is comprised of authentic Wild West buildings meant to transport you to another time. One of those buildings is a 2-story outhouse. Doesn’t that make you grateful for modern conveniences?
J. Stephen Conn / Flickr
Back when Butte was “The Richest Hill on Earth,” it had a booming mining industry and close to 100,000 residents. The underground tunnels contain the remnants of restaurants, a jail, and even one of the country’s most infamous speakeasies, the Rockwood. You can see it all on Butte’s Underground City Tours.
Jimmy Emerson / Flickr
Steer Montana weighed 3,980 pounds in life.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM / Flickr
The Roe River is located at Giant Springs State Park in Great Falls, and at 201 feet long, it’s definitely the shortest.
Bear Creek Saloon & Steakhouse Facebook
After dinner, patrons place their bets and head outside for some exciting pig races. Proceeds are donated to a local scholarship fund.
Cedar / Flickr
Cut Bank probably isn’t the coldest spot in the nation, but the town does hold the record for the biggest temperature change in a single day (100 degrees), so it’s understandable that locals would feel that way.
Brian Timmons / alltrails.com
Hidden deep within the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Chinese Wall is legendary among hikers - but many Montanans don’t even know it exists. It takes quite a trek to reach it (the trail in its entirety is 53 miles), but everyone who has seen it says it’s worth it.
NESRI / Flickr
In 1864, four prospectors discovered Last Chance Gulch, which is currently Helena. Gold miners rushed to the area over the next 20 years, and many of them were VERY successful.
ccarlstead / Flickr
Earlier this year, the pit killed 3,000 geese who made the unfortunate choice to land there during a storm. Their deaths raised some questions about whether or not ederal regulators will be ready to prevent the heavily acidic, metal-laden water from contaminating other waterways and Butte’s ground water system. Yikes.
Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art Facebook
Don’t worry, this isn’t as terrifying as it sounds. Lee Steen’s Tree People “live” in the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls, the work of a late local artist who once filled his yard with mechanical junkyard animals and wooden tree people sculptures.
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