AUGUSTA, LINCOLN & OVANDO

AUGUSTA

Augusta sits on the northern edge of Southwest Montana and is a gateway to the immense Bob Marshall Wilderness and adjoining Scapegoat Wilderness. A friendly town in a scenic location, there are restaurants, motels and a full array of visitor services. 406.562.3491, www.augustamontana.com

OLD NORTH TRAIL AUGUSTA

The Augusta area provides access to over a million acres of rugged beauty in the high country with nearby lakes and rivers for excellent fishing. The Blackfeet called it the “Old North Trail,” following it along the east side of the Rockies from their northern hunting grounds to their southern winter encampments.

BRAND BAR MUSEUM OVANDO

Located in the town square of Ovando, the Brand Bar Museum houses a collection of local memorabilia, stories of settlers, homestead maps and historic information. There isn’t always an attendant present, so please ask someone at Blackfoot Commercial Company or Blackfoot Angler to open the door for you. 406.793.5685, www.southwestmt.com/listings/12897.htm

LINCOLN

The Sun River Canyon, the Blackfoot River Valley and pristine wilderness surround Lincoln. Its charming National Registerlisted community center is a focal point. Visit the Hi-Country Trading Post, the Helena National Forest Ranger Station, which displays a mounted 830-pound grizzly bear, and Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild. www.lincolnmontana.com

LINCOLN-SCAPEGOAT AREA

Stretching from Ovando to Augusta along the Upper Blackfoot River, this area includes much of the Scapegoat Wilderness, part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The Scapegoat Wilderness earned a place in history as the first citizen-initiated wilderness area in the nation.

Ovando

Montana's 2018 Community of the Year, home to the famous institution Trixi's Antler Saloon. Mountain meadows ablaze with wildflowers and the mountain peaks of the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas greet Ovando visitors. A number of guides and outfitters in the area can take you into the wild lands and several guest ranches offer accommodations. 406.793.0018, www.ovandomontana.net

Upper Blackfoot Valley Historical Society Museum Lincoln

This museum collection of displays and Lincoln Gulch Gold

Mine artifacts preserves the local history and character of Lincoln, the Blackfoot Valley and its residents. Located in Lincoln behind the Hi-Country Trading Post, the museum features logging, mining and agricultural equipment and local historic buildings. 406.362.4949, www.lincolnmontana.com

FlatheadRiver

WASH SAPPHIRE GRAVEL

GEM CUTTING

Returned in as little as 90 days!

LOOSE SAPPHIRES

GOLD & SILVER

SAPPHIRE JEWELRY

THUNDER EGGS KNIVES & MORE! THUNDER

Butte Area

BUTTE, BASIN, WHITEHALL

Birthplace to labor unions, battleground of industrial titans, and home to thousands of immigrants, Butte’s mining past brought wealth and a host of history makers. Today, Butte is home to lively festivals and locally owned/operated restaurants, and the area offers easy access to the great outdoors.

Basecamp For Outdoor Recreation

Located at the headwaters of the Columbia River Basin and the Continental Divide, Butte is a Gateway Community for the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail with 13 trailheads 10 to 60 minutes from town offering day and overnight hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Butte boasts hundreds of miles of nonmotorized and motorized trails for year-round recreation opportunities, including Thompson Park, Copperway, and Greenway trails. Enjoy family-friendly trail connections to historic mine sites, walk or bike the Milwaukee Railroad Trail in Thompson Park (featuring two tunnels and a trestle), or experience panoramic mountain vistas from various vantage points. Butte offers access to backcountry trails minutes from town, including day hikes and multiday trips with shuttle options to explore high mountain vistas and lakes.

Enjoy blue-ribbon trout fishing on one of the many streams or rivers near Butte. Float or wade fish the Big Hole River yearround on your own or with a guide at public access points from Wisdom to Melrose. Take the kids fishing in town at Skyline Park or enjoy a family picnic and fishing at nearby Homestake and

Maney lakes. The Warm Springs Management Area Ponds west of Butte are a great place for summer fishing, walking, and birding

Yellowstone Series Prequel 1923

Broadway and Granite streets, in Uptown Butte’s National Historic District, served as the backdrop for the cityscape scenes for Taylor Sheridan’s newest addition to the Yellowstone series. Heading south on Interstate 15 between Butte and Divide, the mountains and valleys provided the majestic scenery for cattle drives and depictions of life in the West.

BUTTE VISITOR CENTER

Open year-round, the visitor center houses the George F. Grant collection of hand-tied fishing flies, native Montana taxidermy mounts, and exhibits on Butte’s mining history, and it’s the first stop visitors make when delving into Butte’s history and outdoor recreation opportunities. 406.723.3177, www.visitbutte.com

TROLLEY TOUR

This enclosed, temperature-controlled trolley tours Butte’s historic sites during the warm season, telling the stories of Butte’s colorful past. The Trolley Tour stops at the Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand. 406.723.3177, www.buttechamber.org

Berkeley Pit Viewing Stand

One of the largest truck-operated open-pit copper mines in the nation at 1.5 miles across, 3 miles around and 1,700 feet deep. The gift shop offers souvenir sales and help with local information. 406.723.3177, 800.735.6814, www.pitwatch.org

WORLD MUSEUM OF MINING & UNDERGROUND

Mine Tours

Situated on an actual mine yard, the museum preserves the rich legacy of mining and related culture of Butte. Explore Hell Roarin’ Gulch, a recreated mining camp, and then descend 65 to 100 feet into the earth to tour an actual underground mine. 406.723.7211, www.miningmuseum.org

Mineral Museum

Not just for the rockhound, this fascinating collection holds over 1,500 specimens and real-time data from Montana’s seismic network. The museum is located on the Montana Tech campus and is open year-round. 406.496.4414, www.mbmg.mtech.edu/mineralmuseum

Old Butte Historical Adventures

Explore the colorful side of Butte’s history with a tour into an authentic underground speakeasy from the prohibition era, the city jail frequented by Evel Knievel, and other interesting buildings brimful of stories. 406.498.3424, www.buttetour.info

COPPER KING MANSION

A designated National Historic Place, the mansion was built for copper baron William A. Clark, one of the wealthiest men of his time. This home cost Clark only a half-day’s wages ($500,000) to build. The home is now a year-round bed & breakfast. Guided tours are available during the warm season. 406.782.7580, www. thecopperkingmansion.com

OUR LADY OF THE ROCKIES

A bus tour is the best way to get a close-up look at the 90foot statue overlooking Butte from 8,015 feet above sea level. The statue is dedicated to women, especially mothers. 406.782.1221, www.ourladyoftherockies.com

BUTTE MULE HISTORIC TOURS

Board a side-by-side vehicle from 116 West Park Street to learn about Butte’s days of prohibition and brothels or get a closeup view of the headframes and mine yards dotting Butte’s landscape. 406.560.4989, www.buttemuletours.com

THE MAI WAH SOCIETY

In the heart of Butte’s old Chinatown, this historic building houses displays and artifacts relating the story of Chinese immigrants as their life pertained to Butte’s early mining days. 406.723.3177, www.maiwah.org

DUMAS BROTHEL

The longest, continuously run brothel in U.S. history, which ran from 1890 to 1982, is open for tours. Along with stories of the ladies and gents who frequented the Dumas, paranormal spirits roam the three floors of this infamous building. www.dumasbrothel.com

GRANITE MOUNTAIN MINE MEMORIAL

Dedicated to the 168 men who died in the 1917 hard-rock mine disaster, the exhibit features letters and stories of the fallen miners and their families. The memorial offers a stunning panoramic view of Butte and the expanse of the current mining operation and is open year-round. 406.782.3280, www.minememorial.org

BUTTE-SILVER BOW ARCHIVES

A collection of manuscripts, documents, and photographs relating to the story of Butte can be viewed and researched here. Some of the collections housed at the archives include cemetery records, voting registration, naturalization, and union records. 406.782.3280, www.buttearchives.org

HOLY TRINITY SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

Free-hand painted frescoes adorn the walls and ceiling, visually conveying the word of God. The church is available for tours; please call for appointments. 406.723.7889, www.holytrinitybutte.org

SILVER BOW DRIVE IN

Watching a movie under the stars is the old-fashioned way— and the best way—to spend a Montana night. Located outside city limits southwest of Butte, this drive-in theater is open seasonally. 406.782.8095, www.silverbowdrivein.com

SPIRIT OF COLUMBIA GARDENS CAROUSEL

Located at Stodden Park, the carousel is available for yearround fun. Each of the hand-carved ponies and seats comes with a story and a sponsor. You’ll also find a café and gift shop on-site. 406.494.7775

PICCADILLY TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM

Explore the public showcase for a large collection of transportation memorabilia gathered over 25 years from more than 100 countries. 406.723.3034, www.piccmuseum.com

NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK DISTRICT – HEADFRAMES - SCULPTURES

Uptown Butte is filled with fine, well-preserved examples of early-20th-century architecture, a testament to the wealth and lifestyle from Butte’s early mining heyday. Dotting Butte’s landscape are 14 black steel structures, remnants of hoist houses accessing the 10,000 miles of underground mine tunnels honeycombing the Butte hill. The metal sculptures commemorating the 1895 Kenyon Connell Warehouse Disaster are located at the corner of 120 South Idaho Street. Other significant artworks sharing Butte’s historic past, including ghost signs on buildings, are scattered throughout uptown Butte. 406.723.3177, www.visitbutte.com

Old Lexington Stamp Mill And Gardens

The Lexington was Butte’s first stamp mill used to crush extracted ore for smelting. The mill is surrounded by native plant gardens, including a replica of the historic Columbia Gardens Amusement Park’s butterfly. 406.723.3177, 406.723.3177, www.visitbutte.com

STORY OF BUTTE – APP & WEBSITE

The best way to discover Butte’s history is through the STORY OF BUTTE app and website. Offering maps, tours and stories, over 10 different topics are available. Discover Butte’s history at your leisure. www.storyofbutte.org

VIRGINIA CITY & ENNIS AREA

ALDER, ENNIS, LAURIN, NEVADA CITY, SHERIDAN, SILVER STAR, TWIN BRIDGES, VIRGINIA CITY

Nowhere is the mix of Montana’s past and present more evident than this region. Virginia and Nevada cities remain virtually unchanged from the mining glory days of the 1860’s gold rush. Meanwhile, Ennis is a working cowboy town, catering to visitors with art galleries, quaint shops and anglers looking to do some serious fishing along the Madison River.

Virginia City

ALDER GULCH SHORTLINE RAILROAD

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Shortline Railroad, a 1½-mile scenic train ride, goes through the dredge tailings between Virginia City and Nevada City. Be sure to check out the 1910 steam locomotive on display in Nevada City. 406.843.5247, 800.829.2969, www.virginiacitymt.com

HANGMAN’S BUILDING & BOOT HILL

Five lonely grave markers on Boot Hill tell the story of road agents who were hanged in 1864. At Hangman’s Building in Virginia City you can still see the rope burns on the crossbeam from the fateful event.

The Historic Tour Company

Ride this Fire Truck Tour for an accurate and entertaining description of Virginia City’s past and present. Learn about the city’s determined founders, early development, Alder Gulch gold, vigilantes, road agents, historical buildings and more. It is open daily from May to September. 406.600.2598

ROBBER’S ROOST

This stagecoach stop was built on the site of a roadhouse where outlaws planned their holdups. (Don’t worry, the roads are safer now.) Find this gem 4 miles south of Sheridan on Montana Highway 287.

THOMPSON-HICKMAN MUSEUM

Exhibits include Civil War era guns, photos, American Indian artifacts, a 100-year-old birthday cake, geological rock examples, fascinating oddities and much more. 406.843.5238, www.southwestmt.com/listings/thompsonhickman-museum

Vigilante Carriages

Narrated 35-minute stagecoach tour. This authentic stagecoach will take you up the Alder Gulch to the Point of Discovery, the location of the largest placer gold strike in history. Enjoy the comfort of our luxurious padded leather seats and open windows. Daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. mid-May to mid-September. 406.633.3397, www.vigilantecarriages.com

Vigilante Trail

The Vigilante Trail, originally dedicated in 1924, provides a corridor for Montana tourists from Butte to West Yellowstone. The trail was marked with the vigilante code, 3-7-77, on bright signs to ensure that visitors would not lose their way. This code served as a warning for frontier ruffians and criminals to leave the area immediately—or else. The trail cuts through the heart of Southwest Montana, taking travelers along the road that was frequented by so many of the early Montana settlers. Rich in territorial history, outdoor recreational opportunities, and genuine Montana hospitality, a trip along the Vigilante Trail provides a memorable experience for all visitors. www.southwestmt.com/itineraries/vigilantetrail

VIRGINIA CITY / NEVADA CITY

Virginia City is a vast National Historic Landmark and territorial capital, housing America’s finest collection of 1860s “boom town” buildings on their original sites and collections of Old West artifacts. Nearby Nevada City is an open-air museum with more than 100 buildings, thousands of artifacts and gem mining. Historical reenactments or “Living History” weekends are a popular summer attraction. 800.829.2969, www.virginiacitymt.com

Ennis

MADISON VALLEY HISTORY MUSEUM

This museum in Ennis is home to collections of artifacts, tapes, photographs and stories of historical importance to the region and home to the famous “Beast.” It is approximately 4 miles from Ennis on Montana Highway 287 toward Virginia City. 406.682.4685

ENNIS NATIONAL FISH HATCHERY

This is one of three rainbow trout brood stock hatcheries in the federal hatchery system featuring a visitor center, display pond and tours. It is located 12 miles southwest of Ennis. 406.682.4847, www.fws.gov/ennis

Earthquake Lake Visitor Center

In 1959, a violent earthquake triggered a massive landslide that killed 28 people and created Earthquake Lake. Interpretive displays, movies and talks, and a bookstore can be found here. The center is located 44 miles south of Ennis. 406.682.7620, www.fs.usda.gov/detail/custergallatin/ specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5127785

BEAR TRAP CANYON

Eight miles of whitewater and wilderness begin at the spillway of Ennis Lake Dam. Hiking and fishing are accessed via the trails. Kayakers and rafters should be very experienced or hire a guide. 406.688.3200, www.blm.gov/visit/search-details/16202/2

Nearby Communities

ALDER

Hunt for garnets south of town. Visit the Red Rock Gem Mine 2 miles east of town; it’s open to the public for a fee. 406.842.5770, www.rubyvalleychamber.com

LAURIN

This quaint, turn-of-the-century village situated on the banks of the Ruby River boasts a trophy trout stream, a historic Catholic church and other architectural gems. 406.842.5770, www.rubyvalleychamber.com

SHERIDAN

In the heart of the Ruby Valley, this friendly, quintessential small town is a gateway to the scenic Tobacco Root and Ruby mountains. Within a few miles of town, outdoor adventures in hiking, fishing (with or without ice), hunting, bicycling and ATV trips can be enjoyed. 406.842.5770, www.southwestmt.com/communities/sheridan.htm

Silver Star

Nestled along the Jefferson River (one of the five blue-ribbon trout rivers in Montana) with the majestic Tobacco Root Mountains as its backdrop, it is a well-known experience for hunting and fishing. www.southwestmt.com/communities/ sheridan.htm

Twin Bridges

Three blue-ribbon trout streams converge in this ranching town to form the Jefferson River and is a mecca for flyfishing. Stop by R.L. Winston Rod and Co. and tour their showroom featuring premium, custom-made fishing rods. A local museum features unique displays of local and American Indian history. There are also special camping facilities for touring cyclists and a kids' fishing pond. 406.684.5243, www.twinbridgesmt.com/chamber-of-commerce

LEWIS & CLARK INTERPRETIVE PARK − TWIN BRIDGES

Located at the entrance to the county fairgrounds in Twin Bridges, the park offers the public insight into the five days the Corps of Discovery spent in this area. Don’t miss the six-foot bronze statue of Sacagawea. 406.684.5824, www.southwestmt.com/listings/15096.htm