Things to see, places to go.
Bannack Ghost Town
Bannack was the first territorial capital of Montana. It is still in the original “Wild West” condition and has not been commercialized. They will happily teach you how to pan for gold and furnish everything you need at no charge. All the dirt is donated by the surrounding gold miners. Bannack Days happens every year in July. Everyone dresses up in period clothing, and there are a multitude of classes, lectures, and events. Old recipes are freely offered as long as they last.
Visit the Bannack State Park website.
Elkhorn Hot Springs
Elkhorn Hot Springs is a year-round hot springs resort which offers two outdoor hot mineral pools, a Grecian sauna, a restaurant, and a bar. Guests enjoy hiking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, plus downhill skiing at nearby Maverick Mountain. Accommodations include rustic cabins, modern cabins, or lodge rooms. Located 40 miles South West of Dillon Montana, Elkhorn Hot Springs is a primitive, family owned retreat nestled in the beautiful Pioneer Mountains. Elkhorn is just minutes away from several recreational sites such as the famous Big Hole River, Crystal Park, Bannack State Park, and Maverick Mountain.
Visit the Elkhorn Hot Springs website.
Yellowstone Nat’l Park
It's wonderland. Old Faithful and the majority of the world's geysers are preserved here. They are the main reason the park was established in 1872 as America's first national park—an idea that spread worldwide. A mountain wild land, home to grizzly bears, wolves, and herds of bison and elk, the park is the core of one of the last, nearly intact, natural ecosystems in the Earth’s temperate zone.
Visit the Yellowstone National Park website.
Maverick Ski Resort
Hidden in southwest Montana, Maverick Mountain is located just off the Pioneer Mountain Scenic Byway in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Boasting uncrowded slopes, skiers and riders will find terrain that is 30% beginner, 40% intermediate and 30% advanced with a 2,020 ft. vertical and 24 trails to accommodate. 425 acres are serviced by one chairlift and rope tow and offer incredible views and scenery, holding true to the non-commercial feel of the mom and pop ski area.
Visit the Maverick Ski Resort website.
Virginia City
All of Montana has the deepest pride and affection for Virginia City. No more colorful pioneer mining camp ever existed. Dramatic tales of the early days in this vicinity are legion. Rich placer diggings were discovered in Alder Gulch in the spring of 1863 and the stampede of gold seekers and their parasites was on! Sluices soon lined the gulch and various "cities" blossomed forth as trading and amusement centers for free handed miners.
Visit the Virginia City website.
Nevada City
Relive the excitement of the Gold Rush era in Montana. The outdoor museum in Nevada City houses one of the largest collections of Old West artifacts outside the Smithsonian and has one hundred 1863 to early 1900 buildings. The museum entrance is also home to several unique music machines. There are many exhibits and artifacts to help you experience the culture, time and place engaging all of your senses as you discover early Montana. In Nevada City, you’ll witness what it was like to live in a frontier mining town in the height of the Gold Rush days. Take time out of your fast paced life to "Step into Montana's Past."
Find out more about Nevada City.