Helena is home to around 40,000 people and continues to be supported by gold and lead mining. Despite being the State’s capital Helena has a lot of history, and plenty of activities and things to do, thanks to its proximity to both Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, which makes the city a hub for tourists all year through.
The 9 Best Things to Do in Helena
1. Helena National Forest
In the central-western region of Montana, Helena National Forest stretches 976,000 acres, and the Continental Divide passes through it. It also touches on the Big Belt, and the Elkhorn Mountains, and near the center of the forest, The Missouri River passes through. You’ll find more than 1,000 miles of trails along with 1,600 miles of forest roads in this scenic outdoor expanse.
The forest offers plenty of camping opportunities along with picnic grounds, and wilderness hunting and fishing, and in the summertime, there are lots of water sport activities, as well as biking and horseback riding. Winter offers plenty of quality skiing and snowboarding, and you’ll even find historic sites including a few ghost towns among the forest’s attractions.
2. Elkhorn Ghost Town State Park
Here is the chance to see the remnants of a 19th– century mining town which serves as an example of the frontier architecture of the period. From the surrounding backcountry roads, you will approach the Fraternity Hall and various other buildings which are all within the boundaries of the now privately-owned Elkhorn Park. This is a relic of one of the earliest mining towns, and the structures are listed in the Survey of Historic American Buildings.
3. Check out the Gates of the Mountains
Halfway between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, 20 miles north of Helena, you can find the historic natural beauty of the ‘Gates of the Mountains’. This ranks high up in Montana’s ‘must see’ destinations, and for more than a century visitors have followed the path of explorers Lewis and Clark who discovered it.
The area is managed by the Helena National Forest, and the main boat tour from the marina is operated by the Gates of the Mountains Inc.