8 Offbeat Montana Towns To Visit In 2025
Montana is known as Big Sky Country because of its open skies and rolling landscapes that stretch on for miles. Scattered throughout the peaceful scenery are quirky, offbeat towns that are well worth the drive. Only in Montana can you defy the laws of physics at the Montana Vortex in Columbia Falls or admire the other-worldly toxic lake in Butte. Whether you want to explore caverns, abandoned underground cities, or ghost towns, Montana is where to go to experience the unexpected. So pack a bag and get ready for things to get weird in Montana!
Deer Lodge
Deer Lodge is in Western Montana about 80 miles outside of Missoula. Its desolate, isolated location made it the perfect place for Deer Lodge’s eeriest attraction: the Old Montana Prison Complex. As one of the first territorial prisons (a prison that existed before Montana became a state) in the US, it was constructed in the late 1800s by convict labor. While it no longer hosts prisoners, visitors can take guided tours through its halls to learn about the infamous prisoners who served time in the complex.
The prison is also home to other unique museums, like the Powell County Museum, Frontier Montana Museum, Yesterday's Playthings, and the Montana Auto Museum. But the great thing about being a visitor (instead of a prisoner) at the Old Montana Prison Complex is that you can leave and explore the other fun attractions in Deer Lodge! After spending the day in a musty prison, you can get out and explore the natural beauty of Deer Lodge at Arrow Stone Park for a day of hiking, fishing, or just enjoying the view.
Philipsburg
If you’ve ever wanted to explore a mining ghost town, you have to check out Philipsburg! One of the must-see stops in Philipsburg is Granite Ghost Town State Park. During the silver and gold mining boom of the 1800s, the city bustled with over 2,000 residents. Yet, as the resources depleted, people packed up and abandoned the village. Today, it’s an eerie ghost of its former glory, with dilapidated wooden homes and even abandoned mining equipment scattered throughout the park. It’s a fantastic place to go for a hike and take pictures along the way.
Unlike other ghost towns of the west, the Granite Ghost Town State Park is less than five miles away from Philipsburg. After an afternoon of exploring the old ghost town, you can grab an ice cream cone at the famous Philipsburg Creamery or a pint at the rustic Philipsburg Brewing Company. And if you want to learn a little more about the area and the old mining community, be sure to swing by the Granite County Museum.
Havre
In Northern Montana, past Lewiston and the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, is the small, folksy town of Havre. It’s home to scenic landmarks like the Wahkpa Chug’n Buffalo Jump, where native Americans hunted buffalo by chasing them off a cliff. Visitors can go for a hike and relax at Beaver Creek Park, or go for a stroll down the modern city streets and pop in charming cafes and eateries like Henny Penny Cupcakes.
However, the real adventure in Havre lies under its city streets. Many of the buildings of Havre were built after the 1900s because the fire of 1904 destroyed much of the community. While the fire raged above ground, residents retreated to the basements, connected via passages through various establishments in the city. Today, you can take a tour of old saloons, brothels, and blacksmiths via the quirky Havre Beneath the Streets Tour to learn what life was like in the old rough-and-tumble community of Havre in the early 1900s.
Arlee
Off a desolate stretch of Route 93 in Eastern Montana is the community of Arlee, located 25 miles north of Missoula. Settled on the Flathead Indian Reservation, it offers a stunning blend of Native American culture and natural attractions. You can explore the Flathead Indian Reservation and learn more about the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes or explore the CSKT Bison Range, home to a herd of around 350 bison.
It’s not rich native American culture or natural landmarks that make Arlee so unique. In striking contrast to the Native American and Western architecture is the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas. There, you’ll find 1,000 hand-cast Buddha statues surrounding the central statue of Yum Chenmo, the Great Mother. It was founded by a Tibetan Buddhist leader who found that the peaceful landscape of Arlee was the perfect spot for his vision of a garden to promote peace and happiness.
Anaconda
In Southwestern Montana is the community of Anaconda, a beautiful community with a rich history in copper smelting. While the city stopped smelting copper in the 1980s, one of its most striking landmarks still exists today: the Anaconda Smoke Stack. Standing 585 feet tall, it is the tallest free-standing brick structure anywhere in the world. To put it in perspective, it’s taller than the Washington Monument! While you can’t get up close to it (because once it was shut down, the area became polluted with arsenic and heavy metals), you can visit the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park for the best views at a safe distance.
The smokestack (or the Big Stack as it’s known to the locals) isn’t the only thing worth checking out in Anaconda! You can take a drive down the Pintler Veterans' Memorial Scenic Highway that runs through Anaconda, offering fantastic views of the Pintler Mountains, valleys, and Georgetown Lake. You can stop at the Grassy Point Picnic Area to stretch your legs and enjoy the amazing water views.
Columbia Falls
The small village of Columbia Falls is tucked away in the scenic Northwestern corner of the state. While its natural beauty makes it a fantastic place to relax over a long weekend, it has one very peculiar attraction that’s hard to explain. It is where you will find the very peculiar Montana Vortex and House of Mystery. This fun roadside attraction starts with a gift shop and then takes you through the grounds, where things feel like they are shifting and growing. Then, visitors end their tour at a small house where a naturally occurring energy field defies the laws of physics in strange ways.
The Montana Vortex and House of Mystery is a must-see, but there’s more to do in Columbia Falls! It is considered the Gateway to Glacier National Park, with the park entrance just a 15-minute drive away. You can hike the trails or take in the amazing sites like the crystal clear waters of Avalanche Lake. If you visit in the summer, you can spend the day cooling off at Big Sky Waterpark, Montana’s largest water park.
Three Forks
Life is a little strange in Three Forks. If you love the weird and offbeat, there’s enough to see in Three Forks to fill the camera storage on your phone! As you enter town, you’ll see a herd of horses on a distant hill. But those aren’t real horses; they are the Bleu Horses! They are made of steel and positioned along Highway 287 as a gift from local artist Jim Dolan. Once you enter town, you’ll see the Sacajawea Hotel, a notoriously haunted (yet stunningly beautiful) hotel that was built in 1910.
One of the best reasons to check out Three Forks is the Lewis and Clark Caverns. These caves have the largest known limestone caverns in the Northwest, and they are only accessible by guided tour. If you want to explore above ground, the caverns are within Montana’s first (and arguably best) state park. There are ten miles of hiking trails within the park with views of gently rolling hills and lush forests.
Butte
In the Silver Bow Creek Valley in Western Montana is the town of Butte, known as the “Richest Hill on Earth.” It was famous for its copper mining in the mid-1800s. One of the must-see attractions in Butte is the eerie (yet fascinating) Berkeley Pit. It was a functional copper mine until the 1980s, when it was abandoned. Slowly, the pit started to fill with groundwater and created a blue-gree lake that was incredibly toxic but strikingly beautiful. While it’s not exactly something you’d want to swim in, the eerie toxic lake feels other-worldly.
If you want to learn more about Butte’s rich mining history, the World Museum of Mining is a great place to visit. Not only does it have relics and old buildings of Butte’s mining days, but visitors can also take a tour of a real underground mine. If you want to explore the area and gain a better view, hike the Big M (it’s literally the letter M painted on the side of a mountain; you can’t miss it!). The hike is short and challenging but provides stunning views of all the attractions in Butte.
Experience the Unexpected in Montana
When you think of Montana, you likely picture wide open spaces, herds of buffalo, and cattle ranching. And while that’s certainly true, Montana also has a weird side. These isolated communities in Montana are more than just quick roadside attractions. They’re unique communities with great dining, friendly locals, and attractions you won’t find anywhere else in the country. When you need a little fresh air and flair for the unusual in your life, add these towns to your next Montana road trip!
