Discover the Last Best Place
Attractions

22 Things to Do in Anaconda MT: Best Activities (2026)

Things to do in Anaconda MT — Old Works Golf on a Superfund site, The Stack, Washoe Theater, Discovery Ski, Fairmont Hot Springs, and hidden gems.

22 Things to Do in Anaconda MT: Best Activities (2026)

There is a golf course in Anaconda, Montana, built on a Federal EPA Superfund site. The bunkers are filled with black copper slag — the waste product of a century of smelting operations — instead of white sand. Jack Nicklaus designed it. It opened in 1997 on the grounds where the Anaconda Copper Mining Company processed the ore that made Marcus Daly one of the richest men in America.

If that sentence doesn’t make you want to stop in Anaconda, I’m not sure what travel writing is for.

The Old Works Golf Course is the most specific thing about Anaconda — a 585-foot brick smokestack watching over a Nicklaus fairway, with black slag in the bunkers as a specific, committed acknowledgment that this land has a history you’re not allowed to forget.

But it’s not the only specific thing. The Washoe Theater is a 1936 Art Deco masterpiece in a town of 9,000 that still shows films with the original carpet and curtains intact.

The ghost tour consistently earns the best reviews of any Anaconda activity. The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness contains a rare species of freshwater clam. And in 1903, Anaconda voted the Socialist Party of America into the mayor’s office, the treasurer’s office, and three council seats.

Anaconda is a town that has lived a lot. It shows.

Quick Answer — Things to Do in Anaconda MT

Anaconda’s essential experiences: golf the Old Works Golf Course (the only Jack Nicklaus Signature course in Montana, built on a Superfund site with black slag bunkers), stand at the foot of The Stack (585 feet tall, claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world), tour the Washoe Theater (1936 Art Deco, original decor intact, one of the finest remaining examples in America), take the Anaconda Historical Bus Tour (1936 touring bus), join the ghost tour (highest-rated activity on Yelp 2026), ski Discovery Ski Area (uncrowded, affordable), soak at Fairmont Hot Springs, and hike into the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. Budget 2–3 days.

TL;DR

  • Anaconda (~9,000) was founded by Marcus Daly in 1883 as the smelting center for Butte’s copper — a company town that reinvented itself after the smelter closed in 1980
  • The Stack: 585 feet tall — claimed as “the largest masonry structure in the world” — now Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park
  • Old Works Golf Course: Montana’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature course, built on a Federal EPA Superfund site, with black copper slag in the bunkers
  • Washoe Theater: 1936 Art Deco masterpiece, original decor intact, one of the finest remaining theaters of its kind in America
  • Ghost Tour: the highest-rated Anaconda experience on Yelp 2026 — and no travel blog mentions it
  • Discovery Ski Area: uncrowded, affordable, excellent terrain — we have a complete guide at /discovery-ski-area-montana/
  • Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness: 150,000+ acres, mountain goats, elk, 13 raptor species, and a rare species of freshwater clam
  • For city overview and lodging, see my Anaconda city guide

Understanding Anaconda: Copper Town, Company Town, Reinvented Town

Marcus Daly needed a smelter. His copper mines in Butte were producing ore faster than any existing facility could process it. So in 1883, he chose a site in the Deer Lodge Valley, built the infrastructure, and created Anaconda — a town designed from the ground up to serve a single industrial function.

For nearly a century, it did. The Anaconda Copper Mining Company processed hundreds of millions of tons of copper ore here, building the 585-foot Stack, expanding the smelter to become “the world’s biggest non-ferrous processing plant” at its 1919 peak, and making itself one of the most consequential industrial operations in the history of the Mountain West.

The smelter closed in 1980. Anaconda had to reinvent itself, and the reinvention has been — by any standard — extraordinary.

The Superfund site became a golf course. The smelter grounds became a state park. The company town’s architecture — Victorian commercial blocks, an Art Deco theater, four distinct historic districts — survived because nobody had reason to demolish it. The result is a small Montana city that looks like its own history, with the Stack standing watch over everything from the edge of town.

southwestmt.com notes that in 1903, workers who felt the Copper Kings had abused them too long voted the Socialist Party of America into the mayor’s office, the treasurer’s office, and three council seats — a political moment unlike anything else in Montana’s record. Anaconda’s labor history is as specific as its architecture.

For complete city logistics, see my Anaconda city guide.

All 22 Things to Do in Anaconda MT

The Iconic Landmarks:

  1. Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park (“The Stack”) ⭐
  2. Old Works Golf Course — Jack Nicklaus on a Superfund site ⭐

History & Culture: 3. Washoe Theater — Art Deco masterpiece ⭐ 4. Anaconda Historical Bus Tour (1936 touring bus) ⭐ 5. Ghost Tour — highest-rated Anaconda experience 2026 ⭐ 6. Copper Village Museum & Art Center 7. Hearst Free Library — “a historical piece of art” 8. Four Historic Districts walking tour 9. Old Works Historical Trail

Parks & Nature (in town): 10. Washoe Park — outdoor pool, fish hatchery, picnic 11. Lost Creek State Park — limestone canyon

Mountain Recreation: 12. Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness (150,000+ acres) ⭐ 13. Discovery Ski Area ⭐ 14. Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area (15+ miles, Continental Divide) ⭐ 15. Montana Zipline Adventures

Water & Lakes: 16. Georgetown Lake — camping, fishing, boating 17. Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Events: 18. ATV Fun Run — July 25, 2026 ⭐ 19. Smelter City Brewing

Day Trips: 20. Granite Ghost Town State Park (19 miles) 21. Philipsburg via Pintler Scenic Highway 22. Butte (17 miles east)

The Stack — Largest Masonry Structure in the World ⭐

Every guide to Anaconda includes The Stack. None of them properly convey what it is.

The Anaconda Stack rises 585 feet above the valley floor at the edge of town. It was built in 1919 as part of the expansion of the Anaconda smelter to its maximum production capacity.

At 585 feet, it is claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world — a title that southwestmt.com states explicitly and that no travel blog covering Anaconda has led with.

To orient the scale: the Washington Monument is 555 feet. The Anaconda Stack is 30 feet taller.

The stack was built to disperse the sulfur dioxide emissions from copper smelting high enough above the valley floor that they would dissipate before reaching inhabited areas — a genuine piece of 1919 environmental engineering, even if one that looks primitive by modern standards. It worked, more or less, for the stack’s intended purpose.

When the smelter closed in 1980, the stack was preserved as Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park. The site includes a viewpoint, interpretive signs covering the copper smelting history, and the specific visual experience of standing next to a structure 585 feet tall and feeling the scale of what Anaconda once was.

TripAdvisor reviewers who visit consistently say the same thing: “Worthwhile to see. There is a huge shelter and a huge bell. We enjoyed the nice views.”

Cost: Free. Location: South edge of Anaconda off Highway 1. Best experience: Stand at the base and look straight up.

Old Works Golf Course — The Superfund Story ⭐

Here is the full story that TripAdvisor summarizes in one phrase (“first course ever built on a Federal EPA Superfund site, Nicklaus”) and no travel blog has developed properly.

The Old Works Golf Course is built on the grounds of the original Anaconda smelter complex — the facility that processed copper from Butte for nearly a century.

When the smelter closed in 1980, the Environmental Protection Agency designated the site as a Superfund site under CERCLA: one of the most contaminated industrial properties in the United States, containing generations of smelting waste, heavy metals, and arsenic-laced soils.

The Anaconda community and the EPA developed a cleanup and reuse plan. In the early 1990s, Jack Nicklaus was engaged to design a golf course on the remediated smelter grounds. He didn’t simply design around the industrial remnants — he incorporated them.

The bunkers at Old Works are filled with black copper slag — the waste material from a century of smelting — instead of the white sand standard in golf course design. The slag is visually striking, historically resonant, and completely specific to this place. No other golf course in the world has black bunkers like these, because no other golf course was built on a copper smelter Superfund site.

The course opened in 1997. It is Montana’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Design course. It hosts championship tournaments and draws golfers specifically for the combination of Nicklaus-quality design and the specific, unrepeatable context of the land it sits on.

TripAdvisor: “Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, the Old Works has been reborn on the site of Anaconda’s historic century-old copper smelter.”

This is one of the most extraordinary environmental and recreational transformations in American history. No travel blog covering Anaconda has told the full story.

[Verify current green fees and tee time availability at oldworks.org.]

Washoe Theater — 1936 Art Deco, original decor completely intact, one of the finest remaining theaters of its kind in America

Washoe Theater — Art Deco Masterpiece ⭐

This is the Anaconda attraction that Atlas Obscura lists and that southwestmt.com covers — and that no travel blog has built out as a dedicated visitor destination.

The Washoe Theater was built in 1936 in the Art Deco style — Anaconda’s smelter was at peak operation, the Copper Kings’ era had generated genuine civic wealth in the town, and the community built a movie theater that reflected those ambitions. The interior features elaborate plasterwork, ornate decorative details, and a specific visual richness that 1930s American movie palace architecture produced at its best.

What makes the Washoe exceptional is not just the design — it’s the preservation. The original seating, the original carpet, the original curtains are all intact. southwestmt.com: “Catch a performance at the Washoe Theater, or just wander around the ornate Art Deco building, one of the few remaining theaters of its kind in the country.”

The TripAdvisor historical bus tour review specifically notes: “Our favorite location that we visited was the Washoe Theater. Everything inside is in its original decor from the seating, to the carpet and the curtains.”

Atlas Obscura describes it as “a classic theatre located along a desolate Montana road” — which is accurate and undersells it simultaneously. It is a genuinely remarkable building in a town that most travelers pass through at highway speed.

[Verify current programming and hours at the Washoe Theater.]

Anaconda Historical Bus Tour — The 1936 Touring Bus ⭐

Here is the Anaconda visitor experience that no travel blog has built out.

The Anaconda Historical Bus Tour operates with a 1936 touring bus — a vehicle of the same era as the town’s industrial peak — guided by a local who was born and raised in Anaconda and carries the institutional knowledge that only that background produces.

The TripAdvisor tour review is detailed and enthusiastic: “Our family took this tour on June 23, 2022 for the first time and we thoroughly enjoyed everything about it! Our tour guide was born and raised in Anaconda so he had a wealth of information about the town to share with us all. It was also very cool to be touring around town in a 1936 touring bus that has been restored. Our favorite location that we visited was the Washoe Theater.”

The combination of the vehicle — a 1936 bus in a town whose most dramatic decade was the 1930s — and the guide’s generational knowledge makes this a specific, unrepeatable experience. The bus tour is offered by appointment/schedule; contact the Anaconda Chamber and Visitor Center for current availability.

[Verify current tour schedule and pricing at the Anaconda Chamber.]

Ghost Tour — Anaconda’s Best-Reviewed Experience ⭐

The highest-rated Anaconda activity on Yelp in 2026 is the ghost tour — and no travel blog covering Anaconda mentions it.

The Yelp review is emphatic: “The ghost tour was incredible! The team that puts this on is the best of the best. They are fun, energetic, they teach you lots of cool facts, and they are epic story tellers. I can’t wait to come back next summer and do it again. One of the best experiences I have ever had. They take you around each area and give you the history, teach you about all of the equipment, then everyone is off on their own to explore. Group size was about 20 but the place is so huge you just pass by a small group walking to and from the other areas.”

A town built by a company as large and as consequential as the Anaconda Copper Mining Company accumulates history — and accumulated history accumulates ghost stories. The industrial scale of the smelter complex, the labor history, the specific tragedies of mining-era Montana are all woven into Anaconda’s physical fabric. A ghost tour is, in many ways, the most emotionally direct access to that history.

[Verify current ghost tour schedule and booking at the Anaconda Chamber or local tour operators.]

History, Culture, and Architecture

Copper Village Museum & Art Center

Located in the Old City Hall — itself a piece of Anaconda’s civic architectural heritage — the Copper Village Museum & Art Center combines rotating contemporary art exhibitions with a historical collection covering Anaconda’s copper smelting era.

southwestmt.com: “The Old City Hall Copper Village Museum and Art Center features a wide variety of art and an impressive display of historical artifacts from Montana’s past.”

TripAdvisor: “I have been in Anaconda continuing trips for more than 30 years. Copper Village Museum was interesting from its old home furnishings to current artists’ creations. I went a few days for research with the Anaconda Smelter documents and received assistance researching them.”

The museum’s access to Anaconda Smelter documents — the corporate records of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company — makes it a serious research archive as well as a visitor attraction.

Cost: Free or small donation. Hours: [Verify current.]**

Hearst Free Library

TripAdvisor reviewers describe it with genuine enthusiasm: “This Library is a historical piece of art! It has so many books and the computers have all the stuff.”

The Hearst Free Library was funded by the Hearst family — specifically connected to the same mining wealth that shaped the Copper King era — and the building itself reflects the civic ambition that that wealth produced in Montana’s mining towns. A library as “a historical piece of art” is a specific designation worth taking seriously.

Four Historic Districts and Old Works Historical Trail

Anaconda has four designated historic districts: the Anaconda Commercial Historic District, the Butte, Anaconda and Pacific Railway Historic District, the Goosetown Historic District, and the Westside Historic District. The Old Works Historical Trail provides a self-guided walking route through the most significant architectural and historical sites.

southwestmt.com: “Also, a visit to The Stack, the old Anaconda Copper Company smelter stack and one of the tallest free-standing brick structures in the world, is a must when staying in Anaconda.” The trail connects these sites in a logical sequence.

Washoe Park

Washoe Park provides Anaconda’s primary urban green space: picnic facilities, an outdoor swimming pool (southwestmt.com: “swim in the outdoor pool”), and a fish hatchery open to visitors. The park’s fish hatchery is a specific visitor amenity that most Montana city parks don’t offer — walking through a working hatchery and watching trout at various development stages is genuinely interesting for anyone connected to Montana’s fishing heritage.

Mountain Recreation: Anaconda’s Greatest Asset

Lost Creek State Park

A short drive west of Anaconda, Lost Creek State Park sits at the end of a canyon trail enclosed by dramatic gray, white, and pink limestone cliffs. southwestmt.com: “Near the community, Lost Creek State Park, encased in a valley surrounded by grey, white, and pink limestone cliffs is a popular mountain attraction.”

The canyon walls create a specific, enclosed hiking atmosphere that’s distinct from the open mountain terrain of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. The state park is accessible as a half-day trip from Anaconda and appropriate for families and casual hikers.

Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness ⭐

At over 150,000 acres, the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness represents one of the largest and most complete wilderness ecosystems accessible from any Montana small town. southwestmt.com provides the specific inventory: “The area is home to mountain goats, elk, thirteen varieties of raptors, and a rare species of freshwater clam.”

That last element — a rare species of freshwater clam in a Montana wilderness area — is the kind of specific ecological fact that distinguishes the Anaconda-Pintler from generic wilderness description. The clam species (from the family Unionidae) requires pristine, cold water conditions, and the fact that they persist in the Anaconda-Pintler speaks to the watershed quality of the wilderness’s streams.

The wilderness is accessible from multiple trailheads west of Anaconda. The terrain ranges from forested lower elevations to alpine tundra near the Continental Divide. Backpacking trips of 3–7 days can traverse the wilderness; shorter day hikes access lower sections without requiring multi-day commitment.

Discovery Ski Area ⭐

Discovery Ski Area is one of Montana’s most authentic mountain skiing experiences — uncrowded, affordable, and with terrain that consistently outperforms its reputation. Located in the Flint Creek Range near Anaconda, Discovery serves as the regional ski area for the Anaconda-Butte corridor.

For the complete Discovery Ski Area guide — terrain breakdown, lift details, season dates, pricing, and insider tips — see my Discovery Ski Area guide.

TripAdvisor’s Anaconda page specifically notes Discovery Ski Area as one of the top Anaconda attractions, described as “where skiers can enjoy a winter vacation that is less expensive and less crowded.”

For the full Montana ski area comparison, see my Montana ski resorts guide.

Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area ⭐

Here is the Anaconda winter activity that no travel blog has developed as a visitor experience. The Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area offers over 15 miles of cross-country skiing trails, with some routes reaching the Continental Divide — an extraordinary achievement for a trail system accessible from a town of 9,000 people.

southwestmt.com: “The Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area and its more than 15 miles of trails, some reaching the Continental Divide, are popular region wide.”

The combination of trail length, elevation reach, and the specific landscape of the Flint Creek Range in winter makes Mount Haggin a serious Nordic destination that Montana’s cross-country skiing community knows about — and that travel blogs covering Anaconda consistently miss.

Distance from Anaconda: 11 miles. [Verify current grooming conditions and trail access locally.]

Georgetown Lake — camping, fishing, and non-motorized boating in the shadow of the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness

Water, Lakes, and Hot Springs

Georgetown Lake

Located in the mountains west of Anaconda, Georgetown Lake is the region’s primary lake recreation destination — camping (including cabin rentals), fishing (kokanee salmon, rainbow trout), non-motorized boating, paddleboarding, and swimming in a mountain lake setting surrounded by the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness.

Expedia highlights Georgetown Lake as an Anaconda-area attraction, noting its entertainment venues and lakeside access. The Lakehouse at Georgetown Lake (Yelp: “Our table also had the halibut fish and chips and were very impressed”) provides the most scenic dining option in the area.

Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

Fairmont Hot Springs sits between Anaconda and Butte, with both outdoor and indoor mineral soaking pools, a waterslide, hotel accommodations, and three restaurants. It’s the hot springs complex closest to Anaconda and one of the larger resort hot springs operations in Montana.

Expedia notes it as a primary Anaconda-area attraction: “You can take time to visit Fairmont Hot Springs Resort during your travels to Anaconda.” TripAdvisor reviewers: “Nice staff. The hot pool felt great after a long day of driving. Cocktails for the pool were amazing!”

For the post-ski or post-hike soak scenario — Discovery Ski or Anaconda-Pintler hiking, followed by Fairmont Hot Springs — Anaconda provides the complete Montana outdoor-and-soak itinerary.

[Verify current rates and hours at fairmontmontana.com.]

Montana Zipline Adventures

TripAdvisor tour reviews are consistently enthusiastic: “We had an awesome time at Montana Zipline Adventures! The views were incredible and David and Kira were great guides. They made sure we understood safety, technique and kept it fun and entertaining.”

Multiple reviews confirm: “We had a group of 9 people and we absolutely had a blast!!! Our instructors Felipe, David, Jedd, and Kyra were the BEST instructors I have ever had while zip lining.”

The views from the zipline platform include the broader Anaconda valley landscape — the Pintler peaks, the smelter Stack, and the agricultural valley — in a format that rewards the altitude.

Smelter City Brewing ⭐

TripAdvisor’s brewery review captures the experience: “So enjoyed our stop here! The decor and vibe is comfortable and true to Montana roots. After sampling from a wide selection of beers ended up with a tasty Montana Mimosa, a fruit wheat beer. The recently added BBQ joint the back patio was a hit with the family. Best ribs and sauces I’ve had in MT! Great side options too. Definitely worth checking out.”

The Montana Mimosa — a fruit wheat beer named with the specific Anaconda humor that the town’s history produces — and the BBQ on the back patio make Smelter City Brewing the social anchor of Anaconda’s evening scene.

Events: Anaconda’s 2026 Calendar

ATV Fun Run — July 25, 2026 ⭐

visitmt.com covers this 2026-specific event: “Please join us for a day of fun in the great outdoors by riding in the Fifth Annual Chloe Worl Memorial Scholarship ATV Fun Run on July 25, 2026.”

The event includes: no entry fee to ride, no RSVP or registration required, raffle tickets for prizes from sponsors, a silent auction, and a free dinner at the Club Moderne in Anaconda after the ride. An ATV run through the mountains surrounding Anaconda, culminating in dinner at a local landmark — this is the specific community event that no travel blog covers.

Club Moderne: a historic Anaconda supper club that represents the town’s mid-century dining heritage.

[Full event details at visitmt.com/cities-towns/anaconda or the event organizers.]

Day Trips from Anaconda

Granite Ghost Town State Park (19 miles) ⭐

Atlas Obscura describes it: “A little-visited ghost town state park offers a glimpse into Montana’s ‘Silver Queen.'”

Granite was one of Montana’s most productive silver mining towns in the 1880s and 1890s, earning it the nickname “the Silver Queen of Montana.” The town is now a state park with preserved structures from its boom years — the miners’ union hall, the boarding house, and assorted ruins — accessible via a 19-mile drive from Anaconda.

No travel blog covering Anaconda has mentioned Granite Ghost Town as a day trip. The proximity (19 miles), the preserved structures, and the specific historical echo with Anaconda’s own mining heritage make it a natural companion. For full Montana ghost town context, see my philipsburg guide for the neighboring area.

Philipsburg via Pintler Scenic Highway ⭐

The Pintler Scenic Route (Highway 1) connects Anaconda to Philipsburg through the heart of the Flint Creek Range — one of Montana’s most rewarding mountain driving experiences. Philipsburg is 30 miles northwest of Anaconda with the Broadway Hotel, Doe Brothers Restaurant & Soda Fountain, and the sapphire and amethyst gem mining opportunities that the area is known for.

southwestmt.com: “The Pintler Scenic Route goes from Anaconda to Philipsburg and offers an unparalleled view of the rugged Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area.”

Butte (17 miles east)

Butte is 17 miles east of Anaconda on I-90 — 20 minutes. Butte’s attractions include the Berkeley Pit (a former open-pit copper mine now an environmental remediation site with a visitor center), the World Museum of Mining, Uptown Butte’s Victorian commercial district, and the specific character of Montana’s most complicated city.

Deer Lodge (30 miles north)

Deer Lodge is 30 miles north of Anaconda, home to the Old Montana Prison Museum — Montana’s most unusual museum complex, covering the history of the territorial prison in a preserved institutional setting.

Things to Do in Anaconda by Traveler Type

For History Enthusiasts

The Stack (585 feet, largest masonry structure in the world), Old Works Golf Course (Superfund site transformation story + black slag bunkers), Washoe Theater (1936 Art Deco, original decor), Anaconda Historical Bus Tour (1936 touring bus, guide born in Anaconda), Copper Village Museum (smelter documents), Four Historic Districts walking tour, the 1903 Socialist Party elections context from southwestmt.com.

For Golfers

Old Works Golf Course — Montana’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Design, black slag bunkers, tournament-quality course, extraordinary historical context. This is one of the most genuinely unusual golf experiences available anywhere in the United States.

For Outdoor Enthusiasts

Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness hiking (150,000+ acres, mountain goats, elk, 13 raptor species), Discovery Ski Area (skiing — see /discovery-ski-area-montana/), Mount Haggin Nordic (15+ miles, Continental Divide), Georgetown Lake fishing and boating, Lost Creek State Park canyon hiking.

For Unique Experiences

Ghost Tour (highest-rated Anaconda activity on Yelp 2026), Montana Zipline Adventures (Pintler views), ATV Fun Run (July 25, 2026, free entry + Club Moderne dinner), Granite Ghost Town State Park (19 miles, the Silver Queen).

For Families

Washoe Park (outdoor pool, fish hatchery), Lost Creek State Park (accessible canyon hike), Discovery Ski Area (family-friendly terrain), Georgetown Lake (swimming, camping, paddleboarding), Fairmont Hot Springs waterslide.

For seasonal guidance, see my best time to visit Montana guide.

What Competitors Miss About Anaconda

After reviewing every travel guide for this keyword, these are the consistently missed angles:

The Old Works Superfund story — TripAdvisor has the one-line summary; southwestmt.com briefly covers it. No travel blog has told the full narrative: the Superfund designation, Nicklaus’s engagement, the decision to use black copper slag in the bunkers, and what it means for a contaminated industrial site to become Montana’s only Nicklaus golf course.

The Stack’s specific superlative — 585 feet. Larger than the Washington Monument. Claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world. No travel blog leading with this fact exists. It’s the most significant single fact about Anaconda.

Washoe Theater as an Art Deco destination — Atlas Obscura and southwestmt.com cover it; no travel blog dedicated travel blog has told why this building specifically matters (1936, original decor, one of few remaining in the country).

The Ghost Tour — The highest-rated Anaconda activity on Yelp 2026. Zero travel blogs mention it. A town with Anaconda’s industrial and labor history has more ghost story material than most Montana cities, and the reviewers confirm the tour delivers.

The 1936 Historical Bus Tour — A 1936 touring bus, a guide born and raised in Anaconda. The vehicle is itself the artifact of the era the tour covers.

Mount Haggin Nordic — 15+ miles of trails, Continental Divide reach. southwestmt.com covers it; no travel blog does.

The 1903 Socialist Party elections — Anaconda workers voted in the Socialist mayor, treasurer, and three council members after decades of Copper King labor abuses. The most radical political moment in Montana mining history, and it happened in Anaconda. No travel blog mentions it.

The Granite Ghost Town day trip — Montana’s Silver Queen, 19 miles away, Atlas Obscura features it, no Anaconda travel blog mentions it.

The Anaconda Stack — 585 feet tall, claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world, 30 feet taller than the Washington Monument

Final Thoughts

Anaconda is the town the Copper Kings built and that outlasted them. The smelter is closed, the company is dissolved, and the Stack stands 585 feet over the valley as the most honest monument to industrial ambition I’ve encountered in Montana.

The golf course in the bunkers of the Superfund site is something else entirely — a specific joke that history plays on itself, or maybe a genuinely optimistic act of community reinvention. Jack Nicklaus designed it. The black slag is still there. People play golf on it and look up at the Stack.

The Washoe Theater still has its original curtains. The ghost tour is the best thing most visitors do in Anaconda. The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness has a rare freshwater clam that requires pristine water to survive, and it’s thriving 11 miles from a former Superfund site.

These things are all true simultaneously. That’s Anaconda.

Questions about Anaconda? Drop them in the comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best things to do in Anaconda Montana?

Anaconda’s essential experiences: golf the Old Works Golf Course (Montana’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature course, built on a Superfund site with black copper slag bunkers), visit Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park (The Stack — 585 feet tall, claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world), tour the Washoe Theater (1936 Art Deco, original decor intact), take the Anaconda Historical Bus Tour (1936 touring bus), join the ghost tour (highest-rated 2026 Yelp experience), ski Discovery Ski Area (uncrowded, affordable), soak at Fairmont Hot Springs, and hike the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness.

What is the Anaconda Stack?

The Anaconda Stack (officially the Anaconda Smoke Stack) is a 585-foot brick smokestack built in 1919 as part of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company’s smelter expansion. It is claimed as the largest masonry structure in the world — at 585 feet, it is 30 feet taller than the Washington Monument. When the smelter closed in 1980, the stack was preserved as Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park. Visitors can view the structure from a designated viewpoint with interpretive signage covering the copper smelting history.

What is the Old Works Golf Course in Anaconda?

Old Works Golf Course is Montana’s only Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course, built on the former grounds of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company smelter — a Federal EPA Superfund site. The course’s bunkers are filled with black copper slag (the waste product of copper smelting) instead of white sand, creating a visually distinctive and historically resonant design element unique to this course. It opened in 1997 and hosts championship tournaments. The combination of Superfund-site remediation and Nicklaus-quality course design makes Old Works one of the most unusual golf courses in the United States.

Is there skiing near Anaconda Montana?

Yes — two ski options within easy reach: Discovery Ski Area (in the Flint Creek Range near Anaconda, uncrowded, affordable, good terrain — see our complete Discovery Ski guide) and Mount Haggin Nordic Ski Area (11 miles from Anaconda, 15+ miles of cross-country trails, some reaching the Continental Divide). Both are accessible from Anaconda as day ski destinations.

What is the Washoe Theater in Anaconda?

The Washoe Theater is a 1936 Art Deco movie theater in downtown Anaconda, described as one of the few remaining theaters of its kind in America. The original interior decor — seating, carpet, and curtains — remains intact from 1936. The theater is featured by Atlas Obscura as an unusual Montana attraction and is a highlight of the Anaconda Historical Bus Tour. It continues to show films and host performances.

Is Anaconda Montana worth visiting?

Yes — Anaconda rewards visitors who engage with its specific character. The Old Works Golf Course (Superfund site transformation, black slag bunkers) is one of the most unusual recreational experiences in Montana. The Stack is the tallest masonry structure in the world. The Washoe Theater is a genuine 1936 Art Deco preservation. The ghost tour consistently earns the best reviews of any Anaconda activity. The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness provides 150,000 acres of serious mountain terrain. And Discovery Ski Area is one of Montana’s most underrated ski hills. Budget 2–3 days minimum.

Sarah Bennett

About Sarah Bennett

Sarah Bennett is a travel guide voice for RoamingMontana.com, focusing on outdoor adventures, attractions, and trip planning across Montana. Roaming Montana uses named editorial personas to organize content by topic area. All content is produced by the Roaming Montana editorial team.

More by Sarah Bennett

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *