Places to visit in Anaconda, MT.
Anaconda, Montana, is a small town with some things to do. This community offers a growing downtown business district with a coffee shop, bakery, salons, fitness studio, and clothing boutiques.
One of the best attractions in town is the Washoe Theater, built in 1931 and one of the country’s best preserved of its kind. It is a popular venue for concerts, plays, and movies.
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Contemporary Year-round Family & Convention Resort
Fairmont Hot Springs is a premier Montana hot springs with an exciting 350-foot enclosed waterslide. It is a full-service resort with 153 guest rooms and suites, four naturally heated hot springs pools, indoor and outdoor, a golf course, Whispering Willows Spa, 20,000 square feet of meeting and catering space, and more!
Accommodations
There are 153 spacious rooms and suites that sleep up to eight. They offer king and queen beds, mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, and free WiFi. Some of them also have kitchens, perfect for families on a getaway!
Dining
The resort offers three restaurants: Springwater Cafe and Waters Edge Dining Room. In addition, whiskey Joe’s Lounge is a full-service bar offering beer and wine.
Pools & Water Slide
The resort is famous for its pools, including two oversized Olympic hot spring swimming pools, two mineral-soaking pools, and a 350-foot enclosed waterslide. An unlimited supply of 155-degree natural hot springs water feeds the pools.
Guests enjoy a range of spa services, including massage, salt and sugar scrubs, hand and foot treatments, and more from the resort’s Whispering Willows Spa. The resort also offers a fitness center, steam room, summer season pool bar, and lounge.
Other features include complimentary newspapers in the lobby, a 24-hour business center, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Tour/ticket assistance and a roundtrip airport shuttle (surcharge) are also available.
This resort is a short drive from Copper Village Museum & Arts Center and Washoe Theatre. It’s also a quick walk to the hot springs.
Washoe Theatre in Anaconda, Montana
If you love going to the movie theater, then the Washoe Theatre in Anaconda is a must-see. The theater may not have the newest technology or fancy IMAX projectors like many modern cinemas, but its historical designs and cheap tickets make it a popular tourist stop.
It is a classic art deco building designed by Marcus B. Priteca, an esteemed theater architect who designed Pantages Theaters in California and the Seattle Coliseum.
The theater was finished in 1931, but due to the lean times of the Great Depression, it wasn’t opened until 1936. However, it is still ranked fifth in the country for its architectural value by the Smithsonian Institute, and it continues to be a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
The inside of the theater is just as enchanting as the movies. Its walls feature ornate reliefs and accents, a beautiful reminder of the mining industry that once dominated Anaconda. There are also copper details, carved ram’s heads, and several eye-catching murals created by Hollywood designer Nat Smythe.
Discovery Ski Area
Discovery Ski Area is one of the best options if you are looking for a fun ski place. This family-run ski resort has great runs and a terrain park at a great price.
The area is on a moderate-sized mountain called Rumsey Mountain, with a base elevation of 6480 feet. It prevents the area from getting pounded by big snow storms and makes it more likely to get plenty of snow each year.
Discovery has three faces perfect for all ages and abilities of skiers and snowboarders. The front face offers gently sloping runs and advanced groomed cruisers. Off the Granite Chair, you will find steeper groomed runs and mogul skiing, while on the back side, the north-facing Limelight lift brings you to some of the steepest terrains in Montana.
Lost Creek State Park
Lost Creek State Park is great for exploring the wilderness with your family. It is home to grey limestone cliffs and pink and white granite formations that rise 1,200 feet above the canyon’s narrow floor.
The park also features a short walking trail to Lost Creek Falls, which plunges 50 feet. It is open year-round for hiking, bicycling, fishing, and wildlife viewing, with mountain goats and bighorn sheep often seen.
The park has 25 campsites with picnic tables, vault toilets, fire rings, and drinking water. It is also pet friendly, so long as your pooch stays on a leash.
Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park
If you’re interested in taking a closer look at Anaconda’s copper smelting past, the Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park is worth seeing. It’s a towering 585-foot-high structure with the tallest free-standing brick smelter stack in the world, and it’s located right in town!
As you drive in to town, you’ll see the smoke stack on your left. Unfortunately, you can’t get close to it because the dirt around it is still so toxic, but there is a small park nearby with plenty of information about the history of the stack and its legacy.
You can also take an Anaconda Historical Bus Tour, which will give you a thorough overview of the city’s copper smelting history. This 90-minute tour departs from the Visitor Center between mid-May and mid-September, and it’s a great way to learn more about Anaconda’s rich history.
Georgetown Lake
Georgetown Lake, nestled in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and Pintler Ranger District, is a large mountain reservoir prime territory for boating and fishing year-round. It also offers plenty of other outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, and mountain biking in the surrounding mountains.
Fishing enthusiasts will find kokanee salmon, large rainbow trout, and brook trout lurking in the cold waters of Georgetown Lake. During the spring, the spawning season is a perfect time to get on the water for a chance at a trophy trout.
There are several campgrounds around the shores of Georgetown Lake and the surrounding national forest and wilderness areas. These offer plenty of space to pitch your tent, RV, or trailer and provide all the comforts you need for a comfortable stay.
Best Things to Do in Anaconda, Montana
Places to visit in Anaconda, MT:
- Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
- Contemporary Year-round Family & Convention Resort
- Accommodations
- Dining
- Pools & Water Slide
- Washoe Theatre in Anaconda, Montana
- Discovery Ski Area
- Lost Creek State Park
- Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park
- Georgetown Lake