Crystal Park Recreational Mineral Collection Area:
Crystal Park is a unique recreation area at an elevation of 7800 feet in the Pioneer Mountains in southwest Montana. The Butte Mineral and Gem Club maintains mining claims at Crystal Park open to the public for digging quartz crystals. The Forest Service and Butte Mineral and Gem Club work together to promote, develop and maintain this site for recreation. You are welcome to dig for quarts crystals.
Crystal Park is open May 15 to September 30, but those dates are subject to change depending on snow and road conditions. There is no charge.
Fairmont Hot Springs is located only 15 miles west of Butte. It has two Olympic sized natural mineral pools and soaking pools, a 350' enclosed waterslide, an 18 hole golf course, massage services, tennis, horseback riding, a wildlife zoo, cookouts, hiking, mountain biking, excellent fishing at the Big Hole River, boating at Georgetown Lake, and skiing at Discovery Basin.
The hotel includes 130 Deluxe Rooms, 28 suites, 130 seat dining room, and much more. Call 1-800-332-3272 for more information.
Georgetown lake is nestled on top of the Flint Creek Pass among the Pintlar Wilderness to the south, Flint Creek Mountain Range to the North, Flint Creek valley to the west, and the Deer Lodge Valley and Anaconda to the east. It is a man-made lake of approximately 2780 acres of surface area enclosed by 19 miles of shoreline. It is known to be the best fishing in Montana and one of the best fishing lakes in North America.
The lake supports many different types of water sports: water skiing, swimming, boat riding, and much more.
Virginia and Nevada Cities are the best known Ghost Towns, and are easily accessible by a year-round highway. Many others are accessible through back-country trails, open to hiking in the summer, and cross-country skiing in the winter. In all, there are 24 ghost towns to be seen in Gold West Country.
Local maps will provide more information on the specific locations of these ghost towns.
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park:
This park is located halfway between Butte and Bozeman, open daily from May through September. It is also open weekends in April and October. The parks includes limestone caves that have spectacular natural formations of stalactites and stalagmites, which are open for guided tours.
Admission fees are charged for entrance, and extra is charged for a tour of the caverns.
Administered by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and parks, Lost Creek State Park is located 10 miles from Anaconda. The park is open from May 1 until November 30. An increasing number of visitors enjoy Lost Creek's aesthetic beauty each year. The varied wildlife, unusual geologic formations, forested canyon and waterfall provide visitors with a unique outdoor experience.
No admission is charged, but donations are accepted to help offset the maintenance costs of keeping the park running.