Helena
Around Helena
Photo: RTC at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Montana · 96k people
Helena
“Queen City of the Rockies”, “The Capital City”
Where the Rockies meet the Missouri
Montana state blueGold
Welcome to Helena, where the mountains meet the Missouri. Whether you're here to hike, fish, or just soak up the capital's small-town charm, you'll find plenty to love. Grab a coffee on Last Chance Gulch and say hi.
Clubs for Helena
No clubs for Helena yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Helena. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Helena. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Carroll College Private liberal arts college with a scenic campus
- Montana Historical Society Museum Museum of state history and art
- Spring Meadow Lake State Park Popular swimming and picnic spot
- ExplorationWorks Hands-on science museum for kids
- Original Governor's Mansion Historic house museum
- The Myrna Loy Center Performing arts venue in a historic building
- Outdoors Hike Mount Helena
- Outdoors Float the Missouri River
- With kids Visit ExplorationWorks science museum
- With kids Swim at Spring Meadow Lake
- Evenings Bar hop on Last Chance Gulch
- Evenings Catch a show at the Myrna Loy Center
- Locals love Hiking trails
- Locals love Fishing access sites
Through the year
- Last Chance Stampede and Fair July Rodeo and county fair with carnival rides
- Alive at Five June–August Weekly summer concert series in downtown
- Montana Book Festival September Literary events with authors and readings
- Holiday Stroll December Downtown parade and festive shopping night
- Helena Farmers Market May–October Local produce, crafts, and food stalls
Helena has a semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and dry, winters are cold and snowy, and spring brings mud. The best time to be outside is June through September. Best: June through September
Talk like a local
- “the Gulch”
- Downtown Helena's main street, a historic district
- “the Capital”
- Nickname for Helena as the state capital
- “Canyon Ferry”
- Canyon Ferry Lake, often just 'the Ferry'
- “huckleberry”
- Used to describe anything locally sourced or wild, like huckleberries
Getaways
- Butte Historic mining town with a quirky vibe
- Great Falls See the falls and the C.M. Russell Museum
- Bozeman College town with lively downtown and nearby mountains
- Missoula River town with great food and outdoor access
Local flavour
Teams
- Helena Bighorns NA3HL
Also rooting for Montana Grizzlies (University of Montana), Montana State Bobcats (Montana State University)
Eat and drink
- Huckleberry pie Wild huckleberries are a Montana staple, often used in pies, jams, and desserts.
- Bison burger Bison ranching is common in Montana, and bison burgers are a local favorite.
- Pasties
Where people go
- Mountain trails The Helena National Forest and nearby peaks like Mount Helena offer endless hiking and skiing.
- Hot springs Natural hot springs in the area, like those at Boulder or White Sulphur Springs, are a local retreat.
- Ghost towns Abandoned mining camps and ghost towns dot the landscape, echoing the region's gold rush history.
Heritage and traditions
Helena is proud of its gold rush heritage, its role as Montana's capital, and its deep connection to the outdoors, from the Missouri River to the surrounding mountains.
This time of year in Helena
- Hunting season fall Elk and deer hunting are a major tradition, with many locals heading to the woods.
- Fall colors fall Aspen groves turn golden, making for scenic drives.
Say it like a local: “Huckleberry” — Something good or a term of endearment.
Festivals
- Vigilante Day Parade May A community parade reenacting the vigilante era of the 1860s, with floats and costumes.
- Helena Dragon Boat Festival June Dragon boat races on the Missouri River, celebrating the city's riverside heritage.
Landmarks with a story
- St. Helena Cathedral A stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture, completed in 1924.
- Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site A preserved 19th-century cattle ranch in Deer Lodge, showcasing the open-range era.
- Old Montana Prison A former territorial prison in Deer Lodge, now a museum with tours.
- Broadwater Hotel A historic hotel and hot springs resort, once a social hub for the area.
- Montana State Capitol The state capitol with a distinctive copper dome, housing the legislature and governor's office.
- Fort Harrison An active military installation with a history dating to the 1890s, now home to the VA hospital.
Food traditions
- Huckleberry pie A local favorite made from wild huckleberries picked in the surrounding forests.
- Bison burger Ground bison from local ranches, a lean and flavorful alternative to beef.
- Pasties A Cornish miner's meal brought by immigrants, filled with meat and vegetables.
- Huckleberry shake A creamy shake made with huckleberries, a summer staple.
- Chokecherry syrup A sweet-tart syrup made from wild chokecherries, often used on pancakes.
Music and arts
- Helena Symphony Orchestra A professional orchestra performing classical and pops concerts.
- Montana Historical Society Museum Houses significant Western art and artifacts, including works by C.M. Russell.
- Helena Civic Theatre A community theater producing plays and musicals since the 1920s.
- Cowboy poetry A tradition of reciting poetry about ranch life, often featured at local gatherings.
A little history
- 1864 Gold discovered in Last Chance Gulch, leading to Helena's founding.
- 1860s Vigilante justice era, with the hanging of several outlaws.
- 1889 Montana becomes a state, with Helena as the capital.
- 1902 The Montana State Capitol building is completed.
- 1935 A major earthquake damages many buildings in Helena.
Rivalries
- Montana Grizzlies vs Montana State Bobcats The Brawl of the Wild, a fierce college football rivalry
- Helena High vs Capital High Local high school football rivalry
- Helena vs Butte Friendly rivalry over state capital status and bragging rights
- Game day Helena Bighorns hockey
- Game day High school football
- Outdoors Soak in hot springs
- Outdoors Pan for gold
- With kids Pan for gold
- With kids Soak at the Broadwater
Montanans speak with a neutral American accent, often using Western slang like 'pop' for soda and 'the Big Sky' for the state. They tend to drop the 'g' in -ing words and use 'howdy' as a casual greeting.
Only here
- The Vigilante Day Parade, a unique historical reenactment.
- The M on Mount Helena, a large white M made of stones.
- The Last Chance Gulch, the original gold rush street now a pedestrian mall.
- The copper dome of the State Capitol, a symbol of Montana's mining heritage.
New here? A few tips
- Dress in layers; weather changes quickly, and winters are cold.
- Learn to say 'Helena' with a long 'e' (HELL-en-uh), not like the saint's name.
- Try a huckleberry shake and a pasty from a local diner.
- Get a fishing license and try the Missouri River for trout.
- Be aware of wildfire smoke in summer and icy roads in winter.
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Nearby
Every areaButteMontanaWhere the mountains are steep and the pasties are hotAnaconda–Deer LodgeMontanaWhere copper history meets sapphire skiesGreat FallsMontanaWhere the prairie meets the riverBozemanMontanaBig skies, bigger mountains.MissoulaMontanaRiver, mountains, and a whole lot of huckleberry.Livingston–Big TimberMontanaWhere the river runs wild and the mountains touch the sky.KalispellMontanaGateway to Glacier, heart of the Flathead
Helena, MT. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.