My goodness! It’s been a busy summer so far. Lots of traveling and other projects. But now I have a little time to work on writing about all my various adventures, and for starters, I’m going all the way back to Memorial Day.
Memorial Day. The weekend where every year my friends and I find our sandals and buy new sunscreen and get together to celebrate the beginning of summer.
So, of course, it was raining.
We were, however, undeterred. Tradition is tradition after all. Whenever we get together we try to pick a new place to explore and this trip’s pick was Philipsburg–P-Burg to the locals. And we had a blast!
Almost exactly halfway between the two National Parks, Philipsburg is one of Montana’s underrated gems. The small town–currently about 800 people–was build around a silver mill and named after the mill’s operator Philip Deidesheimer. Full of cool old brick buildings and nestled among a cluster of rolling hills, the town is picturesque and full of charm. It is also an excellent jumping off point for a number of outdoor (and in our case, indoor) activities.
So here it is, 8 fun things you can do in Philipsburg (even if it is raining):
1. Go for a Scenic Drive
Not everyone is always up for an outdoor adventure, especially when it is raining, but you can still appreciate this beautiful pocket of the state just by going for a drive. Philipsburg is located right in the middle of Pinter Veterans Memorial Scenic Highway, the stretch of MT Hwy 1 running from Anaconda to Drummond. Even if you aren’t already in Philipsburg, I would definitely recommend this drive as an alternate to taking I-90. And if you are already in the area, this drive is very enjoyable on its own, or it can easily become part of your other adventures in the area.
The road does get a little windy around Georgetown Lake, and passing can be difficult. There are a couple spots where the hill drops off beside the road (but this does improve the view). But all-in-all, the road is wide and well maintained, and this is a low stress, pleasant drive.
If you are feeling really adventurous, you can drive over Skalkaho Pass. This road switches back and forth from pavement to dirt, and is only open in the summer. It can get very narrow and windy in spots, and more than a little bumpy. The scenery, however, is worth the work. And if you happen to come in the spring or early summer (aka Memorial Day) when the run-off is coming in, Skalkaho Falls is very impressive.
2. Brewery Tour
If you are out driving anyway, it is not difficult to add in to some of the great breweries in the area–located in Deer Lodge, Anaconda, and Philipsburg itself. Just remember to drive responsibly on your brewery tour. Either have a DD, or spread out you visits.
Elk Ridge Brewing Company
The Elk Ridge Brewing Company in Deer Lodge is designed as a hunters’ paradise, from its large collection of stuffed animals, to its elk and nature themed beer names, to its awesomely unique antler studded flight trays. Their beer is unique as well. The stout (“War Tine”) was smoky but still very drinkable, and there were some very interesting and tasty options such as the Jalapeño Cream Ale (“Cow in Heat”) and the Black IPA (“Black Mountain”).
Along with a clean, pleasant atmosphere, there was also popcorn provided for snacking along with your beers, and while we regrettably didn’t discover this until we were leaving, dogs are allowed inside!
Smelter City Brewing
Smelter City Brewing in Anaconda is another great brewery. Housed in an old brick building with lots of character, they also serve popcorn and allow dogs. The name is an homage to Anaconda’s mining history (it is a common theme in this area). Smelter City has a wide range of IPAs–we liked all of them but the Road to Wisdom; it was a little unfiltered for our tastes, but if unfiltered is your thing, enjoy! They also had quite a few fruit flavored beers, which are not always may favorite, but theirs were generally enjoyable.
Philipsburg Brewing Company
Despite these other excellent options, our favorite brewery of the trip was the one in Philipsburg itself. Philipsburg Brewing Company is housed in the historic Sarys Building in downtown Philipsburg, an old, charming building full of character and incredibly tasty beer. Our favorite is the Tramway Rye Pale Ale (named for the old tramway that used to connect Philipsburg to the mining city of Granite), but I also have to put in a good word for their Montana 1 IPA, their “Gonk” Amber, their Badfinger Imperial Stout, and their Hygge Baltic Porter. Pretty much all their beers!
While they didn’t have a cool flight tray like the other breweries on this list, they did have a cold copper strip down the middle of the bar to keep their beers cold (and with such great beers, who needs a fancy tray, anyway). Throw in some live music and the company of our four-legged friends–who were once again allowed–and we had the perfect recipe for an excellent evening.
3. Fairmont Hot Springs
Since we were out driving anyway, it only seemed natural to stop at Fairmont Hot Springs, probably Montana’s most developed hot springs (that statement is based almost entirely on the fact that, unlike any other I know of, Fairmont has a water slide).
Fairmont is a full resort, complete with hotel, restaurants, golf course, and spa. Our main interest was the pools, of which there were four: a large pool at 95 degrees and a small soaker at 106 degrees both inside and out (Note: the water temp varies; those were the temperatures the day we were there). Public admission is $11.75 on the weekend ($8.50 for children 10 and under; $6.75 for seniors 65 and older). If you can swing a trip during the week it is a few dollars cheaper.
Fairmont is far and away the most kid friendly of all the hot springs I have visited in Montana. The big pools have large shallow ends, inflatable toys are allowed, lifeguards are on duty during public hours, and there are concession stands on the pool deck (as well as poolside bars for mom and dad!).
And then, of course, there is the water slide. 5 stories tall, fully enclosed, and open all year, the water slide offers a thrill for all ages. It does, however, cost a little bit extra. You can buy a swim and slide pass–regular weekend rate is $19.75–or you can purchase a token per ride for $2.
Because these pools are so great for kids, expect a lot of them to be there (and I mean a lot!). If you are looking for an opportunity for family fun, this is a great option. If you are looking for a quiet soak, you may want to try somewhere else.
4. Go Hiking
There are so many opportunities to explore the great outdoors near Philipsburg. Just a few miles away you can reach Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana’s largest national forest, which boasts plenty of opportunities for picnicking, day hikes, camping, cabin rentals, fishing, and much more. To find an adventure that suits you, explore their website here.
Just beyond the national forest lies. The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness, also managed by the forest service but with much stricter regulations in order to preserve this pristine bit of wilderness where the Anaconda Mountain Range straddles the Continental Divide for those of you unfamiliar with wilderness areas, be aware that all wheeled vehicles–including bicycles–are prohibited, all users must register, and there are limits on group size (12 people), and Leave No Trace practices are incredibly important. For more info on wilderness regulations, click here.
We chose to explore the Moose Lake area, along the middle fork of Rock Creek. We wandered off the trails, ever hopeful of finding Morrell mushrooms, but the conditions weren’t right. However, we did find a plethora of beautiful little wildflowers, and the dogs had a terrific day running in and out of the stream and breathing in the deep rich smells of the forest in the rain (the humans appreciated the smells as well)!
5. Hanging Out In Town
While there is plenty to explore all around it, Philipsburg itself is also a fun place to explore. The lovely old-fashioned brick buildings are in good condition, a pleasant reminder of the town’s history. While there are a variety of options to choose from–coffee shops, pubs, the Granite County Museum, and let’s not forget the brewery (see above)–there are two stops that stand out as favorites among P-burg’s many attractions.
The Sweet Palace
Who doesn’t love a candy emporium? I mean really? Even if you know better that to buy several bags and go home and gorge, candy shops are always fun to explore–plus I love the smell. The Sweet Palace has a little of everything, from big bins of salt water taffy, to old-fashioned treats, to licorice, to fudge and truffles. Yummers! Personally I always head straight for the truffles, and often times you get the opportunity to sample some free fudge as you check out.
The Sweet Palace is closed on Saturdays though, so if you are just going for the day, Sunday is a better weekend option.
The Sapphire Gallery
Right next door to the Sweet Palace is what appears to be a jewelry store–the Sapphire Gallery–and while you can, if fact, find lots of pretty things there, it has something else to offer. Ever wanted to mine for your own gems? Whether or not you have, here you can, although you get to skip the hard part of digging the gravel out of the mountain. Instead, you purchase a bag of gravel and are shown how to swift through it for the gems. You are certain to find plenty of little bits of gems, and likely to walk away with a few decent stones as well.
6. Explore Granite Ghost Town
And for all you history buffs out there, Granite Ghost Town is definitely worth the visit. The remains of the once great mining city are just four miles from Philipsburg. The town was built in the early 1880s around the thriving Granite Mountain and Bi-Metallic silver mines. At its height, the city had a population of 3,000 people. But after the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was repealed in 1893, the mines were forced to make some drastic cuts, and the town was virtually abandoned within a year.
Most of the buildings have long since disappeared, leaving only their foundations to mark where they stood, but a few are still standing. Visitors can still see the Miners’ Union Hall and the Superintendent’s house, as well as explore the huge remains of the old stamp mill, where you can see the opening of the great Ruby Shaft (the dogs were leashed up as we did our exploring; we didn’t want them accidentally falling down one of the shafts).
To improve your experience, I highly recommend visiting the Granite County Museum in Philipsburg before you go. There you can learn more about the city and check out old photographs from Granite in its prime. You can also purchase a guide book for a few dollars to take up to Granite itself, which will explain some of the different sights along the way.
7. Spend Time on Georgetown Lake
For all you water lovers like me, Georgetown Lake is a great option. Unfortunately for us, all the weather really allowed for was a chilly picnic (although the dogs were brave enough to try the water).
However, when the sun is shining, this 3,000+ acre reservoir–originally build to help power the mines–is an excellent place to boat, kayak, paddle board, and swim. Better yet, it is a Blue Ribbon Fishery, so anglers in particular love Georgetown. A great deal of the shore is privately owned, but there are plenty of campgrounds for public access.
8. Ski Discovery
This is the one thing that I admittedly didn’t do over the weekend, because I was entirely out of season (although it was cool enough that there was still snow up there; it just probably wouldn’t have been any fun to ski on). The mountain was never far away during our weekend however, as it is clearly visible from town. It reminded me of other trips I’ve made there in the past. As a VERY beginner skier, Discovery was always my favorite, as it had the biggest bunny hill, but my friends who were more advanced skiers always liked it as well. So if you are ever in P-burg in the winter, definitely set aside some time to hit the slopes.
So that’s my pick of things to do in Philipsburg, MT. Anyone have any other good ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments below.