The 10 Best-Ever Things to Do in the Capital City of Montana

Welcome to Helena, Montana

What started out as a gold mining camp in the 1860s is now Montana’s elegant capital city. Here are some of the very best things to do during your visit to Helena (which we think is a must when you’re in the state).

Shop at the Last Chance Gulch

Walk where miners struck gold back in 1864 on their ‘last chance’ before heading home.

Today, this pedestrian-friendly downtown is perfect for shopping. Pop into Montana Book Company, a local favorite since 1978. When you get hungry, grab fresh pastries at Park Avenue Bakery or handmade candies from Parrot Confectionery – they’ve been using the same copper kettles since 1922.

Tour the Montana State Capitol

Helena is the capital of Montana, so when you’re in town, reserve some time for the state capitol. You can’t miss the gleaming copper dome, built in 1902.

Take a free tour Monday through Friday (every hour from 9-4) and check out Charles Russell’s massive 25×12 foot painting of Lewis and Clark meeting the Flathead Indians.

If you’re lucky enough to visit during legislative sessions in odd-numbered years, you can watch real government debates from the public gallery.

Gates of the Mountains Boat Tour

These breathtaking 1,200-foot limestone cliffs were named by Meriwether Lewis during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It’s a must on any Helena trip.

Hop on a 2-hour boat ride where you can see 2,000-year-old Native American pictographs, spot eagles and bighorn sheep (guides see wildlife on 95% of trips), and learn about the tragic 1949 Mann Gulch Fire that inspired the book ‘Young Men and Fire.’ Tours run at 11am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm daily from Memorial Day through September.

Visit the Cathedral of St. Helena

This Gothic Revival church is a Helena icon. Those 59 stunning stained glass windows were crafted in Bavaria between 1924-1926. Visit any day between 9-5 for a self-guided tour, and watch free 30-minute organ concerts on summer Tuesdays at noon featuring the 1935 pipe organ.

You can tour the towers every Wednesday (by reservation) to see the 29 cast bronze bells and a panoramic view of Helena from 230 feet above the city.

Walk Around Reeder’s Alley

This is Helena’s oldest intact neighborhood, built brick by brick by Louis Reeder during the 1800s. Start at Pioneer Cabin (built 1864 – Helena’s oldest building). Take out your phone and go on a self-guided walking tour using QR codes to learn the stories behind each historic spot.

Grab lunch at the Stonehouse Restaurant in Reeder’s original home for old-school meals. Stop by the Montana Historical Society office for detailed historic district maps, or take a $15 ghost tour (May-October) to hear tales of past residents after dark.

Picnic at Mount Helena City Park

If you want to stretch your legs and get some air, head over to Mount Helena City Park. Choose from six trails leading to the 5,468-foot summit, rising 1,300 feet above downtown.

The 1906 Trail is a moderately difficult 3-mile round trip that follows the original path where Helena residents escaped the summer heat. Pack a picnic to enjoy at the limestone outcroppings with 360-degree views of the Sleeping Giant formation, Elkhorn Mountains, and Helena Valley.

Try visiting between mid-April and early June. It’s the perfect time to see Montana’s state flower, the wild bitterroot, blooming alongside arrowleaf balsamroot and blue flax on the Powerline Trail.

Check Out the Original Governor’s Mansion

Montana’s governors lived in this Queen Anne-style mansion from 1913 to 1959. The mansion has been carefully restored to reflect its original state during its early years as the governor’s residence. You can still see the seven ornate fireplaces, along with the formal dining room reserved for state dinners.

Try the stereoscope in the children’s nursery for 3D views of early Helena, then check out the carriage house with Dixon’s 1916 REO Speedwagon.

Ride the Great Northern Carousel

Take a spin on 37 hand-carved Montana animals, each of which took over 800 hours to create. Pick among mountain goats, cutthroat trout, and bobcats for your mount. The grizzly bear and buffalo are local favorites and rise higher than the other animals.

Cool off at the ‘Sleeping Giant’ ice cream parlor next door with 24 fresh-made flavors. As of writing, rides cost $3.00 per ride, or $30.00 for a 12-ride punch card.

Explore the Holter Museum of Art

Tuesdays are free at this awesome museum that’s actually a converted 1930s auto garage. You can join interactive art classes, like a Saturday letterpress workshop ($25) to design custom cards using Montana’s largest collection of working presses from 1878-1965. Join ‘Third Thursday’ open studio nights to make art alongside local artists (materials provided, $10 suggested donation).

You can also bring home Montana-made glass, pottery, and jewelry in the museum store.

Walk Down the Historic Mansion District

Helena once had more millionaires per capita than anywhere in America, and they lived right here.

Start your walk by picking up a map at the Montana Historical Society. Then take your time checking out structures like the T.H. Kleinschmidt Mansion (1891) with its three-story turret and the C.K. Wells House (1889) with elaborate Queen Anne details and fish-scale shingles.

Look for griffins, gargoyles, and Tiffany stained glass windows. Absolutely gorgeous.