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Berkeley Pit, Butte, MT

Photo: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingQuirky FunHistory Buff

Berkeley Pit

350 Shields Ave · Butte, MT

Why you should go…

The Berkeley Pit was opened by the Anaconda Copper Mining Company in 1955 and closed in 1982. It is about one mile long, half a mile wide and roughly 1,780 feet deep, and it has been filling with acidic, metal-laden water ever since. You see it from a viewing stand on the southwest rim at the east end of Park Street in Uptown Butte, next to a gift shop. The pit sits within a federal Superfund site, and a water treatment plant has operated there since 2019.

  • #mining history
  • #viewing stand
  • #open pit mine
  • #copper mine

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Berkeley Pit, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Anaconda

    Free

    Historic copper-smelting town in southwest Montana between Yellowstone and Glacier, with a downtown visitor center.

    22 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Montana Zipline Adventures

    $50+

    Montana's longest zipline course, seven lines totaling over 9,300 feet through the Pintler Wilderness.

    22 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Stay
    Family Favorite

    Fairmont Hot Springs Resort

    $50+

    Year-round mineral hot springs resort near Anaconda with four spring-fed pools, a waterslide, golf and lodging.

    22 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Old Montana Prison Museum Complex

    Under $25

    Five museums inside a former territorial prison, covering Montana history, antique cars and vintage toys.

    28 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site

    Free

    Tour a working cattle ranch from the open-range era, with a historic ranch house, living history and walking trails.

    29 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Montana State Capitol

    Free

    Tour the copper-domed statehouse and see Charles M. Russell's 25-foot Lewis and Clark painting in the House chamber.

    46 mi awayMore like this