Deer Lodge Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Photo provided by Donnie Sexton
Photo provided by Donnie Sexton
Photo provided by Donnie Sexton
Photo provided by Donnie Sexton
Photo provided by Donnie Sexton

Montana’s second-oldest city is rich with gold-mining and ranching history, its wide sweep of open grasslands speckled with heritage buildings and museums.

Discover Montana’s frontier history in Deer Lodge, located in Powell County. Established by gold miners and cattle ranchers in the late 1800s, Deer Lodge is a cozy city in a broad valley. Its sprawling meadowland is home to Montana’s most extensive range of museums and historical collections, which offer a glimpse of 19th-century life in the state’s northwest. Check out an old prison complex and visit a working cattle ranch of national historical significance.

As you explore the downtown center of Deer Lodge, imagine how it would have appeared as a frontier town in the 1870s. The sweeping meadowlands are sheltered by mountain ranges to the east and west and are ideal for raising cattle. Early pioneers settled ranches here in order to market the livestock to surrounding mining towns and settlers on the Oregon Trail. You can see one of these historic ranches in operation at the Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, a working cattle ranch dedicated to the legacy of the Western cattle industry.

Learn more about the region’s history at some of Deer Lodge’s museums. The Old Prison Complex is a highlight in Deer Lodge and features eight museums within the former cellblocks. Browse the Frontier Montana Museum, Powell County Museum, and the Montana Auto Museum within this fascinating complex. Kids will enjoy Yesterday’s Playthings, a historical collection of children’s toys and games. Go antiques shopping to find some frontier treasures and head to the local farmers market in Jaycee Park to sample some of the region’s renowned fresh produce.

Outside of the city, you can find out about the region’s silver-mining heritage at the Garnet Ghost Town, a restored boomtown just over an hour’s drive away. Head to Warm Springs Ponds to see man-made waterways that are now a haven for waterfowl and fish.

Deer Lodge is located in mid-western Montana and is an hour’s drive from HelenaOpens in a new window, the state’s capital city. There is a regional airport in Helena, as well as nearby ButteOpens in a new window. Deer Lodge is located just off the Pintlers Scenic Highway, a charming route that passes by several historic settlements within the region’s breathtaking mountain ranges.

Old Montana Inn

Old Montana Inn

2 out of 5
809 Main St, Deer Lodge, MT
Stay at this motel in Deer Lodge. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and cable TV channels. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their reviews. ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (283 reviews)
"Rooms were very nicely done."

Reviewed on 14 Jul 2025

Old Montana Inn
Wingate by Wyndham Butte City Center I-15/I-90

Wingate by Wyndham Butte City Center I-15/I-90

3 out of 5
2107 Cornell Ave, Butte, MT
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is ₹11,104 per night from 27 Jul to 28 Jul
₹11,104
₹12,164 total
27 Jul - 28 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Butte. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in ...
7.8/10 Good! (950 reviews)
"AC noisy, furniture dirty/old, not enough towels."

Reviewed on 13 Jul 2025

Wingate by Wyndham Butte City Center I-15/I-90
Rocker Inn

Rocker Inn

2 out of 5
122001 West Browns Gulch Road, Butte, MT
The price is ₹6,466 per night from 20 Jul to 21 Jul
₹6,466
₹7,156 total
20 Jul - 21 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this business-friendly hotel in Butte. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,029 reviews)
"I love this hotel it’s very clean quiet and nice rooms, very convenient area and easy parking."

Reviewed on 16 Jul 2025

Rocker Inn
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Boulder Creek Lodge - Campsite

Boulder Creek Lodge - Campsite

2 out of 5
4 Boulder Creek Road, Hall, MT
Stay at this campsite in Hall. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, free parking and a fireplace in reception.
9.2/10 Wonderful! (146 reviews)
"Doug and Sam were very accomodating. Beautiful stream quiet area during the week, clean room and bathroom."

Reviewed on 14 Jul 2025

Boulder Creek Lodge - Campsite
Sugar Loaf Lodge & Cabins

Sugar Loaf Lodge & Cabins

2 out of 5
10800 Mill Creek Road, Anaconda, MT
Stay at this family-friendly cabin in Anaconda. Enjoy free parking, meeting facilities and a picnic area. Popular attraction Mount Haggin State Wildlife Management ...
9/10 Wonderful! (125 reviews)
"It was a beautiful lodge and the cabins were cozy and welcoming. The owners were gracious hosts and I would recommend this place to my family and friends."

Reviewed on 16 Jul 2025

Sugar Loaf Lodge & Cabins
CK Stay Hotel

CK Stay Hotel

4.5 out of 5
15 Feldspar Way, Butte, MT
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury residence in Butte. Enjoy free breakfast, free Wi-Fi and free parking. Popular attractions Montana Lil's Casino and Treasure Chest ...
CK Stay Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

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