Halfway Between Yellowstone And Glacier National Park Is An Enchanting Picture-Perfect Mountain Town

Sure, the epic national parks of Yellowstone and Glacier are some of the most famous, best things to do in Montana. But there's so much more to this expansive, gorgeous Western state. From the booming Bozeman to the hippie Missoula, there are plenty of charming cities to go around. However, a lot of Montana's charm can be found in its smaller towns, like the historic mining town of Philipsburg. 

Philipsburg finds its home along the Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Highway (also called the Pintler Veterans' Memorial Scenic Highway), considered one of the most beautiful drives in the state. Near both Georgetown Lake and the Discovery Ski Area, Philipsburg, like much of Montana, has no shortage of outdoor recreation opportunities. However, the town itself is truly a gem. The well-preserved buildings send you back in time to when Philipsburg was a thriving, 19th-century mining town, from the candy store to the Philipsburg Theatre, founded in 1891, which is Montana's longest-running theater. The surrounding hills are littered with ghost towns, world-class rivers, and genuine Western wilderness, all combined to make Philipsburg one of Montana's best small towns.

Established in 1867 as a mining town and smelter for minerals, Philipsburg is the last survivor of some 24 towns established around the same time, except for a few ghost towns. Granite Ghost Town State Park, one of the best-preserved and most-photographed ghost towns in the West, is about 20 minutes outside of Philipsburg, deep in the forested mountains. 

Mining and Philipsburg are inextricably linked, and although most of the mines are currently closed, Philipsburg is still a key part of Montana's famous sapphire country. Visitors can still pan for sapphires in various spots around town, in addition to visiting some of the old nearby mines and ghost towns. If modern-day tourists aren't hunting for precious gemstones, they're in Philipsburg for a different type of treasure: the great outdoors. Most visitors come to Philipsburg's Rock Creek, not for gems, but for the blue-ribbon waters, host to one of the best trout fisheries in the country. Visitors roam the hills, not hunting for silver, but hunting for deer or elk in the pristine wilderness (hunting and fishing licenses are required). 

The Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Highway, also known as the Veterans Highway, stretches for 50 miles between the town of Anaconda, Montana's "hidden gem on the Continental Divide," and the small town of Drummond, before connecting onward to Butte (the closest major airport). The road passes by Georgetown Lake, one of Montana's most beautiful lakes, which is ideal for year-round adventures: here, you can try ice fishing and snowmobiling, or waterskiing and kayaking. Philipsburg is also a 30-minute drive to Discovery Ski Area, or "Disco" to the locals, the best small ski area in the state. The widely varied terrain provides incredible skiing on par with more famous ski areas like the Big Sky Resort but for less than half of the price (around $200-$270 per day at Big Sky, and $70 per day at Disco).

After a day full of outdoor adventure, Philipsburg is the ideal spot to wind down. Explore the historic buildings, including the original Granite County Jail, circa 1896 (peep the noose in the cupola), have a locally brewed beer at Philipsburg Brewing, sample an ice cream soda at the Doe Brothers Soda Fountain, or enjoy a local whiskey and a burger at Bunkhouse Whiskey. Visitors will immediately feel at home and welcome in this small town, thanks to the legendary Montana hospitality, especially evident in the residents of Philipsburg who take great pride in their historic town.