Helena, MT : Location & Information.gif)
 |
| Another
View of Last Chance Gulch Mall |
Helena
is more or less in the middle of the state, although it’s
not the geographic center of Montana. Helena is about 80
miles to the Southwest of Great
Falls and is about 80 miles to the
Northeast of Butte.
Interstate 15 also goes through town. Helena also has a small,
commercial
airport, too.
The
location that Helena is located in is quite scenic. The
broad valley that expands to the east of town contrasts
sharply with the mountains that rise to the west of town – especially
since there are no foothills. The Belt
Mountains also provide
a scenic backdrop to Helena and lie about 30 miles to the
east of town. The mountains outside of town are heavily
forested, while the valley itself is a wide open expanse
of agricultural fields as well as some suburban sprawl.
Helena Weather
 |
| View
of Downtown Helena from Mt. Helena |
The weather in Helena, as it lies to the east of the Continental
Divide, is actually fairly nice. The Continental Divide sucks
most of the precipitation out, keeping Helena in a dry climate.
Helena also receives much more sunshine than other Montana
cities that are located to the west (like Butte, Missoula and Kalispell, where clouds are the norm). Winters can be
very cold at times, but extremely cold weather tends not
to hand around Helena for extended periods of time. And warm
temperatures, even during the depths of winter, can occur.
Helena
: Outdoor Recreation
If you
like snow to play in but don’t like snow where
you live, Helena is a good place to be. The mountains to
the west of town tend to limit the amount of precipitation
that falls in downtown Helena, while at the same time depositing
a pretty sizable snow pack that makes for good skiing at
the local downhill ski area called Great
Divide Ski Area,
which is about 20 miles from downtown, near the tiny town
of Marysville. Many snowmobile trails are also found up in
the mountains outside
of town.
Helena,
besides being the state capitol and playing host to a nicely
restored and historic downtown district, is located in
a very nice area. Just to the west of town is the Continental
Divide and the Helena National Forest. The National Forest
has excellent hiking and hunting opportunities – not
to mention some serious off road, mountain bike and 4x4
trails for the adventurous. The Helena National Forest is quite
literally located a stone throw away from downtown, while
the Lewis and Clark National Forest is scattered around
in various spots to the north of the city.
The
fishing around Helena is equally fine. Just down the road
from Helena is Holter Dam. And the river that comes out
of Holter Dam is the Missouri River, which has some of
the finest rainbow trout fishing in Montana (see our Missouri
River Fishing section for more information). And, if lake
fishing or simple pleasure boating is more your style,
the large and windy Canyon
Ferry Lake lies just 20 miles
from downtown. Several smaller lakes are also located nearby.
Next
Page : Helena Hotels
Top
of Page
|
