Outdoor Activities
Helena MT is surrounded by pristine natural surroundings, and one of the best things to do in Helena Montana is enjoying fun outdoor activities and exploring the great outdoors. If you’re traveling with family or friends, you’ll definitely love spending time in Helena outdoors all year long.
Winter
There are plenty of fun things to do in and around Helena during the cold months and, if you’re planning to visit Helena in the winter two of the most popular things to do in include skiing and ice skating.
There are three main ice rinks located in downtown Helena where you can enjoy ice skating. They include:
-Memorial Park (nearby Carroll College)
-Lincoln Park (a short drive east of Memorial Park
-Cunningham Park (located at the corner of Flowerree St and Allison St)
The ice rink at Memorial Park charges around $2 per adults (under 5's get in for free), though this ice rink is the best ice rink in town and boasts a warming house.
Lincoln Park and Cunningham Park are also great ice rinks that don't charge an admission fee to the public, though these two ice rinks don’t have a warming house.
Besides ice skating in downtown Helena, you can enjoy backcountry skiing and snowshoeing nearby Helena in places such as Mt Helena Ridge.
However, for downhill skiing, snowmobiling and snowboarding, you need to head to either the Great Divide in Silver City, or the Great Divide ski area in Marysville (around 30 minutes drive northwest of downtown Helena).
Summer
Enjoying some type of summer pursuit like hiking and swimming are some other popular things to do in Helena Montana during the summer.
You can enjoy a ton of outdoor pursuits not far from Helena, and water based activities along the Missouri River and Helena's nearby reservoirs and lakes. Some of the best places for water activities are:
-Upper section of the Dearborn River in the Scapegoat wilderness: is great spot for whitewater rafting and kayaking.
-Canyon Ferry Dam and Holter Dam are great spots fly fishing, swimming and paddle boating
-Holter Lake and Canyon Ferry Lake are great for enjoying jet skiing and speed boating pursuits.
Hiking, biking and wildlife spotting are other top things to do in Helena Montana, and the good news is that you don’t have to go far to enjoy them. For instance, Mt Helena City Park is just within minutes from downtown Helena and boasts many miles of easy hiking and biking trails.
Having said this, if you’re an advanced hiker, or want to enjoy spotting local wildlife like goats, bears and elks, you need to head a little further out of town.
For instance, the Blackfoot Meadows trail (along the Little Blackfoot River) in the Deerlodge Forest, and the Continental Divide trail in Helena National forest are two of the best places for this viewing wildlife.
As far as swimming areas within downtown Helena, you have Last Chance Splash and Kennedy Park Swimming Pool along Breckenridge St where you can cool off on a hot summer's day.
Another popular spot where you can enjoy fun family outdoor activities not far from Helena Montana is at Broadwater Athletic Clubs in Helena West Side (just 10 minutes drive south along Highway 12). Broadwater boasts lots courts, pools, fitness and rock climbing areas.
Cultural and Fun Attractions
Sightseeing is another of the top things to do in Helena Montana, particularly during the warmer months, and the great thing is that Helena boasts many points of interests, cool attractions and interesting places you can visit. They include:
-Montana State Capitol is located in the heart of Helena, and it’s without a doubt one of the interesting places to visit in Montana. You can enjoy self-guided tours of the Capitol seven days a week all year around.
-Original Governor's Mansion is located at 304 North Ewing Street and it’s another historic house in Helena that is open to the public and offers guided tours (around $4 per adult).
-Great Northern Carousel: visiting the Northern Carousel, nearby Exploration Works, is one of the coolest and inexpensive things to do in Helena Montana with kids since the little ones can enjoy a fun ride on the carousel for around $1.
-Exploration Works: is another great family attraction in Helena where you can spend a fun day out. This museum is an interactive science center that offers lots of hands on activities and cool educational exhibits such as a real life bee hive.
-Cathedral of St Helena: is one of the most visually stunning and grandest landmarks in Helena that you can't miss passing by.
Festivals, Entertainment and Events
Attending a show and regular event in town is another of the great things to do in Helena Montana, especially during the summer months when the city of Helena hosts most of the city’s events.
One of the best places in Helena to catch a concert, art show or live event is at the Civic Center, which is just adjacent Civic Center Park and Hill Park.
Two of the most popular annual events in Helena are the Western Rendezvous of Art in mid August and the Last Chance Bluegrass Festival in June.
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