Cradled in the foothills of the Montana Rockies, surrounded by pristine forests, alive with history and culture, lies Helena, "the heartbeat of Montana." This charming, sophisticated and beautiful Victorian city is both the capital of the state of Montana and the county seat for Lewis and Clark County.
Tucked along the crooked path where Last Chance Stream once meandered, Helena is the town that gold built, an honor no other modern Montana city can claim. While other gold camps boomed and dwindled into ghost towns, veins of yellow metal transformed remote Last Chance Gulch into Montana’s golden capital. The “Queen City of the Rockies” lives up to its nickname. Helena’s nineteenth century architecture dazzles, its gold rush history compels, and its arts and culture reflect a richly talented community. Helena’s cosmopolitan lifestyle and recreational kaleidoscope speak to the spirit that is still the heart of the West.
Helena is a unique blend of the past and the present, whether it's business suits or blue jeans...people from all walks of life can find an environment to suit their lifestyle. The city itself is alive with the community spirit, street festivals, theater, museums, symphonies, fairs and rodeos. It is the hub of education and health care, a city of timeless treasures and sophisticated services.
Whether your passion is skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, camping, bicycling, boating, fishing, hunting, golfing, swimming or just enjoying a sunny day at a city park, Helena has plenty of reasons to go outside and play.
If you love watersports, you'll thank the heavens for the reservoirs of the Mighty Missouri. Holter and Hauser Lakes are destinations for camping, fishing, swimming, wind surfing, water-skiing and boating. Canyon Ferry Lake, the largest dam reservoir, is just 20 minutes east of Helena.
If you're thinking all this water means great fishing, you've made a brilliant deduction. Wet your line on countless lakes and streams as you chase common species such as rainbow, brook, brown, bull, yellowstone cutthroat and westslope cutthroat trout. (Brown and rainbow trout are the most sought-after game fish, though Helena also boasts one of the largest populations of genetically pure westslope cutthroat trout.) And fishing doesn't have to stop when the snow starts: try ice fishing for perch.
Golfers can tee off at two scenic public courses: Bill Roberts Municipal Golf Course (406) 442-2191 and Fox Ridge (406) 227-8304. Helena also offers the beautiful Green Meadow Country Club at (406) 442-1420.
Hikers will love nearby Blackfoot Meadows and Continental Divide Trail, which offers views of surrounding scenic beauty—along with moose, elk, black bears, mountain goats and bighorn sheep. A few miles north of town, the 1.5-million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, with 1,800 miles of hiking trails, stretches all the way to Glacier National Park.
The largest city park, Mount Helena, includes 630 acres of trails, many of which reach from the base of the mountain to the peak, 1000 feet above. The trails are maintained and offer spectacular views of the city and the gulches south of Helena. Amongst the other 42 city parks, Memorial Park stands out due to its large public swimming pool, playground, ice-skating rink and band shell. Right near Memorial, sits Centennial Park, popular for its soccerfields.
Take a moment to explore Helena and discover the beauty, the culture and the people that make Helena, and Montana, The Last Best Place.
Housing Cost
If Helena is the place you’ve always dreamed of, you’ll fall in love with the prices! A single-wide mobile home will only set you back $12,000 and a two or three bedroom home in the town can cost as little as $35,000. For something a little larger, and perhaps with the views of “Big Sky Country” as Montana is known, you can choose to buy several acres out in the country and build the home of your dreams. Some of them have already been built! A log cabin with a sweeping vista courtesy of the large windows will only set you back $299,000. This is the perfect place if you’re looking to escape the rat-race of life.
Estimated median house/condo value in 2005: $120,900
Demographics
Estimated population in July 2006: 27,885. Helena covers 14.0 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 4.090 feet above sea level.
Zip codes: 59601, 59602 - Area code: 406
Weather
Helena, MT climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 20's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 83.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 9.90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be relatively big during summer with a difference that can reach 31 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 21 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Helena is 11.32 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is June with an average rainfall of 1.82 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
