Entry No. 50 — the Butte file — filed under: history
Old Highland Mine Millsite
The Old Highland Mine Millsite, situated in the Highland Mountains south of Butte, was part of a historic gold mining district established in the late 1860s. While a major 2010 reclamation project by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality removed hazardous tailings and collapsed debris, historic log structures and capped waste repositories still remain. Today, the site sits quietly along the headwaters of Basin Creek, surrounded by the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
The story
Deep in the Highland Mountains south of Butte, where the headwaters of Basin Creek trickle through lodgepole pine, sits the remnant of the Old Highland Mine Millsite. Prospectors established the Highland Mining District in the late 1860s, chasing gold veins through high-altitude timber long before Butte earned its copper reputation. What stands today isn't a preserved outdoor museum—it's a landscape stuck halfway between 19th-century resource extraction and modern environmental containment.
For over a century, heavy metals and decaying mine infrastructure haunted the drainage. In 2010, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality moved in for a major cleanup, removing piles of hazardous tailings and clearing away collapsed timber debris. DEQ crews capped the toxic waste in subterranean repositories and stabilized the creek banks, leaving behind only the sturdiest historic log structures to weather the high-country winters.
You won't be climbing around inside the cabins, and you shouldn't try. The old mill structures and mine workings rest on private patented mining claims. Fortunately, you don't need to trespass to get eyes on the history: the Continental Divide Trail cuts through public Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest right along the property boundary, giving you an elevated view of the reclaimed ground and wooden ruins.
What it's like
Visiting means strapping on hiking boots and navigating Forest Service roads into the Highland Mountains to catch the Continental Divide Trail. The air at this elevation is crisp and quiet, with Basin Creek running cold nearby. As you trail-hike along the public Forest Service corridor, you'll spot greyed, hand-notched log buildings nestled against grass-covered waste earthworks from the 2010 remediation. Bring a good pair of binoculars or a long lens—the entire historic mill layout is clearly visible from public land, letting you inspect the pioneer timberwork without setting foot on private property.
The move: Hike a scenic section of the Continental Divide Trail to view the historic log structures and reclaimed mine landscape from a safe distance.
📍 Before you go The historic mine workings and millsite are located on private patented mining claims, but they can be legally viewed from the adjacent Continental Divide Trail on public Forest Service land.
- 📍 Butte
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Divide, Butte, MT 59701, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Berlin Mine — Follow up your hike in the Highland Mountains with a visit to another historic lode mine down in the Melrose district that extracted gold, silver, and lead.
- Star Lanes Family Sports Center — Balance a dusty high-country hike along the Continental Divide Trail with bowling, arcade games, and a local casino corner down in Butte.
- Our Lady of the Rockies — Pair this isolated mining ruin along the Continental Divide Trail with Butte's 90-foot statue perched high on the Divide's east ridge.
Good to know
Where is the Old Highland Mine Millsite?
It is located south of Butte in the Highland Mountains near Divide, Montana, sitting along the headwaters of Basin Creek inside the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Can I walk up to the historic log structures?
No. The historic mill structures and mine workings sit on private patented mining claims. You can legally view and photograph them from the adjacent Continental Divide Trail on public Forest Service land.
What was done during the 2010 cleanup?
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality conducted a major reclamation project that removed hazardous tailings and collapsed debris, capping waste repositories to protect the Basin Creek watershed.
How do I access the viewing area?
Access is via a section of the Continental Divide Trail on public Forest Service land. High-country road and trail conditions vary by season, so confirm current route status before heading out.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: deq.mt.gov · fs.usda.gov · ghosttowns.com
last checked: 2026-07-20