Entry No. 4 — the Butte file — filed under: haunted
World Museum of Mining - Haunted Underground (Orphan Girl Mine)
A tour that takes you 100 feet down into an actual historic mine shaft, the Orphan Girl, where 43 men died over its working life and over 2,500 perished across Butte's mines. The seasonal Haunted Underground event runs small night descents into the 100-level in search of the miners said to linger in the dark, with the everyday daytime underground tour available the rest of the year. Profits support Montana Tech student clubs and the museum.
The story
Butte sits on top of thousands of miles of subterranean tunnels where more than 2,500 men died digging out copper and zinc. At the west edge of town, right past the Montana Tech campus on West Park Street, sits the 22-acre yard of the Orphan Girl Mine. Forty-three men met their ends in this single shaft alone before the machinery went quiet. Since 1963, the World Museum of Mining has preserved the site, leaving the looming headframe intact directly over the original mine shaft.
While daytime tours lower you into the shaft for straightforward historical walks, the October 'Haunted Underground' event drops you into the dark with a different intent. Partnering with Montana Tech students, the museum runs small night descents down to the 100-level. You step out into unlit stone drifts to look for spirits and tommyknockers rumored to linger where the air stays cold. You didn't hear it from us, but paying for the scare actually does some good topside: ticket sales directly fund Montana Tech student clubs and museum maintenance.
What it's like
You will gather beneath the towering steel headframe before boarding a tight, enclosed cage elevator for the drop 100 feet down to the damp 100-level drift. It gets cold, wet, and claustrophobic quickly, so wear closed-toed shoes and bring a jacket. For the Halloween night descents, groups are strictly capped at 10 people to keep the atmosphere uncrowded and tense. When you resurface, spend your extra time walking through the museum's topside reconstructed 1890s mining town.
The move: Book the after-dark Haunted Underground descent in October, then warm up topside exploring the museum's reconstructed mining-camp ghost town.
📍 Before you go Haunted Underground is a seasonal (Halloween-timed) event with max 10 guests; must be age 8+, closed-toed shoes required, reservations recommended.
- 📍 Butte (Montana Tech campus area)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 155 Museum Way, Butte, MT 59701
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Hell Roarin' Gulch at the World Museum of Mining — Located on the exact same 22-acre museum grounds, this reconstructed 1890s ghost town sits right topside above the Orphan Girl mine yard.
- Mineral Museum at Montana Tech — Just 0.4 miles down the road on the adjacent campus, you can examine 1,300 geological specimens pulled from the same rock formations you just stood under.
- Granite Mountain / Speculator Mine Memorial — A short drive east up the ridge brings you to the site of Butte's deadliest underground disaster, adding brutal context to the dangers of the Orphan Girl shaft.
- Spooks & Spirits Haunted Trolley Tours — Once you resurface from the 100-level, continue your nighttime ghost hunting from above ground on an evening trolley ride through Uptown Butte.
Good to know
How far down into the mine shaft does the tour go?
The tour takes you 100 feet beneath the surface down into the historic 100-level drift of the Orphan Girl Mine.
When does the Haunted Underground night tour take place?
It is a seasonal Halloween-timed event in late October, though standard daytime underground tours run throughout the operating season.
Are there any age or shoe restrictions for going underground?
Yes. Visitors must be at least 8 years old, and closed-toed shoes are strictly required to enter the mine shaft.
How many people are allowed on the night descents?
The Haunted Underground tours are kept small and tense, limited to a maximum of 10 guests per drop, making advance reservations essential.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · 955kmbr.com · montanaseniornews.com · Yelp · mainstreetbutte.org · 925kaar.com
last checked: 2026-06-24