Entry No. 9 — the Helena file — filed under: haunted
Helena Hellbound Ghost Tour
This nightly, year-round walking tour is owned and led by women and minority guides, including USMC disabled combat veterans, who tie real Helena history to its hauntings. The roughly one-mile, one-hour route starts outside Visit Helena at 105 Reeders Alley, winds through Reeder's Alley, past the Lewis and Clark Library, and along Last Chance Gulch with a stop at the Windbag Saloon. The focus is on documented local history and real hauntings rather than cheap jump-scares.
The story
Helena wasn't built on neat civic planning; it was hammered together in a gold rush gulch filled with vigilantes, brothels, and sudden violence. The Helena Hellbound Ghost Tour doesn't bother with plastic skeletons or cheap jump-scares to sell that past. Owned and led by women and minority guides—including USMC disabled combat veterans—the tour digs straight into documented archival records, grounding every haunting in actual blood-and-mortar history.
The roughly one-mile, hour-long route starts outside Visit Helena at 105 Reeder's Alley, where 1870s brick-and-stone miners' tenements still cling to the hillside. From there, your guide leads you past the Myrna Loy Theatre—unveiling the sordid details behind its sealed doors—and down along Last Chance Gulch, past the Lewis and Clark Library and historic spots like the city's infamous Hanging Tree site, before dropping you off right near the Windbag Saloon.
What it's like
You'll want real walking shoes and a warm jacket—Montana nights get cold fast, and Last Chance Gulch's historic pavement wasn't laid out for flimsy footwear. You'll meet your guide at 105 Reeder's Alley at the specific time set when you book. The tone leans away from theatrical haunted-house theatrics and into late-night, true-crime history told by guides who know the city's archives inside out. Because tours are reservation-only and run year-round, lock in your spot ahead of time and plan to grab a nightcap nearby the second the walk wraps up.
The move: Book the after-dark walk, then duck into the Windbag afterward for a nightcap where the tour leaves off.
📍 Before you go Reservation-based evening walking tour; meeting point and times are set at booking, so reserve ahead.
- 📍 Helena
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Last Chance Gulch, Helena, MT 59601
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Windbag Saloon & Grill — The tour leaves off right by the Windbag, making it the obvious stop for a drink inside a building that once operated as a working brothel.
- Reeder's Alley Summer Series & Night Market — Since the tour starts at 105 Reeder's Alley, arrive early to explore these preserved 1870s miners' quarters before meeting your guide.
- The Rathskeller at the Montana Club — Head four blocks down after the walk to grab a quiet nightcap in this basement speakeasy underneath a historic 1905 clubhouse.
- Dorothy's Lounge & Gaming Parlor — Cap off your walk along Last Chance Gulch with craft cocktails and pinball inside the historic St. Louis Block.
Good to know
Where does the ghost tour start and end?
Tours meet outside Visit Helena at 105 Reeder's Alley and wrap up about a mile later along Last Chance Gulch near the Windbag Saloon.
Are reservations required?
Yes. This is a reservation-based walk, so your start time and booking details are confirmed when you reserve in advance.
Is this a jump-scare style haunted attraction?
No. The focus is strictly on documented history, real archival accounts, and actual local hauntings rather than actors jumping out from around corners.
Does the tour run during the winter?
Yes, the tour operates nightly and year-round, so dress in serious layers if you are walking the gulch during Montana's colder months.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: visitmt.com · Official site · southwestmt.com · Wikipedia · 945maxcountry.com
last checked: 2026-06-24