If you’re looking for a pleasant winter getaway, you may want to consider traveling to Butte– a charming city located in Southwest Montana. With a population of just under 35,000, this city nestled among the Rocky Mountains, has plenty to offer its visitors. Of course, whether you’re traveling to Butte for business or pleasure, to enjoy all this city has to offer you’ll have to get there first.
So, what’s the best way to travel to and from Butte? That all depends where you’re starting from! Below you’ll find some tips for travel if you plan to venture to this beautiful, historic city.
Soar the Skies
Looking to fly into or out of Butte? Luckily, this city is home to the Regional Bert Mooney Airport. However, this airport is quite small and only offers direct flight service to Salt Lake City via Delta Airlines. This is ideal if you happen to be in Salt Lake. The flight time is a super quick hour and a half! Depending on where you live, booking a connecting flight in SLC can make Bert Mooney a viable flight option.
It might make sense to fly into or out of an airport that’s a bit further, though. Butte happens to be halfway between the larger cities of Missoula and Bozeman, each with their own airports. Missoula International Airport is an hour and a half from Butte and offers nonstop flights to 16 major U.S. markets, including Denver, Dallas, Seattle, Minneapolis, and more! Alternatively, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is an hour and twenty minutes from Butte and offers direct routes to and from New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Portland, Chicago, Atlanta and more.
If you choose to fly into Bozeman or Missoula and need to get to Butte, both airports offer a variety of rental car options at affordable rates.
Travel by Train
If you love a scenic train ride, there’s no better place to sit back and enjoy the scenery than in Montana. Unfortunately, train service is rather limited here; though, Amtrak does offer one stop along its Empire Builder route located in Whitefish, Montana. Of course, taking a train to Butte will surely be a longer journey no matter where you’re traveling to or from.
While Whitefish is four hours north and west from Butte, it’s an excellent town to travel in and out of if you can afford the extra travel time. For ticketing and schedule information, visit the Amtrak website. Again, you’ll have to look into rental cars to make your way from Whitefish to Butte– and be sure you’re comfortable driving in snowy conditions if you choose to visit during the winter months!
Did Someone Say Road Trip?
One of the best methods of traveling to and from the city of Butte is by way of an old-fashioned road trip. Driving anywhere through the state of Montana will surely be one of the most scenic drives you’ve ever taken. Butte conveniently lies at the junction of Interstate 15 (I-15), running north-south, and Interstate 90 (I-90), running east-west. If you find yourself traveling on either highway, you’ll pass through Butte.
A road trip also offers the opportunity to take many scenic drives, including along Montana Highway 2 (MT-2)/Old US Highway 10. For those coming from or going to the west of Butte along I-90, one of Montana’s most scenic routes is the Pintler Veterans Memorial Scenic Highway (Montana Highway 1). From the snow capped mountains and wildlife sightings to rivers, valleys, and more, you’ll see picture-perfect views along any of these routes.
Once arriving in Butte, you’ll find that you can walk to many places or hop on a trolley. The city also offers local bus routes and a variety of rideshare options.
