Amenities That Superfund Brings
From open space trails and parks to historic preservation and educational opportunities - Superfund has its advantages.
Trails and Parks
Because of the over layering of historic mining, adjacent federal and state lands and Superfund remedies, the Butte areas trails and outdoor recreational opportunities are extensive and add to Butte’s broad public appeal.
Silver Bow Creek Greenway Trail
The 26 mile long Silver Bow Creek Greenway Trail, which grew out of the visionary Butte-Anaconda Historical Park System Master Plan (1985) and the Regional Historic Preservation Plan (1993), when completed, links the sister cities of Butte and Anaconda.
Butte’s Drinking Water System
Thanks to the Natural Resource Damage Program’s allocation of over $65M, including the state of the art Basin Creek Water Treatment Plant, Butte Silver Bow County is able to provide the highest quality drinking water in Montana.
Big Butte Recreation Area
The prominent landmark of Big Butte, which sits on the Westside Soils Operable Unit, hosts the Big Butte Trails with an ever expanding network of trails for non-motorized recreation. A variety of loops, and several trails to the summit allow bikers and hikers up to 10 miles of interconnected routes, weaving through that former mining district. There is also a frisbee golf course embedded in a section of the trail system.
Preserving History with the Original Mine Stage Venue
The Original Mine (3900 feet deep) was the site of some of the earliest copper mining in Butte. The mine’s headframe now stands as a testament to the community’s commitment to historic preservation and serves as the main stage for the Montana Folk Festival.
Silver Bow Creek Restoration
Outdoor Laboratory for Montana Tech Research and K-12 Science Outreach
The world-class restoration of Silver Bow Creek has created research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at Montana Technological University's Ecological Restoration Program. It is also the outdoor laboratory that the RIPPLE Program (formerly Clark Fork Watershed Education Program) uses to introduce K-12 students to stream ecology.