I originally planned to drive to Montana over Memorial Day weekend, but canceled the trip after seeing a forecast filled with nonstop rain. I finally made it to Helena the following July and was rewarded with clear skies instead.
Like I usually do when visiting a state capital, I started at the Montana State Capitol. Directly in front of the building is a statue of Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish revolutionary who was exiled by Britain before eventually immigrating to the United States. He later served as acting governor of the Montana Territory and became an important figure during the state’s early history.
Cathedral of Saint Helena
Helena ended up being larger and more interesting than I expected. I had originally assumed I’d spend only a few hours in the capital before continuing on to other parts of Montana, but there was enough here to keep me exploring.
One of my first stops was the Cathedral of Saint Helena. The enormous Gothic Revival church looks almost out of place in such a small western city. Construction began in the early 20th century, and its design was heavily influenced by European Gothic cathedrals. Unfortunately, my exterior photo didn’t do the building much justice, but the interior was just as impressive.
Around Helena
Walking around Helena introduced me to a mix of historic buildings, public art, parks, and remnants of the city’s frontier past. One sculpture that stood out was Herd Bull, a massive metal buffalo head created from thousands of pounds of steel.
Another landmark that caught my attention was the old fire tower. Helena was repeatedly threatened by fires during its early years, when tightly packed wooden buildings made even a small blaze potentially disastrous. The tower provided a high point where fires could be spotted before they spread through the city.
The Great Northern Carousel
Before visiting Helena I did plenty of research, and the Great Northern Carousel kept appearing on lists of things to see. Based on how often it was mentioned, I expected something approaching a small amusement park.
Instead, it was basically a large carousel combined with an ice cream shop. It’s certainly a great stop for families, and the carousel itself is beautifully made, with hand-carved animals rather than only the traditional horses. Still, as a major tourist attraction, I found it a little overrated.
Random Sights Around Town
These were two completely random things that caught my attention while walking around Helena. I stopped at the bakery early in the morning while fresh bread was still coming out, and all the colorful pastries and cookies made it hard not to photograph the display. I couldn’t identify the cookies above, but I ended up having a pretty good scone for breakfast.
Not far away was this equally colorful car. I’m not sure whether it was transportation or some kind of rolling art project. Directly in front of it was another old car with flat tires and a police notice ordering it to be removed from the street. Either this one was still perfectly legal to drive or the police officer respected the artwork enough to leave it alone.
Gates of the Mountains
One place I wish I had spent more time exploring was the Gates of the Mountains along the Missouri River north of Helena. Here the river passes between steep limestone cliffs, creating one of the most dramatic landscapes in the area.
I arrived too late for the boat tours, so instead I drove around and explored the water from a few different viewpoints. I later saw photographs taken from the river itself and immediately regretted missing the tour. From the boat, the Missouri passes directly between towering cliffs that seem to close around the water.
Helena surprised me more than I expected. I initially treated it as a quick stop before moving on to Montana’s wilderness, but the Capitol, cathedral, historic fire tower, public art, odd little attractions, and the nearby Missouri River gave me more than enough to explore. For such a small capital, Helena had considerably more character than I had assumed before arriving.
