Silver Bow Creek Greenway (Rocker to Ramsay):
Montana
Trail Map
- Get Personalized Driving Directions!
- Find Trail Side Shops with Google Search!
- See Users’ Geocoded Photos!
- Get a Print-Friendly Map and Get Outdoors!
Description:
The creation of the Silver Bow Creek Greenway is part of a massive cleanup of Silver Bow Creek, which has suffered more than a century of pollution from the copper and silver mining operations during the 19th century in Butte and Anaconda. The project includes the creation of the Greenway Service District (GSD), a collaboration of Anaconda-Deer Lodge and Butte-Silver Bow counties, which is responsible for the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of the Greenway System Corridor along 22 miles of Silver Bow Creek.
For those who knew what this area used to look like in recent decades, the clean-up effort would amaze you. Rust-colored soils and mine tailings are now sprouting tall grasses, clover and willows. And Silver Bow Creek? Crystal clear.
As of May 2011, only about 3 miles of the greenway are open, with more segments under construction. The first segment, 1.7 miles from west of Butte to the Rocker Depot, includes three pedestrian bridges across Silver Bow and a pedestrian underpass (below a railroad bridge). Construction is expected to start in June or July 2011 on trailheads at Whiskey Gulch, just west of Butte, and at the Rocker Depot. The Butte end of the Silver Bow Creek Greenway will eventually connect to Butte's Copperway Trails system (coming soon to TrailLink.com), which means eventually you can walk or bike all the way from the Butte Chamber of Commerce to Warm Springs, Montana.
Another 1.2-mile section has opened between Silver Bow and Ramsay; there is currently a 3-mile gap between here and the section in Rocker. A trailhead is planned for the Silver Bow end, while the Ramsay end has no designated parking area.
In the Silver Bow-Ramsay section a side trail turns south along Silver Bow Creek just east of Ramsay. The GSD hopes to extend the trail via this spur into the Ramsay flats area, pending landowner approval. For now, the main trail leads into Ramsay.
For updates and more information, contact: Greenway Service District, 406-497-6469.
If you want to ride your bike between the two segments, from the west end of the Rocker section, get on the at the parking area (Grizzly Trail road) and head west. Go past the big truck stop and continue along the road, going under I-15, after which Grizzly Trail/Nissler Road intersects Silver Bow Road; bear left and in a short distance you will see the trailhead, marked by a gate.
... Click to read more
Parking & Trail Access:
To access the eastern end of the Rocker section, from Butte take Centennial Avenue to Santa Claus Lane and turn west (left). Go under the Interstate and when you come to the first major bend in the road, you will see an access point marked with a gate on the right (west) side of the road. Parking is limited on the dirt shoulder at the bend.
To reach the western end of the Rocker section, continue along Santa Claus Road and turn right onto S. Rocker Road; you will immediately go over the railroad tracks. (Use caution as there is no gate and the tracks are still being used.) A short distance later, S. Rocker Road T-bones Grizzly Trail road; turn left and look for the large gravel parking area just past the IT Club bar on the left. Future plans call for picnic tables, interpretive signs and a play park here.
To reach the Ramsay section, take Exit 216 off I-90 and head (south into the little hamlet of Ramsay along Palmer Street. There is very limited parking at the end of Palmer Street near the trailhead (1-2 cars). You can also park along Palmer Street on the side with the houses but not on the other side of Palmer.
... Click to read more
... Click to read more