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Print Friendly MapThe BA&P Hill Trail provides a fascinating glimpse into Butte's early history, winding its way through the town's historic neighborhoods and abandoned mineyards. The area was known as the "The Richest Hill on Earth" for its gold, silver and copper deposits. The former Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railroad, on which the trail is built, was founded in 1892 to transport these precious ores from Butte mines to smelters in Anaconda. In 1913, BA&P also became the first freight railroad in the world to electrify.
For a look at this history, follow the interpretive signs along the way, stop at the World Museum of Mining mid-trail and view the line's last surviving engine at the Anselmo Mine Yard.
The eastern half of the trail (Butte end), from the museum east to Wyoming Street, is paved; the western half (Rocker end) from the museum to Grizzly Trail (a road) is gravel. At the western terminus, you can travel just 0.2 mile farther down Grizzly Trail to a large parking area on the south side of the road, where you can pick up the Silver Bow Creek Greenway.
Mid-trail, parking can be found at the World Museum of Mining (155 Museum Way) and the Anselmo Mine Yard, just off Excelsior Street. You can also park at the Silver Bow Creek Greenway parking area on the western end of the BA&P Hill Trail along Grizzly Trail (a road) in Rocker. From the parking area, travel 0.2 mile down Grizzly Trail road (heading east toward Butte), and watch for the gravel BA&P Hill Trail on the south (right) side of the road. It peels off the road just before the road goes under the railroad trestle.
This trail will take you to the top of Butte, to the Memorial, and while it is very steep, it is worth it to take in the views. There are nice little signs along the way which talk about the history of mining and Butte. At the bottom, it ends at the Museum of Mining, which is a great underground tour.
I live close to this trail, so I walk on at least a section of it nearly every week. It is a great trail. If you'd like to see some of Butte's old mines, get a sense of the history, and view the breathtaking Montana landscape, this is the trail for you. The trail is very well-maintained, the asphalt part is plowed in the winter, and it's traveled frequently by bikers, walkers, and runners. It also travels very close to the World Museum of Mining where you can go underground into an old mine.
I've heard talk of expanding the trail to the west. I hope this happens!
Really awesome trail to travel on. My first trail getting back on a mountain bike and from the bottom made me realize how out of shape and out of touch I have become, even going back down proved to be a work out for me. So much silver mine and history on the trail, really worth the journey.
Location: Butte, MT
Parking: Rocker Station Park, Rocker
Trail Condition: First 2.5 miles is gravel but easy to ride on Mt. Bike. The paved portion is in very good condition.
Signage: Lots of interpretative signs after reaching the paved portion. Plenty of detail about mining, mines, living in Butte, etc.
Comments: A must do when in Butte. The trail continues on past where TrailLink indicates it ends. Taking you passed a number of mine sites, the Granite Mountain Memorial, and to the “Top of the World”. The trail does get pretty steep in some areas but trail condition is excellent and worth the effort.
The paved section through Butte is on about a 3% grade, a little steeper than most rail trails. At Wyoming Street the trail leaves the railroad grade and heads up the mountain another mile or so to the miner's memorial that looks over the Berkley Pit. The mountain section is steep, I had to walk my bike up two of the grades, but the effort was well worth it as the views over Butte area were terrific. There are modern restrooms and picnic area on the mountain section.
The gravel section between the mining museum and rocker is in good shape.
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