Anaconda Smoke Stack

Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park preserves the iconic 585-foot Anaconda Smelter Stack in Deer Lodge County, the tallest surviving masonry structure in the world. The stack is a National Historic Landmark that symbolizes Montana's copper mining heritage and industrial history.

The surrounding reclaimed landscape supports grassland species including meadowlarks, ground squirrels, and raptors. The area has been extensively remediated from decades of smelter contamination, and wildlife is gradually returning to restored habitats.

The area surrounding the stack has undergone extensive environmental remediation and revegetation. Native grasses and shrubs have been replanted to stabilize soils and restore ecological function to land once barren from smelter emissions.

The park sits on the Anaconda smelter site in the Deer Lodge Valley, part of the broader Butte-Anaconda mining complex. The underlying geology includes Cretaceous volcanic rocks that hosted the copper deposits that drove the region's mining economy.

The Deer Lodge Valley experiences cold winters and warm, dry summers typical of Montana's intermontane valleys. Annual precipitation averages about 12 inches. Temperature inversions can trap cold air in the valley during winter.

The Anaconda Copper Mining Company built the smelter complex to process ore from Butte's copper mines. At its peak, the smelter was the world's largest, processing millions of tons of ore. The stack was completed in 1919 to disperse emissions.

The smelter ceased operations in 1980 and the site became part of one of the nation's largest Superfund cleanup areas. Montana State Parks assumed management of the stack as a historic landmark, preserving it as a monument to the state's industrial heritage.

The massive smoke stack dominates the landscape and is visible for miles. An interpretive area provides information about the smelter's history and the Superfund cleanup. The stack is a striking example of industrial-era engineering.

The park provides an interpretive viewing area and parking. The stack is located on the east side of Anaconda, accessible from Highway 1. Interior access to the stack is not permitted.

Ongoing Superfund remediation continues to restore the surrounding landscape. The stack's preservation balances historical significance with environmental cleanup, serving as a reminder of both industrial achievement and environmental consequences.