Berkeley Pit
The Berkeley Pit is a former open pit copper mine in the western United States, located in Butte, Montana.
A lake inside Butte-Silver Bow
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 14°, with about 15" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Butte-Silver Bow
Berkeley Pit is inside Butte-Silver Bow, which has 33 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Jun, Jul and Aug
June, July and August are the mild months, with highs of 68–79°. When to go ↓
An airport 4 miles away
Bert Mooney (BTM) has airline service, about 4 miles from Berkeley Pit.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Butte-Silver Bow. Green months are the mild ones.
Berkeley Pit
The Berkeley Pit is a former open pit copper mine in the western United States, located in Butte, Montana. It is one mile (1.6 km) long by one-half mile (800 m) wide, with an approximate maximum depth of 1,780 feet (540 m). It is filled to a depth of about 900 feet (270 m) with water that is acidic (4.1 - 4.5 pH level), about the acidity of beer or tomatoes. As a result, the pit's water is laden with heavy metals and dissolved metals that leach from the rock in a natural process known as acid rock drainage. The pit's water content includes (but is not limited to) dissolved copper, arsenic, cadmium, zinc, and sulfuric acid.
- Type
- Lake
- Wikipedia readers
- 60K a year
Where to stay near Berkeley Pit
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Butte-Silver Bow (33) and Deer Lodge (13).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Berkeley Pit | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butte-Silver Bow | in town | — | 33 18 hotels · 1 motel · 3 inns & B&Bs · 5 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 36,118 | $255K | — |
| Deer Lodge | 28 mi north | 45 min | 13 8 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 2 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds | 3,025 | $248K | C+ |
| Boulder | 24 mi northeast | 35 min | 4 2 motels · 2 campgrounds | 1,305 | $212K | — |
| Whitehall | 22 mi southeast | 35 min | 3 1 hotel · 1 inn or B&B · 1 campground | 1,131 | $194K | — |
| Wise River 49% vacation homes | 26 mi southwest | 40 min | 2 2 lodges & cabins | 30 | $382K | — |
| Basin | 21 mi northeast | 30 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 352 | $228K | — |
| Dewey | 24 mi southwest | 35 min | 1 1 RV park | 26 | — | — |
| Cardwell | 28 mi east | 40 min | 1 1 hotel | 30 | — | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Berkeley Pit
Other well-known places within 61 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
1in town MuseumDumas Brothel
22 mi Theme parkColumbia Gardens
32 mi MuseumMai Wah Museum52 mi Ski areaGreat Divide Ski Area109 runs · 1,396 ft vertical43 mi MuseumWorld Museum of Mining
529 mi National Historic SiteGrant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site24K visitors a year39 mi Ski areaDiscovery Ski Area50 runs · 2,443 ft vertical
61 mi National BattlefieldBig Hole National Battlefield41K visitors a yearPhoto credits
Dumas Brothel: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Columbia Gardens: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain · Mai Wah Museum: Acroterion, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site: National Park Service, Public domain · Big Hole National Battlefield: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Visiting Berkeley Pit
Is Berkeley Pit in Butte-Silver Bow?
Yes. It’s inside Butte-Silver Bow, MT.
When is the best time to visit Berkeley Pit?
June, July and August, with highs of 68–79°.
What is the closest airport to Berkeley Pit?
Bert Mooney (BTM), about 4 miles away. The nearest big hub is Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI), about 249 miles.
Where should I stay near Berkeley Pit?
Butte-Silver Bow (in town, 33 places to stay), Deer Lodge (28 mi, 13 places to stay) and Boulder (24 mi, 4 places to stay).
Tips from people in Butte-Silver Bow
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Butte-Silver Bow’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.