Anaconda Smelter Stack State Park

Montana (Deer Lodge County)

Rising 585 feet above the Deer Lodge Valley, the Anaconda Smelter Stack is the tallest freestanding masonry structure in the world — taller than the Washington Monument. This 12-acre state park in Deer Lodge County preserves the last standing remnant of the Anaconda Copper Mining Company’s massive smelting complex, which once processed ore from the mines of Butte and shaped Montana’s economic identity for over a century.

The stack, built in 1918, is all that remains after the smelter was demolished in the 1980s. It stands as a striking monument to Montana’s industrial heritage and the copper kings who built fortunes — and communities — across the state. Interpretive signs at the viewing area explain the smelter’s history, the environmental cleanup that followed its closure, and the lives of the workers who operated it.

This is primarily a stop-and-look park rather than a full-day destination. Visitors can walk the short interpretive trail, read the historical panels, and photograph the stack against Montana’s big sky. The contrast between the industrial monolith and the surrounding valley landscape is genuinely dramatic, especially at sunset when the brick glows warm orange.

There are no camping facilities on-site, but nearby Georgetown Lake and Lost Creek State Park offer developed campgrounds within a short drive. The park is accessible year-round, though summer and early fall provide the most comfortable conditions for exploring on foot.

Pair a visit here with a stop in historic Anaconda and you’ve got a compelling half-day trip through Montana’s copper country.