Havre sits along the Milk River and was built around the Great Northern Railway. It was originally known as Bullhook Bottoms, but the name was changed in the early 1890s. The city served as the mid-point between Minneapolis and Seattle. Today, it is an agricultural community in north-central Montana and is the eighth-largest city in the state.
One of the most unique things about this town is the underground mall. Walking along the sidewalks of the city, you will notice purple squares. These serve as the skylights to the underground mall. This underground area was originally built to allow Chinese workers to move about without being seen. It soon became home to the city's brothels, speakeasies, saloons, and opium dens during the prohibition era. The city burned down in 1904, and during this time, most of the businesses moved to the underground area in order to keep doing business as the city was being rebuilt. Today, it serves as a museum that is dedicated to the unique history of Havre. You can see remnants of the underground area on the Havre Beneath the Streets tour.
The city is also home to one of the most well-preserved buffalo jumps in North America, called the Wahkpa Chu'gn Archaeological Site. The H. Earl Clack Museum is a fun and educational museum. You will find exhibits of paleontological findings of the area and artifacts from Fort Assiniboine. It is a great place to take children who love dinosaurs. Fort Assiniboine is a military installation that was built in 1879 and operated as a military post until 1911. It was one of the largest military installations in Montana during its time. Today, it is a museum that details the history of the fort and is home to the Northern Agricultural Research Center.
Campgrounds Near Havre, Montana
Hansen Family Campground and Storage, LLC is located on 20 acres just 10 miles east of Havre. All sites at the campground are pull-through and have full hookups. You can choose from either 60- or 150-foot-long spaces. All sites come with 20-, 30-, and 50-amp electrical services. The campground charges $40 per night and offers free Wi-Fi.
Just six miles to the south of Havre is Evergreen Campground. The campground sits on seven acres that feature mature shade trees and has 23 RV sites. All sites that come with electrical hookups have 20-, 30-, and 50-amp service. Amenities include laundry, restrooms, free showers, a playground, a rec field, and free Wi-Fi. The campground also offers a book exchange and movie rentals.
Beaver Creek Park Campground is a rustic and remote campground that offers over 100 campsites about 10 miles south of Havre. While none of them come with hookups, there is a water fill station and RV dump station. The campground also has picnic tables, fire pits, trashcans, and an outhouse near most sites. To use these campsites, you will need to have a valid day or annual park pass.
State Parks Near Havre, Montana
Missouri Headwaters State Park consists of just over 530 acres and marks the official start of the Missouri River in southern Montana. Some of the activities that you can take part in include camping, kayaking, fishing, boating, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The park is a great place to learn about the pioneers of the past and is home to the Missouri National Historic Landmark. This landmark marks a place where the Lewis and Clark Expeditions camped in 1805.
Salmon Lake State Park is part of the Clearwater River Chain of Lakes and is located between the Mission and Swan Mountain Ranges. The park is named after Salmon Lake, where you can fish for trout, bass, salmon, perch, pike, and mountain whitefish. Salmon Lake State Park is home to a huge variety of birds, making it a great destination for birdwatching enthusiasts. Some of the bird species that you can find here include common loons, herons, grebes, and osprey.
West Shore/ Flathead Lake State Park is one of the six state parks that surround Flathead Lake. Flathead lake is the result of an ancient glacial dammed lake and covers 197 square miles. The park is a great home base for a boating adventure where you can catch large and smallmouth bass, brook trout, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Other activities that you can enjoy here include swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking. The area is surrounded by magnificent mountain views and is close to Glacier National Park.
National Sites Near Havre, Montana
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area is a remote area that sees few visitors. The area is rugged, with spectacular views and a canyon lake that stretches for more than 50 miles. There are just over 25 miles of hiking trails with stunning views of historical ranches. You can float down the canyon lake, fish for trout, and enjoy amazing views of the Milky Way.
Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic site was established in 1972 to commemorate the western cattle industry. The ranch was first established by a Canadian fur trader named Johnny Grant along the banks of the Clark Fork River in 1862. You can explore some of the historical buildings, join a guided tour, or participate in a ranger program to learn more about how the Open Range Cattle era helped shape our nation.
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument marks the site where the Battle of the Little Bighorn took place in June of 1876. At this monument, you can learn about how the landscape of the area played a pivotal role in the battle between the 7th Cavalry of the U.S. Army and the Lakota and Cheyenne warriors.
National Forests Near Havre, Montana
Lewis and Clark National Forest covers over 2.8 million acres that span 2,912 square miles in Montana. It is one of the oldest national preserves in the country. The forest is divided into six ranger districts and is bisected by the Missouri River and Continental Divide. The area consists of a mixture of grassy meadows, coniferous forests, deciduous valleys, and high mountain peaks. You can enjoy scenic drives, camping, horseback riding, skiing, hiking, and snowmobiling.
Helena National Forest surrounds the state capital of Montana. The forest is made up of several broken sections of forests that consist of over 900,000 acres covering 1,538 square miles. Because of its large area and diverse habitats, Helena National Forest is home to a huge variety of wildlife. Some of the wildlife species that call this forest home include elk, black bears, brown bears, mountain goes, timber wolves, bighorn sheep, mule deer, wolverines, and more.
As part of the Greater Yellowstone Area, the Gallatin National Forest was established in 1889 and consists of 1.8 million acres that span six mountain ranges. The forest provides a habit for four federally listed threatened species, including Canada lynx, bald eagles, gray wolves, and grizzly bears. The forest offers ample opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, fishing, and winter activities such as snowmobiling and skiing. The forest is a great place to see raptors migrating and contains the largest concentration of golden eagles in the continental United States.
