Helena, Montana
Helena is a city of 33,639 people in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, founded in October 30, 1864.
Why visit Helena
Townapedia lists 46 museums and landmarks, 71 parks and trails, 141 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 12 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinemark Helena & XD, Grandstreet Theatre, Robert and Elizabeth Fisk House and Temple Emanu-El.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 37 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Helena
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Helena
Helena (; ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Its population was 32,091 at the 2020 census, making it the sixth-most populous city in Montana, but the fifth-least populous state capital in the U.S. It is the principal city of the Helena, Montana metropolitan area, which includes all of Lewis and Clark, and Jefferson counties; the MSA's population was 83,058 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Helena, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do12
Grandstreet Theatre
Cinema and theater · 1.1 mi
Theater in Helena, Montana, United States
Museums and landmarks46
Robert and Elizabeth Fisk House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Helena, Montana, United States
Temple Emanu-El
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Former synagogue, now Helena diocesan chancery
515 North Ewing Street, Helena
Benton Avenue Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic cemetery in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, US
Christmas Gift Evans House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Helena, Montana, listed on the NRHP
Forestvale Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic cemetery in Helena, Montana, US
Former Montana Executive Mansion
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Former governor's residence in Helena, Montana, United States
Hauser Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Montana, United States
Helena Civic Center
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic building and community facility in Helena, Montana, USA
Helena Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic district in Helena, Montana
Helena South-Central Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Montana, United States
Home of Peace Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Cemetery in Helena, Montana
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Kluge House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic house in Montana, United States
34 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds71
Beattie Park
Park
Beattie Park is approximately 0.6 acres and located at the intersection of Helena Avenue and Roberts Street in the City of Helena.
1400 Helena Avenue, Helena
Wesleyan Park
Park · 0.6 mi
Wesleyan Park is approximately 0.2 acres and located at the intersection of Helena Avenue and Warren Street in the City of Helena.
801 Helena Avenue, Helena
Dale Harris Park
Park · 1.5 mi
Large park with trails
279 South Cruse Street, Helena
Centennial / Bausch Park
Park · 0.8 mi
1250 North Last Chance Gulch Street, Helena
59 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes141
Bad Betty's Barbecue
Restaurant · Barbecue · 0.8 mi
812 Front Street, Helena
Tu-We,Sa 11:00-15:00;Th-Fr 11:00-19:00
Brooklyn Pizza & Pasta Company
Restaurant · Italian, Pasta, Pizza · 1.3 mi
70 South Park Avenue, Helena
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Fire Tower Coffee
Cafe · Breakfast, Sandwich, Coffee · 0.9 mi
422 North Last Chance Gulch Street, Helena
Mo-Sa 07:30-15:00; Su closed
Planet Gyros
Restaurant · Greek · 0.4 mi
1421 11th Avenue, Helena
Mo 10:00-16:00; Tu-Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 11:00-16:00
Steffano's Pizza & Subs
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.8 mi
2100 North Last Chance Gulch Street, Helena
Mo-Th 11:00-19:00, Fr 11:00-19:30, Sa 11:00-17:00, Su 11:00-16:00
Village Inn Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.6 mi
1830 Prospect Avenue, Helena
Mo-Th 11:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-23:00; Su 11:00-22:00
Bagel Co Espresso
Cafe · 0.7 mi
735 North Last Chance Gulch Street, Helena
Mo-Sa 06:30-14:00; Su 07:00-14:00
Headwaters Crafthouse
Brewery and winery · 0.7 mi
2125 North Last Chance Gulch Street, Helena
Mo 12:00-20:00, Tu 12:00-20:30, We 13:00-20:30, Th 12:00-20:30,...
On Broadway
Restaurant · 1.1 mi
106 East Broadway Street, Helena
Mo-Th 17:00-21:30 open "dining", Fr-Sa 17:00-22:00 open "dining"...
Silver Star Steak Co
Restaurant · 0.9 mi
833 Great Northern Boulevard, Helena
Mo-Th 16:00-22:00, Fr-Sa 16:00-23:00
129 more on the map.
History
The Helena area was long inhabited by various indigenous peoples. Evidence from the MacHaffie and Indian Creek sites on opposite sides of the Elkhorn Mountains southeast of the Helena Valley show that people of the Folsom culture lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago. Before the introduction of the horse 300 years ago, and since, other native peoples, including the Salish and the Blackfeet, visited the area seasonally on their nomadic rounds.
From the History section of Helena, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
Churches and places of worship51
Cathedral of Saint Helena
Church · Roman Catholic · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
530 North Ewing Street, Helena
Helena Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.5 mi
2410 Belt View Drive, Helena
Shopping43
Gas and EV charging19
Schools, colleges and libraries44
Healthcare34
Montana Regional Imaging Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.0 mi
3510 Ptarmigan Lane, Helena
Map of Helena
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 14°F | 0.4 in | 6.6 in |
| Feb | 37°F | 17°F | 0.4 in | 6.6 in |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 0.5 in | 4.6 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 32°F | 1.0 in | 2.9 in |
| May | 66°F | 42°F | 1.9 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 49°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 55°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 53°F | 1.0 in | 0.3 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 45°F | 1.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 34°F | 0.8 in | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 43°F | 23°F | 0.6 in | 5.4 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 14°F | 0.5 in | 7.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Helena Rgnl Ap Gsn Hcn 72772 (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lewis and Clark County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-07-12: Horse Gulch Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-07-28: North Hills Fire (Fire)
- 2018-10-31: Flooding (Flood)
- 2017-09-09: Alice Creek Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Helena Regional Airport (HLN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- South Hills 3 mi south, about 5 min by car
- Helena Valley West Central 5 mi northwest, about 8 min by car
- East Helena 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Helena West Side 5 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Unionville 5 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Helena Valley Southeast 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Montana City 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
- Helena Valley Northeast 9 mi northeast, about 14 min by car
- Helena Valley Northwest 9 mi north, about 15 min by car
- Clancy 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Helena Montana 2006, RTC at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Helena Cathedral, SWD at English Wikipedia, Public domain
- Fisk-house, KingJeff1970, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Temple Emanu-El 02, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Porter Flats Apartments (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Christmas Gift Evans House NRHP 80004271 Lewis And Clark County, MT, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Benton Avenue Cemetery (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ForestvaleNHP, Montanamars, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Home of Peace Helena 4, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Young Women's Christian Association (Independent) (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Hauser Mansion, Helena, Al Huntsman, Public domain
- Silverman-house, KingJeff1970, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Old Cooney Hosp, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wick-Seiler from North, Chris59601, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MontanaOriginalGovernorsMansion, Parkerdr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Atlas Block, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Helena - Montana Historical Society, Roger Wollstadt from Sarasota, Florida, CC BY-SA 2.0
- W.C. Child Ranch (2012) - Jefferson County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MK01799 Montana State Capitol, Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Algeria Shrine Temple (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Olsen House (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kluge House, Al Huntsman, Public domain
- Kleinschmidt House (2012) - Lewis and Clark County, Montana, Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Helena Cathedral in Helena Montana, Always dreamin, CC0
- Youth Forest Monitoring participants, 2023 Program (53157619409), Forest Service - Northern Region, Public domain
- Winter Day - panoramio, leemr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 09, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 24, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 25, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Shawl dance 2016, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 19, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 16, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 31, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 29, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 23, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 01, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Furbearing animal Pelts, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 18, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 07, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Stampede 2013 04, Montanabw, CC BY-SA 4.0
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