Last Chance Gulch
Last Chance Gulch
4
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The main street in the downtown business district, which takes its name from the four prospectors who discovered gold there in 1864.
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4.0
147 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
59
Average
21
Poor
9
Terrible
3
Allen T
200 contributions
June 2022
The Gulch is adjacent to some sketchy areas, which detracts from the overall impression. There's lots of nice, historic architecture, but we didn't see any stores that we felt we had to explore. I'd pick the grain exchange district in Winnipeg (Canada) for a pleasant stroll with a much larger array of interesting architecture (even if you don't usually like architecture).
Written 20 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rehoboth5
Helena, MT509 contributions
Dec 2018 • Couples
Some folks complain that our Last Chance Gulch pedestrian area is dead or boring. Folks, this is Montana...we don't have flashy places. This isn't Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, for Pete's sake.
To appreciate Last Chance Gulch, slow down. Park your car (you can find free parking, something you're not likely to find in many other cities). Get out and walk. On Sundays, most things will indeed be closed. But there are a few nice eateries on the walking area, a cute ice cream shop and an old fashioned confectionery. And historic buildings. To really appreciate the buildings, look up and around. There are fascinating features on the old buildings. Also look at the mountains, which are very close by (literally just a few minutes' walk away). In the summer, you'll see mountain bikers and hikers in their gear riding or walking down the Gulch. In fact, it's very common for mountain bikers to drop down to the Gulch and have lunch or a drink, and then go back up onto the trails for the rest of the day. Last year when we had lots of snow, I saw cross country skiers carrying their skis down the Gulch as they came into town after a ski outing.
In short, Last Chance Gulch is a throwback to Montana history, situated right next to the mountains. If you make an effort to slow down and look up and around, you'll appreciate it.
To appreciate Last Chance Gulch, slow down. Park your car (you can find free parking, something you're not likely to find in many other cities). Get out and walk. On Sundays, most things will indeed be closed. But there are a few nice eateries on the walking area, a cute ice cream shop and an old fashioned confectionery. And historic buildings. To really appreciate the buildings, look up and around. There are fascinating features on the old buildings. Also look at the mountains, which are very close by (literally just a few minutes' walk away). In the summer, you'll see mountain bikers and hikers in their gear riding or walking down the Gulch. In fact, it's very common for mountain bikers to drop down to the Gulch and have lunch or a drink, and then go back up onto the trails for the rest of the day. Last year when we had lots of snow, I saw cross country skiers carrying their skis down the Gulch as they came into town after a ski outing.
In short, Last Chance Gulch is a throwback to Montana history, situated right next to the mountains. If you make an effort to slow down and look up and around, you'll appreciate it.
Written 17 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,511 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
In 1864, down on their luck and about ready to give up their quest for fortune, four miners discovered gold in a stream that later became known as Last Chance Gulch in Helena, Montana. They established a mining camp, dubbed the new settlement Helena after the Minnesota hometown of one of the miners, and pursued their destiny. In the first four years, the Gulch produced $19 million worth of gold. By the 1890s, Helena's spectacular architecture and cosmopolitan ambience won the city the nickname "Queen of the Rockies." Today, visitors can walk through the meandering Last Chance Gulch, meandering because it was originally routed between mining claims, and experience a wide variety of merchants from restaurants to apparel stores to gift shops to custom art galleries to entertainment venues to bars to sporting goods stores to micro breweries and take a tour of the historical sites, the many buildings that date to the 1880s. For example, see the pioneer cabin that was built by Wilson and Jonas Butts in 1864-65, the oldest house in Helena with a documented construction history. It was restored in 1938 as one of the first preservation efforts in the West. Visit Reeder's Alley, a collection of tiny row apartments that once housed miners, and Anchor Park, next to Lewis & Clark Library, which memorializes the USS Helena, which gave its name to four ships that served their country, including one that was sunk at Pearl Harbor in 1941. There are many commercial buildings that are architectural masterpieces, including the Windsor Hotel (1888), Montana Club (1905), First National Bank (1886), Placer Hotel (1913), Colwell Building (1866), Masonic Temple and the Ming Opera House (1880), which once hosted Marie Dressler and Eddie Foy and still uses original hand-painted scenery of the 1880s and a spectacular $10,000 pipe organ that was installed in 1915. In addition, Last Chance Gulch is the scene of music festivals and craft fairs and concerts on weekends throughout the summer.
Written 6 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RomanPIlot
Helena, MT1 contribution
As far as small-town downtowns go, this one is fantastic. Spanning about a half dozen blocks, it's full of historic buildings and local shops and restaurants. The gem of this area is the Walking Mall, a two block section of downtown without a street running through it. In the summer, fantastic events like Shakespeare Plays and Alive @ Five are common here.
Looking for something to eat, try The Windbag. Best food in Helena. For something a little different, Toi's Thai is a very cozy reservations-only Thai restaurant. Those looking for something a little cheaper can try out The Green Iguana (sandwich/smootie shop) or Taco del Sol.
Giving it 4 stars because businesses in the area, especially the Walking Mall, are having trouble competing with the big retailers around town. A shame, really.
Looking for something to eat, try The Windbag. Best food in Helena. For something a little different, Toi's Thai is a very cozy reservations-only Thai restaurant. Those looking for something a little cheaper can try out The Green Iguana (sandwich/smootie shop) or Taco del Sol.
Giving it 4 stars because businesses in the area, especially the Walking Mall, are having trouble competing with the big retailers around town. A shame, really.
Written 14 April 2008
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Voyager692024
13 contributions
July 2018 • Family
This is a fun plaza-type area; convenient to walk around with lots of shops and restaurants. Don't miss this if you are in downtown Helena.
Written 24 October 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
annabellelee_10
Barnstaple, UK4 contributions
Sept 2011 • Couples
Last Chance Gulch is unlike anywhere I have visited before. It was so exciting to see the original miner's lots, and get an idea how gold mining was carried out. It is a lovely place to just sit and enjoy the sun and there are some great places to eat. If you continue up the road you can also see some of the original miners' log cabins. We absolutely loved Helena - it has so much to offer tourists.
Written 8 November 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carol H
De Pere, WI1,036 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Stretching from 6th Avenue to North Broadway, the state's only downtown, outdoor walking mile marks the site where gold was first discovered by four Georgians in Helena in 1864. Helena was their "last chance" to discover that precious metal before giving up and returning home, hence the name.
Today, the gulch is home to treasures of another kind in the form of Victorian-era buildings, restaurants, interesting shops, and art galleries.
My spouse and I strolled the area twice during our 5-day stay in Helena. The second day we took our time to absorb the history, looking up and down, here and there, peering into each nook and cranny, reading the signs. Be sure to notice the small stream that flows along the center. We also ate lunch in the nostalgic Parrot Confectionery with its long soda fountain, cozy booths, and working jukebox. Charming.
Because we visited during two weekdays in May, the area was relatively free of other pedestrians. Do come. This is a real treasure that should not be missed!
Today, the gulch is home to treasures of another kind in the form of Victorian-era buildings, restaurants, interesting shops, and art galleries.
My spouse and I strolled the area twice during our 5-day stay in Helena. The second day we took our time to absorb the history, looking up and down, here and there, peering into each nook and cranny, reading the signs. Be sure to notice the small stream that flows along the center. We also ate lunch in the nostalgic Parrot Confectionery with its long soda fountain, cozy booths, and working jukebox. Charming.
Because we visited during two weekdays in May, the area was relatively free of other pedestrians. Do come. This is a real treasure that should not be missed!
Written 13 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike A
Williston, ND16 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Amazing architecture and a well done pedestrian area. The wife and I enjoyed it there and loved the little stream running down the middle of it.
Written 30 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SDB545
Helena, MT221 contributions
Mar 2018 • Friends
I have to encourage Helena visitors to park the car and stroll through downtown Helena. There are a variety of shops, breweries, wine bars, restaurants and mini-parks. Helena has one of Montana’s rare walking malls through several blocks of Downtown. It can be a bit chilly in the winter, but it truly comes alive in the summer. The entrance to Downtown is best via Last Chance Gulch, where you can enjoy the fun and funky 400 block full of the best mixed-use around. Coffee at the General Mercantile is an experience not to be missed - don’t be in a rush, it is to be savored.
Written 5 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jfadds
Naperville, IL6,360 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
Basically an old historic stretch of town that has now been gentrified- on a nice day it is worth an hour of your time
Written 24 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We plan to be in Helena next July. Would it be more fun to walk around Last Chance Gulch on a Friday evening or on a Saturday during the day? If most things close up by 6 or so, we will probably go somewhere else that first night.
Written 19 March 2017
Saturday would be more fun and more time to wounder around to see things.
Written 14 April 2017
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