Entry No. 18 — the Butte file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Anaconda Smelter Stack (The Big Stack)
A single 585-foot brick chimney rises alone out of a barren hillside east of Anaconda, the tallest surviving masonry structure in the world and tall enough to swallow the Washington Monument with room to spare. It is the lone survivor of the Anaconda Copper Company's Washoe Smelter, which was demolished in the 1980s, after locals organized a 'Save the Stack' campaign to keep the chimney standing. You cannot walk up to it because the surrounding soil is still laced with arsenic and heavy metals, so the state park is essentially a viewing platform pointed at a giant orphaned smokestack across a poisoned field.
The move: Drive out to the state park overlook at golden hour to photograph the lone giant chimney glowing against the bare hills.
📍 Before you go About 25 miles from Butte. You view the stack from a distance only; the contaminated grounds around it are fenced and closed to the public.
- 📍 Anaconda
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Anaconda Smoke Stack State Park viewing area, Hwy 1 / Stack Dr, Anaconda, MT 59711
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
last checked: 2026-06-24