Deerlodge Prison Ranch Springs
Deerlodge Prison Ranch Springs flows at 79°F on the grounds of the Deer Lodge State Prison Ranch, a state conservation area in Powell County with restricted public access. The spring sits at 5,753 feet elevation, 93 meters from the nearest road. No published water chemistry exists. The water runs 41°F above ambient in a cold mountain climate.
The spring emerges in the Deer Lodge Valley, a high-elevation basin where the Clark Fork River begins its westward course through western Montana. The Flint Creek Range rises to the west and the Boulder Mountains to the east, both exceeding 8,000 feet. At 5,753 feet, the valley floor supports irrigated hay meadows and cattle ranches interspersed with willow and cottonwood along the river. Annual snowfall reaches 74 inches and annual air temperature averages just 38°F, making this one of Montana's colder inhabited valleys.
The spring's name ties directly to the Montana State Prison at Deer Lodge, established in 1871 as the territorial prison. The prison ranch operated as a working agricultural facility where inmates raised livestock and crops. The thermal water was reportedly used on the ranch for various purposes. The spring remains on state-managed land designated as a conservation area, and public access is restricted.
This spring is on restricted state land associated with the prison facility; do not attempt to visit without prior authorization from the Montana Department of Corrections. The nearby town of Deer Lodge offers the Old Montana Prison museum complex and full services. Racetrack Cabin, a reservable Forest Service rental 12 km away in the Flint Range, provides backcountry lodging. Winters are severe at this elevation.
Is Deerlodge Prison Ranch Springs worth visiting?
Best for
- Easy day trips
- Overnight camping trips
Overview Racetrack Cabin is a rustic one room log cabin located along Racetrack Creek in the Flint Range of western Montana, near the Continental Divide. The cabin is remotely located and was built to house miners in the 1930s. It was later donated to the Forest Service and refurbished for use by the public. Guests will be in for a true remote cabin experience with plenty of opportunities for exploration and no distractions from cellular or internet service. There are several motorized and...