Georgetown Lake
Butte, Anaconda and Philipsburg’s Lake is an appropriate sub-name for this gem sitting in a basin at 6,637 feet and boasting of 18 miles of shoreline. Anaconda is 15 miles to the east and Philipsburg is 10 miles north. Slopes of the Anaconda Range and Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness begin their rise from the lake’s southern perimeter. With seven summits exceeding 10,000 feet, they provide a dramatic mountain background.
Although in reality a reservoir, Georgetown Lake appears to be a body of water that has always been here. In 1885 a dam was built to hold back the waters of Flint Creek. A couple of local power companies built the structure and were involved until the Anaconda Company bought it in 1907. Today Granite County controls the dam and flow using it for power generation.
Before the lake, the place was known as Georgetown Flats, named for George Cameron, a placer miner who, in 1867 began working the gravels of Flint Creek. Eventually, the gold played out and the camp was abandoned. When the dam was completed, the town was submerged as the lake was forming.
Now Georgetown is a recreation mecca known for its excellent fishing, especially for Kokanee salmon and rainbow trout. In winter ice fishing takes over. Discovery Basin Ski Area, in the Flint Creek Range, is accessed from the lake’s east shore.
About 50% of the land surrounding the lake is public, managed by the US Forest Service and 50% private.
