The greatest loss of life in hardrock mining history ocurred in Butte on June 8, 1917, when 168 men died in the tragic Speculator Fire Disaster. The Granite Mountain Memorial offers the visitor an unforgettable panoramic view of the 10,000-foot Highland Mountains, the Continental Divide and the remnants of a once booming mining industry. Interpretive plaques tell the story of the people, events and turbulent times that surrounded this catastrphic episode.

The Butte trail system has a trailhead just to the south and west of the Granite Mountain Memorial site. This trail connects the Top of the World trail down to the Mountain Con Park (a restored historic mine site).