Road trip through Philipsburg incomplete without a stop at the Sweet Palace
By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors
I spent last weekend on a road trip around Southwest Montana. It was nice to get out of town and hit the open road in the winter.
I left Bozeman with a friend on Saturday morning. We headed through Butte to Anaconda and then south to the Big Hole Valley. An overnight stay at Lost Trail Hot Springs near the Idaho border on Saturday night and a drive north through the Bitterroot Valley had us in Missoula by 2 p.m. on Sunday.
We met my friend Kaylyn DesRosier at Café Dulce. Over gelato and sandwiches, she told us not to miss The Sweet Palace in Philipsburg.
Philipsburg is a small town near Discovery Basin ski area on the Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Route between Drummond and Anaconda. The drive is indeed spectacular. The high peaks of the Flint Creek Range and the John Long Mountains usher you through the Philipsburg Valley.
Like a lot of old mining towns I have visited in Montana, Philipsburg is built on steep hillsides. The houses – each full of character – peek up over the top of one another. Old brick buildings with ornate façades line the main street through town.
The Sweet Palace is a hopping place, even in the dead of winter. Skiers from nearby Discovery Basin make the trip to pick up confections of all varieties. And by all varieties, I mean all varieties.
I have never seen so many types of candy – bonbons, suckers, chocolates, truffles, lolipops, licorice ropes, fudge, taffy, rock candy and limitless other sweets. The smell and the footsteps of frenzied children racing about the place is intoxicating.
The Sweet Palace opened in 1998 as a “destination candy store for all Montanans and guests.” The palace has tin ceilings and Victorian décor straight out of the 1800s. There’s an upper level with tables that overlook the piles of candy and happy customers below. It fits Philipsburg perfectly.
I sampled the Moose Drool truffles, among other delectables. They are as rich and tasty as can be imagined.
Three cheers to Kaylyn for the suggestion! If you ever take the trip along the Anaconda-Pintler Scenic Route, make sure not to miss The Sweet Palace.
Our vision of a destination candy store for all Montanans and guests opened in 1998 as The Sweet Palace. The aroma of freshly made candies arouses your senses and the elegance of the Victorian décor will take you back to another century. Be sure to join us while we create nostalgic, sumptuous sweets for gifting or indulging.
In 2003 we purchased one of our suppliers and moved it to its new home, The Copper Cauldron. In our commercial kitchen we make our chocolate centers, taffy base, caramels, toffees, brittles, and marshmallow. We have a viewing area, so please feel free to stop by and see what we’re cooking.
Choose from any of 50 kinds of fudge, 72 flavors of saltwater taffy, 20 varieties of caramels, or our luxurious hand dipped chocolates from our online candy catalog. We delight in making your traditional favorites as well as following through with our daily whims. Ask about our Black-eyed Bobs and Moose Drool Truffles. Our sugar free connoisseurs will be enthralled with over 90 delectable selections. Succulent hard candies and more Jelly Belly choices than anywhere in the universe await you here at The Sweet Palace.
No related posts.
About The Author
Loading ...
Comments