Imagine living in Montana in 1895, when the land was wild and untamed and the mining boom was just beginning. This is such a romantic and legendary time in American history! Perhaps you would have been one of the first inhabitants of Garnet, the once-thriving community located about 30 miles east of Missoula, Montana. Although it was abandoned long ago, it remains one of our best-preserved ghost towns, and it’s still beautiful — albeit, hauntingly so. Read more about Garnet below, and see if you think it’s the creepiest ghost town in Montana…
Believe it or not, Garnet, Montana, was never built to last.
mksfca / Flickr Local miners were much more interested in extracting the riches below the ground that building a town above it.
Yet despite the intentions of the original builders, Garnet remains one of the most well-preserved abandoned towns in Montana. It’s also, in our opinion, the creepiest ghost town in Montana.
Wayne Stadler / Flickr The buildings of Garnet may not have been built to last, but they certainly did.
Garnet was named for the ruby-colored stones that were often found in the area. Of course, the surrounding mountains were also rich in gold-bearing quartz.
David J Laporte / Flickr The Garnet Mountains attracted miners who collected gold first by panning, then by using rockers and sluice boxes.
By the late 1940s, Garnet, like so many other Gold Rush towns, was completely abandoned. But Montanans have carefully preserved as many original buildings in Garnet as possible, giving us a glimpse into our local history.
David J Laporte / Flickr Travel + Leisure even named Garnet one of America’s coolest ghost towns!
Garnet is open for tours, and lots of hiking trails and camping spots are available nearby.
Meredith Rendall Photography / Flickr The Garnet Preservation Association, a Montana nonprofit, helps keep things running smoothly in this lively little ghost town.
We’re lucky to have such a beautiful place to explore to learn more about our past – even if it’s the creepiest ghost town in Montana!
Bureau of Land Management / Flickr
mksfca / Flickr
Local miners were much more interested in extracting the riches below the ground that building a town above it.
Wayne Stadler / Flickr
The buildings of Garnet may not have been built to last, but they certainly did.
David J Laporte / Flickr
The Garnet Mountains attracted miners who collected gold first by panning, then by using rockers and sluice boxes.
Travel + Leisure even named Garnet one of America’s coolest ghost towns!
Meredith Rendall Photography / Flickr
The Garnet Preservation Association, a Montana nonprofit, helps keep things running smoothly in this lively little ghost town.
Bureau of Land Management / Flickr
Well, what do you think? Do you agree that Garnet is the creepiest ghost town in Montana? Is there another ghost town in Montana that you deem creepier or more eerie? We’d love you hear about your ghost hunting adventures in the Treasure State!
If you enjoy checking out old abandoned spots in the Treasure State, check out these places that nature is reclaiming.
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Address: Garnet, MT 59832, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Creepiest ghost town in Montana October 04, 2021 Sarah How many ghost towns are there in Montana? As a big player in the Gold Rush, Montana is no stranger to ghost towns. Experts estimate that there are over 60 ghost towns in Montana. Some are completely abandoned, and some have a sparse population. You will find ghost towns in Montana with many intact buildings preserving much of the region’s history, much like Garnet. What’s another creepy ghost town in Montana? Bannack is another unsettling and downright eerie ghost town in Montana. This Montana ghost town is a National Historic Landmark and the site of the state’s first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. This event set off an epic gold rush that caused Bannack’s population to boom to over 3,000 by 1863. But as the value of gold declined, so too did Bannack’s burgeoning population. Today, over 50 buildings line Main Street; their historic log and frame structures reference Montana’s formative years, giving visitors an authentic Old West experience. There’s something wholly unnerving about wandering through streets that were once filled with thousands of hopeful souls. What are some other abandoned places in Montana? In addition to over 60 ghost towns, Montana is full of old sites and structures that were once homes and places of business that for whatever reason were left to the elements. These abandoned homes and businesses are downright haunting to discover, but also delightfully fun for ghost hunters and those seeking a little bit of thrilling adventure. Here are nine abandoned places in Montana that you can visit, but be warned: your imagination will most certainly run away with all sorts of notions and stories about the past!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Creepiest ghost town in Montana
October 04, 2021
Sarah
How many ghost towns are there in Montana? As a big player in the Gold Rush, Montana is no stranger to ghost towns. Experts estimate that there are over 60 ghost towns in Montana. Some are completely abandoned, and some have a sparse population. You will find ghost towns in Montana with many intact buildings preserving much of the region’s history, much like Garnet. What’s another creepy ghost town in Montana? Bannack is another unsettling and downright eerie ghost town in Montana. This Montana ghost town is a National Historic Landmark and the site of the state’s first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. This event set off an epic gold rush that caused Bannack’s population to boom to over 3,000 by 1863. But as the value of gold declined, so too did Bannack’s burgeoning population. Today, over 50 buildings line Main Street; their historic log and frame structures reference Montana’s formative years, giving visitors an authentic Old West experience. There’s something wholly unnerving about wandering through streets that were once filled with thousands of hopeful souls. What are some other abandoned places in Montana? In addition to over 60 ghost towns, Montana is full of old sites and structures that were once homes and places of business that for whatever reason were left to the elements. These abandoned homes and businesses are downright haunting to discover, but also delightfully fun for ghost hunters and those seeking a little bit of thrilling adventure. Here are nine abandoned places in Montana that you can visit, but be warned: your imagination will most certainly run away with all sorts of notions and stories about the past!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
As a big player in the Gold Rush, Montana is no stranger to ghost towns. Experts estimate that there are over 60 ghost towns in Montana. Some are completely abandoned, and some have a sparse population. You will find ghost towns in Montana with many intact buildings preserving much of the region’s history, much like Garnet.
What’s another creepy ghost town in Montana?
Bannack is another unsettling and downright eerie ghost town in Montana. This Montana ghost town is a National Historic Landmark and the site of the state’s first major gold discovery on July 28, 1862. This event set off an epic gold rush that caused Bannack’s population to boom to over 3,000 by 1863. But as the value of gold declined, so too did Bannack’s burgeoning population. Today, over 50 buildings line Main Street; their historic log and frame structures reference Montana’s formative years, giving visitors an authentic Old West experience. There’s something wholly unnerving about wandering through streets that were once filled with thousands of hopeful souls.
What are some other abandoned places in Montana?
In addition to over 60 ghost towns, Montana is full of old sites and structures that were once homes and places of business that for whatever reason were left to the elements. These abandoned homes and businesses are downright haunting to discover, but also delightfully fun for ghost hunters and those seeking a little bit of thrilling adventure. Here are nine abandoned places in Montana that you can visit, but be warned: your imagination will most certainly run away with all sorts of notions and stories about the past!
