Garnet and Montana ghost towns
Some of the best times we’ve had in Montana have been spent exploring the old mining towns nearby.
Ghost Towns
We love exploring the old mining towns around western Montana. Some are mostly ruins, while places like Garnet still have dozens of buildings standing and give you a pretty good idea of what these towns once looked like.
Mining helped shape many communities across western Montana. The places below preserve different parts of that history, from standing buildings to the remains of former town sites.
Which town should you visit?
- Garnet: Choose Garnet for a visit centered on preserved buildings and the story of a former gold mining town.
- Marysville: Consider Marysville as a historic community to explore during a Helena area outing. It is still a place where people live.
- Granite: Choose Granite for mining history and ruins above Philipsburg, with a mountain road approach that needs advance planning.
Local tips from Matt and Nichole, owners of Lost Moose Meadows.
Quick facts
- Garnet
- 1890s gold camp, about 30 buildings
- Season
- Check current visitor information
- Road
- Paved and gravel, not suited for RVs
- Also nearby
- Marysville and Granite
Garnet Ghost Town
Garnet was home to around a thousand people during the gold boom of the late 1890s. A fire damaged its business district in 1912, adding to the difficulties facing the mining community.
Today, its surviving buildings give visitors a sense of the town that once stood here.
About 30 buildings remain, including the J.K. Wells Hotel, Kelly’s Saloon and miners’ cabins. Historic buildings are stabilized and preserved to retain their character.
- Getting there: Approach Garnet from Highway 200 using Garnet Range Road. The route includes paved and gravel sections. Follow BLM’s current directions to the parking area rather than accepting an unfamiliar shortcut suggested by navigation software.
- Please leave the RV at camp. BLM recommends the Highway 200 approach. Alternative routes can be steep, narrow and rough.
- Before you go: Check current visitor center availability, access and entry fees before leaving. Weather can affect the mountain approach.
- Take your time. Give yourself time to walk between the buildings, read the interpretation and look at the details. Garnet is better enjoyed as the main stop of an outing than as something to rush through on the way elsewhere.
Look beyond the larger buildings and notice the everyday details: the cabins, doorways and spaces between them. That is part of what makes walking through Garnet more memorable than simply reading its history.
Marysville
Marysville grew around the Drumlummon Mine and remains a small living community. Visit for its mining history and historic setting, while respecting residents and private property.
It can be part of a Helena area outing. If you want to include a meal at Marysville House, check its current opening information before building your day around it. See our Helena guide.
Granite Ghost Town State Park
Above Philipsburg, Granite preserves remains of a former silver mining town. The miners’ union hall and superintendent’s house are among the features identified by Montana State Parks.
Visit for the ruins and the setting rather than expecting another town of intact buildings like Garnet. The approach road is narrow, steep and winding, and FWP states that the site is not accessible by RV or bus. Allow time for the mountain approach if you include Granite in a Philipsburg outing.
A few tips
- Check current access and visitor information before leaving.
- Bring water and anything you need for the outing.
- Respect signs, closures and private property.
- Leave historic objects where you find them.
- Enter buildings only where visitors are permitted.
Keep exploring
More to see and do
Open April 15 to October 15
Make time for Montana’s mining history.
Spend a day exploring Montana’s mining history, then return to your RV in Lincoln.