Garnet Ghost Town - Garnet, Montana

 

Visiting Garnet, Montana’s Best Ghost Town

 Something about a ghost town fascinates people. Whether it is the look into a period of our history that these towns, or even the “creepy factor” the long dead buildings can provide, they continue to attract tourists every year.

 Visitors to Montana will be happy to know that they have their very own ghost town to explore. However, the town of Garnet, the most well preserved ghost town in Montana, has very little in common with its brethren further. While the ghost towns that most people imagine are set on dusty streets in the desert with the obligatory tumbleweed rolling by, Garnet is set amidst a beautiful green backdrop of woods and hills.

 It is located in west central Montana, and sits at the head of First Chance Creek. The town was named after the garnet rocks found in the area. It was built around 1895, and was the home to a little more than one thousand people at one time. Today, 30 buildings survive, thanks to the efforts of the Bureau of Land Management and Garnet Preservation Association.

 Today, although the goldmines and the townsfolk are long gone, there is still quite a bit to see and do in Garnet. Take a walk, learn a bit of history, and imagine what it would have been like to live during the town’s heyday.

 You can walk through the town on your own, but an alternate option to the self-guided tour is take a walk with one of the Garnet Park Rangers. They lead very informative tours from late May through September, seven days a week, from 10:00 AM to 4 PM. It is worth taking one of these guided tours simply for the fact that you will learn so much about the history of the town and the area. If you happen to be traveling with a large group, you can also book a guide to take you on a tour.

 Besides touring the town and wandering through some of the open buildings, you can also go hiking, have a picnic, and check out some of the other exhibits, such as the numerous artifacts that were donated to the town. It is an incredible place to visit and take a moment to appreciate the wonderful and diverse history of the United States.