Heading to Montana soon and want to discover some cool and spooky ghost towns? You’ve come to the right place!
Montana is one of the best places in the West to visit ghost towns since there are a lot of towns that were built during the goldrush and have since been deserted.
The first territorial capitals of Montana were actually cities that were built around the gold mining industry and they were eventually left as they were.
Some of them are very well preserved and you can perfectly see how people used to live there back in the day.
If that’s something you’d like to see, this Southwest Montana road trip itinerary will be perfect for you since it will take you to 10 ghost towns!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost for you!
Map of this Montana Ghost Town Road Trip
1. Pony
The first Montana ghost town on this list is Pony. It only takes 1 hour to get there from either Butte or Bozeman which makes it very easy.
Pony is a very small town nestled on the edge of the Tobacco Root Mountains.
It was once a prosperous gold mining town with over 5,000 residents but now only 120 people live.
Pony is a bit of an odd one in this list because it’s not a town that was completely abandoned but it is quite run down.
You’ll find quite a lot of old and spooky abandoned buildings though like the Morris State Bank or the Morris Elling stamp mill.
2. Virginia City
The second stop is Virginia City. When it comes to ghost towns in Montana, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Virginia City is located on the Vigilante Trail and it’s such a cool place to visit.
It was once the state capital of Montana (during the gold mining days) and is now a National Historic Landmark.
There are loads of things you can do in Virginia City, especially if you are visiting in summer.
The visitor center has free self guided tours that are worth doing but you can also explore on your own.
You’ll find loads of buildings with collections of Old West artefacts.
It looks exactly like it used to, making it the perfect place for people who want to discover a proper 1860s boom town.
In summer, you can also go on one of the local ghost tours. They start from the Bale of Hay Saloon, which is the oldest saloon in Montana.
3. Nevada City
Your next stop is Nevada City. It’s very close to Virginia City and you can get there by car or take the scenic train from Virginia City (this is quite a unique experience so I highly recommend it).
Nevada City is a lot smaller than Virginia City but it definitely has this ghost town feel.
You’ll find a small visitor center near the station with a lot of artefacts and can walk around the town to discover more about the gold mining days.
4. Rochester
Rochester is a town that sprung up in 1869 when gold was discovered on the Watseka Hill.
This led to the creation of the Watseka mine which was a very active gold mine in the area.
So much so that it actually operated until the 1980s!
Since then, Rochester was pretty much abandoned and is now considered a ghost town.
You can see the old cemetery, gold mill and wooden headframe here.
5. Glendale
Glendale is a bit more off the beaten path compared to the other ghost towns mentioned here but it’s worth the detour too.
At its peak, there were 2,000 residents in Glendale but now it’s completely deserted. You’ll still find a few buildings and a smelter stack here.
But if you keep going for another 5 miles, you’ll reach Canyon Creek and its charcoal kilns which is an interesting sight.
6. Bannack
Bannack is the most famous ghost town in Montana alongside Virginia City. It was actually the first territorial capital of Montana and is now a state park.
That’s how important it is!
Gold was discovered in 1862 in Grasshopper Creek which led to a major gold rush.
Bannack was also home to Sheriff Henry Plummer who was one of the most famous outlaws in the American West.
You’ll find over 50 buildings in Bannack state park, making it one of the best preserved ghost towns in the United States.
If you are interested in learning more about the history of the American West and Montana, this is definitely one of the best places to do so.
There is a visitor center at the entrance, don’t hesitate to stop there to ask for information. They offer a lot of tours and entertainment programs.
7. Quartz Hill
Located in the Vipond District, Quartz Hill is an old mine where you can see some old buildings and mining sites.
You can reach it via Quartz Hill Road which is about 5 miles long.
8. Coolidge
Coolidge is a bit different to the other ghost towns mentioned here because it wasn’t a gold town but a silver town.
As a matter of fact, it was the last silver boom town in Montana.
The development of Coolidge was led by William R. Allen, and included the creation of a railroad and mine but unfortunately, the quantity of silver available here didn’t justify the expense and running costs of such infrastructure.
It’s a bit challenging to get there because you’ll need to drive 5 miles on a dirt road and then hike about half a mile so make sure to take that into consideration.
9. Farlin
Farlin used to be a copper town. It was discovered by the Farlin brothers and started getting momentum at the beginning of the 20th century.
It produced half a million pounds of copper between 1905 and 1906. It even had a school and post office at the time but the activity eventually reduced and the town was abandoned.
Summary of this Ghost Town SouthWest Montana Road trip
- Stop 1: Pony
- Stop 2: Virginia City
- Stop 3: Nevada City
- Stop 4: Rochester
- Stop 5: Glendale
- Stop 6: Bannack
- Stop 7: Quartz Hill
- Stop 8: Coolidge
- Stop 9: Farlin
You may also be interested in:
