No tour of the Wild West is complete without visiting a ghost town — and
Montana has several of them. Once thriving cities that sprang up where pockets of gold, silver, and other precious metals were discovered, these cities usually died years later when the resources became depleted. The cities emptied as quickly as they filled.
Garnet Ghost Town If you’re looking for a fun, educational experience, load up your
rental car and take the kids to the best-preserved ghost town in
MT: Garnet Ghost Town. To get there you have to drive ten miles on a one-lane dirt road. This is likely how the residents traveled to and from the town — except they did it on horseback or in covered wagons. As you tour the town, imagine that it’s 1898 and the gold rush was in full swing. At this time the town had approximately 1,000 residents. Make the most of your experience by doing the following: •
Scheduling a tour: Garnet Ghost Town isn’t a gaudy tourist attraction. It’s run and maintained by volunteers of the Garnet Preservation Association (GPA). These volunteers care deeply about preserving the area’s history and offer very informative tours. You can even try panning for gold yourself. •
Seeing the buildings: As you enter the grand hotel, rustic cabins, old saloon, and former schoolhouse, you’ll begin to piece together a picture of the town in its heyday. The GPA has kept everything as true to the time period as possible. •
Enjoying the region: While you’re in the middle of the Garnet Mountains, take some time to enjoy it. This area features incredible wildlife and some of the most breathtaking views. Bring your bikes and hit the nearby trails or make a weekend of it and camp.
Getting There Seeing the Wild West is on everyone’s bucket lists, and Journey Rent-A-Car is here to help you make that dream a reality. We have a large selection of
car rentals,
spacious van rentals, and even
convenient airport car rental options. When you choose journeyrentacar.com, you’ll receive incredible rates and excellent customer service. We’re located in
Bozeman, MT, near
Yellowstone and
Big Sky. Make a
reservation online or
contact us at
406-551-2277. We look forward to serving you and helping you see the best of
Montana.