Garnet Ghost Town
Garnet Ghost Town
4.5
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The area

Address
Rmg7+pf, Missoula, MT 59804-7204
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See what travelers are saying

  • Dyan S
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Perfect autumn adventure
    We love going for a long drive each years to see the colors of autumn. This fall were the ghost towns of western Montana, including Garnet. We were among only about 20 people wandering through the town, as opposed to dozens and dozens in the summer months. It was a wonderful adventure and highly recommend it, especially in Fall.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 14, 2023
  • AmyH
    34 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very cool part of American History
    Very cool part of American history. We took the rough road up and at times was not sure we wound make it. Go the 220 route for sure. Everything at the town was locked up for the season so we could only look in windows of the town. It was fascinating though, especially the old hotel.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 16, 2023
  • Jen G
    Chattaroy, Washington92 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun history spot
    My kids and I loved the town, the drive up is a different store. It's a one-lane road that's really bumpy and kinda sketchy at points. I grew up driving in the mountains of n. Idaho so I've driven roads like this before but it was still nerve-racking for me. The town is cool and surprisingly intact. My favorite part was sitting on the bench and watching my kids running from place to place having the time of their lives.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written May 23, 2024
  • MemoryMaker5
    Ohio1,313 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Just take the correct route. Super neat site!
    I'm going to basically repeat what some others have said concerning the route/drive up to the ghost town....because apparently I didn't read reviews well enough before we went. Ha! If you are coming from I-90...like from Butte...DO NOT listen to Google Maps! When you see the sign that states RVs and buses should take the other route, you need to do the same no matter what you're driving. We didn't realize. We came up the old original mining road. In hindsight I'm really glad we had the experience and the memories! In the moment is was kind of insane. When we got to the top, I've never been so glad to see someone in an orange vest in my life. haha! The friendly lady directing to parking said they have tried so many things to get people not to follow the Google route. My last tip about the drive - if you do happen to find yourself on the mining road and you come to the fork where there is signage and you can go left or right. GO RIGHT. We did not. Please don't let all this scare you away. It was such a neat place to see! We happened to be there on a special celebration day with period reenactors, special events, and festivities. The whole town shows up. So neat!
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written July 3, 2024
  • LovesNeon
    233 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great ghost town, but choose your approach carefully!
    We've been here before, the ghost town is amazing, really a must-see for those who are into this sort of thing. I'm writing to get the word out about getting there. The approach from the south is a nightmare. One-car-width road (thank heavens we did not encounter anyone else, no clue how we would have gotten by), *very* rocky and bumpy. Endlessly so. Passenger cars with low clearance may have problems. Otherwise, you can get there (in good weather, I'd hate to thing about tackling that road in bad weather), but it's a tiring, unpleasant drive, to be honest. The rocks are likely not the kindest thing for tires. We left the other way, the one that joins 200. MUCH better experience. Must be the way we came the last time we were here, I'd not forget the drive from the south. (At least it's marked, so you know you're not lost/on the wrong road, which is some consolation, but it doesn't say how much farther to go).
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 1, 2024
  • TarinaPalmer
    Vancouver, Canada24 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not to be missed
    I convinced friends from New York and Atlanta to come West and visit Missoula. They’d never seen a ghost town and Garnet was 1hr away. They were amazed to see this well-preserved town at the top of a mountain. We enjoyed walking in and out of the various buildings. The female park ranger was very helpful and gave us a great dinner recommendation.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 29, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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VintageFarmGirl74
Iowa237 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Family
The horrible drive there is bad enough but getting back down the mountain is way worse! It is pretty but really not that old for some of the buildings were still in business in the 1960’s. You can only see the outside of the buildings, they have all the doors locked and all the windows are blocked. They have porta-potties that are 1/2 way permanent but no running water, just sanitizer.
If the drive was only 10 minutes it would be fine but not over the hour we spent getting there- totally not worth it.
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MBMVWA
Seattle, WA588 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
We were just driving in the woods a happen to see it. It's 10 miles in from I-90. We saw the signs an was expecting a rundown looking ghost town. I looked like it had been restored.
It was $3 each to go in, but we just kept exploring the back roads
Written August 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Candice M
Idaho Falls, ID7 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
This information is from June 1, 2021. If coming in off of I-90 using the I-90 frontage road please note, this slowly turns into a rough, windy long mountain drive that requires a 4x4, even then hold on to your seat! This drive was very pretty (minus passing a few homes that looked like the hills have eyes, but we did not hear banjo's) the weather was great in June. This being said, I advise 10/10 do not take a car on this road any time of year, you can get there by going further up I-90 and taking 200, it is a much nicer road that cars can easily go on. There is a $3.00 (cash/check) charge per person, there is no way to make change and is all done on the honor system. Dog's are allowed on leash, we saw many people with pets. This is a decent amount of walking on dirt paths, but it still pretty easy. There are outhouses in the parking lots, but no hand sanitizer. There is not a gift shop or anything, but they do have hand outs for self guided tours and free postcards. Depending on your interest in this sort of thing you could spend anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours here wandering around and checking things out.
Written June 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

marjohnal
Palatine, IL170 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
Fun outing and scenic drive. Beware that the drive up the mountain is just short of treacherous. Takes forever because of switchbacks and gravel road. Your vehicle will never be the same..glad we had a rental!

Once you get to Garnet, the parking is adequate but the walk to the town would not be advisable for someone with walking difficulties. A $3 donation per person is suggested on the honor system. The history of the town is very cool and there is a great balance between maintaining original structures and maintenance to avoid crumbling! We enjoyed visiting all the buildings and the information provided at each.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jeana P
Raleigh751 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Long drive out on unpaved road to get there but worth the trip. Reasonable entry fee - $3 per person, children free. Multiple buildings are well preserved along with multiple artifacts in the buildings. At the parking lot there are restrooms and also picnic tables. The walk down to the ghost town has a nice overlook. The park staff can transport you back up to the parking lot if the trail is too steep for your abilities. There are also restroom facilities at the ghost town. Very nicely done!
Written August 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Greg B
Lititz, PA180 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
My wife and I were in a rental car--a Chevy equinox suv. We approached this site off I-90 via Frontage Rd. Huge mistake. After you get off the interstate, it's 10 miles on dirt road. The first five a hard packed and easiily navigated. Then it starts getting insane. The road goes uphill quite sharply with many switchbacks and is only one lane wide. It has numerous ditches down through it from rain that are difficult to navigate. We got within half a mile and hit a hill where the road went almost straight up. To the drivers left is a sheer drop off several hundred feet deep. The "road" is covered with rocks (not stones). I got part way up this hill and had to stop. There was a ditch in the center of the road which would've rendered my vehicle unusable. So, I had to back down the hill. Remember this is one vehicle wide, extremely steep and a cliff off the drivers side. We got down far enough to the nearest switchback and could turn around. So, we never saw the ghost town. BE WARNED :if you choose this route and have anything less than a full size four wheel drive pickup, you are not making it. A car based suv doesn't have the clearance to do this drive. After we gave up, we learned that the other entrance off Rt 200 is passable by car. You'd think the website would give you this info but it didn't.
Written August 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brenda
1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
I had to laugh as some of the reviews. You won't find a Ghost town on a paved road. In order to find adventure you have to take your time and enjoy the scenery where you are. The road is rough and windy but for heavens sake it is in the mountains. If you are city folk and don't know how to navigate mountain roads, stay home. The building are being well preserved and the history very well researched and presented for your education and entertainment. We had made the trip to Garnett Days several time and always enjoy all that they offer from music, to period costumes, frontier games and of course food. ( check for the date it is usually end of June) It does get a bit crowded on Garnett Days but they have a lot of staff to direct traffic and help with parking. In life you should look for the fun and adventure and not dwell so much on the negative,,,,,,,
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MemoryMaker5
Ohio1,313 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Family
I'm going to basically repeat what some others have said concerning the route/drive up to the ghost town....because apparently I didn't read reviews well enough before we went. Ha!

If you are coming from I-90...like from Butte...DO NOT listen to Google Maps! When you see the sign that states RVs and buses should take the other route, you need to do the same no matter what you're driving. We didn't realize. We came up the old original mining road. In hindsight I'm really glad we had the experience and the memories! In the moment is was kind of insane. When we got to the top, I've never been so glad to see someone in an orange vest in my life. haha! The friendly lady directing to parking said they have tried so many things to get people not to follow the Google route.

My last tip about the drive - if you do happen to find yourself on the mining road and you come to the fork where there is signage and you can go left or right. GO RIGHT. We did not. Please don't let all this scare you away. It was such a neat place to see! We happened to be there on a special celebration day with period reenactors, special events, and festivities. The whole town shows up. So neat!
Written July 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

justin
Drummond, MT1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Family
The road, contrary to what others have said, is perfectly fine, and the condition is to be expected of an off road trail. We had AWD and drove it in the winter in a small SUV.

Unfortunately we couldn’t find a path, and the road said “private property” so we were unsure where to go (trail possibly hidden by snow)

But I’m sure it’s a great place, and if you can figure out the trail or drive to get there I’d definitely recommend it!
Written March 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lastrick
Libby, MT620 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2020
This is not your average gold-mine ghost town. This town lasted into the 20 century so the building are not 1800 vintage. Nice walking around the buildings anyway. Dirt road the last 8 miles and DO NOT go down the south road home....one lane and potholes.
Written June 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Garnet Ghost Town - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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