Western Montana

I was on the return leg of a short trip on Highway 200 and decided to take a side trip to Garnet, the well-preserved, goldminer-era Ghost town. There are some spectacular views along the drive which is all uphill, and I took advantage of a beautiful day to shoot some photos too.

Garnet was once a thriving city of one thousand residents, and prided itself on the many family-oriented facilities, cultural attractions and social events that belied the typical atmosphere of most western mining towns which consisted mainly of whiskey, gambling and sullied women. Garnet has quite a story to tell, and the volunteer hosts are really excellent, very helpful and enthusiastic about telling that story. There is a self-guided tour and all of the buildings and cabins are numbered with placards and are identified by number on the tour pamphlet, which is obtained at the Visitor Center.

The buildings are well-kept, the paths are easily traveled, even by wheelchair, and many of the buildings have handicap ramps for accessibility. A couple of the saloons, the general store, and the hotel are some of the best-kept buildings. There is an ADA restroom with handicap parking spaces right at the entrance to the town. This is a special accommodation. The regular parking lot is about one-quarter mile above the townsite and visitors walk down a trail (about two minutes) to reach the overview site which offers a spectacular first look at the town.

Garnet is maintained through a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Garnet Preservation Society.

As I stood at that overlook just above the town I thought I could smell the smoke of wood stoves. Certainly not ghost smoke! The place looked deserted, but…yes…there from that one building was a wisp of white smoke. Occupied!

The building with the smoke turned out to be the Visitor Center, which has some really cool exhibits too, including a pile of painted “gold bars” that represents the total amount of the gold that was mined from the area.

The town is open to visitors all year, and on any day, including the day I visited, snow can fall in the area, adding to feeling of solitude that I enjoyed. I prefer visiting historic sites before the influx of tourists, because I love to explore alone. Walking through these old buildings I can almost sense the presence of early prospectors and townsfolk.

There are two buildings that are preserved well enough that they have been converted into primitive overnight accommodations for visitors to rent. These are mostly used by cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.

I took many, many pictures. If you look closely you may be able to see a ghost’s face in the window. I’m including an enlarged view at the end of this article.

One Scenic Overlook on the road to Garnet rivals the views in Glacier Park. My photo doesn’t do it justice.You cannot capture such majestic sites on film, at least as far as I’m concerned.

Garnet miners were “hard-rock” miners, not gold-panners

How to Get Here:

On Interstate 90, just east of Missoula, take Exit 109 at Bonner to access Montana State Highway 200. Travel on Highway 200 heading northeast from Missoula to mile-marker #22, at the top of Greenough Hill. Turn south on the paved road at the Garnet direction sign. The road to Garnet is eleven miles. The first 2.7 are paved, the rest are hard-packed Montana gravel, and the last mile is single lane with pull-outs for oncoming vehicles. Although RV’s are allowed to travel this road, it is pretty dicey during that last mile.

There is an alternate route that travels to Garnet from Interstate 90 at Exit 138, which is the Bearmouth Chalet exit. This is called the “First Chance Gulch Road.” RV’s and trailers are NOT recommended for this route.

Both roads are closed in the Winter.

Fees:

Age fifteen and below are free; all others pay $3. Golden Age and Eagle Passports pay one-half.

Fees are paid at the Parking Lot or the Visitor Center. The parking lot also has an RV parking area, a restroom and nearby picnic tables with fire rings.

For information on Winter Cabin Rental, call (406) 329-3914

Hours of Operation:

The Visitor Center is open and staffed from May 15 to Labor Day each year and closes at 5 pm daily

Although the Garnet Ghost Town is open to visitors all year, winter access is limited to snowmobiles and cross-country skiers (and maybe a snow-shoe hiker).

Can you see the ghost’s image in the left window?

A typical miner’s cabin with outhouse. (no longer being used)

This old town can still be spooky.