Would You Spend The Night In Montana’s Garnet Ghost Town?

Tucked away in Granite County, about 20 miles from Missoula, is the oldest intact ghost town in the state, Garnet.  It's also said to be quite haunted.

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A Brief History From Wikipedia:

Garnet has roots that go back to the 1860's.  It was quickly erected due to the gold rush in Montana.  Established in the 1890's, Garnet was mined from 1870-1920 in the Last Chance Gulch area.

In 1898 Garnet hit its peak population with around one thousand residents. When the gold was gone, so were the residents.  In 1912, there was a fire that destroyed half the town.

In its hay-day, there were 13 saloons, food stores, three hotels, a barber shop and a mercantile store.  Still standing are the Wells Hotels, Kelly Saloon and Daveys Store along with a lot of other buildings.  Many with items that were left behind by the miners and their families.

In 2010 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Garnet Historic District.

Modern Day Garnet:

Garnet is open year round to tourists from 9:30am-4:30pm , but be aware, it is a straight up DIRT road to get there, (and I don't mean for a couple hundred feet, it's a ways.) then you have to walk down to the town.  I went there in a car once and almost got stuck.  Keep in mind the weather and what it can do to a DIRT road.

Would You Spend The Night There?

According to Social Bazinga, the Bureau of Land Management rents out 2 of the cabins in Garnet from December to April.  It's said that's when the ghosts of Garnet are most active.  There have been reports of seeing a woman in the window of a hotel, transparent figures in the streets, piano music and voices coming from rooms.  You could also volunteer to help maintain the town and get to stay for free while you're working.  Those opportunities go fast.  If you're interested, contact The Garnet Preservation Association.

Take a virtual stroll thought Montana's most well preserved ghost town here: