The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
Garnet Ghost Town in Montana was a booming village in the 1890s as thousands came to the city to live while searching for gold in the nearby Garnet mountain range. However, about 20 years later, the gold rush in the area ended, and the town was abandoned. Today, Garnet Ghost Town is one of the most frequently toured ghost towns in the United States. It shows visitors what life was like for homesteaders in the late 1800s.
The land that Garnet Ghost Town sits on is now owned and maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a government organization that aims to preserve the town for educational purposes. Because the land around the ghost town is BLM land open to the public, visitors are permitted to camp for free for up to 14 days at a time there. You can't camp inside the town itself, but about half a mile away is fine. Garnet Ghost Town requires a fee of $3 per person upon initial entry, but those under 16 may enter free.
The Warren's Park Trail is a trail within Garnet Ghost Town that travels to a picnicking and lounge area named Warren's Park. A one-way path on the trail measures under one mile long.
Length: Less than one mile
Intensity: Easy
The Sierra Mine Loop Trail follows the path gold miners from Garnet Ghost Town took when hiking to the Sierra Claim and the Forest Lode Claim.
Length: One mile
Intensity: Easy
The Placer Trail ventures off the Sierra Mine Loop Trail in Garnet Ghost Town and follows a route over small walking bridges and through the woods where deer are often spotted.
Length: One mile
Intensity: Easy
Elk Creek, located just two miles from the edge of Garnet Ghost Town, is home to many species like brook trout, cutthroat trout, and rainbow trout. Visitors to Garnet Ghost Town may enjoy spending an extra day in the town to explore the northern edge of the area and to fish in Elk Creek.
There are a few picnic tables set up in Garnet Ghost Town and the nature area around the town. Along the Warren Park Trail, you'll find picnic tables and rest areas for picnics and snack breaks along the route. There are some trash bins along the trail and in the center part of the ghost town.
Garnet Ghost Town is a famous tourist location in Montana, and there are many interpretative signs set up around the town for you to read when you take a self-guided tour. There is also a visitor center in the ghost town that is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, May through September, which houses information about the ghost town, including maps and even a scavenger hunt activity sheet for visitors of every age.
Around Garnet Ghost Town, visitors can check out deteriorating log cabins and town buildings that were once schools, mining operations, and stores. A lot of these buildings can be explored inside and outside unless otherwise specified; some buildings are in the process of reconstruction by the BLM. Two of the log cabins are even available for visitors to stay overnight.
While you may not find many large game animals within the "city limits" of Garnet Ghost Town, you can encounter species like elk, moose, black bear, mule deer, mountain lion, and grouse in the Garnet mountain range just outside of the ghost town. If you'd like to hunt in the mountain range, you may do so with a valid hunting permit issued by the state of Montana.
When you're looking for Bureau of Land Management campgrounds but don't want the primitive camping experience, consider taking your RV to another campground nearby that offers full hookups. One option you have is Bearmouth RV Park, which has electricity, water, and free Wi-Fi. You may also want to try Town of Drummond Campground, which has some electrical sites with fairly inexpensive rates.
If you're looking for BLM camping, look no further than the BLM-owned Garnet Ghost Town land. Though there are no organized campgrounds set up within the ghost town, visitors are permitted to stay on the public land in a dispersed camping style about a half-mile away from the town. This Bureau of Land Management free camping option is considered primitive — there are no electrical or water outlets available, and RVs may have difficulties traveling the roads up to the area, so tent camping is more common.
If you plan to visit Garnet Ghost Town, consider the time of year and predicted weather conditions. RVs and larger vehicles may have trouble reaching the town any time of year, but almost all vehicles find the roads too icy to travel during the winter months. If you want to visit Garnet Ghost Town during the winter, consider using a snowmobile or traveling to the town on snowshoes or cross-country skis.
If you plan on camping on the Garnet Ghost Town BLM-owned land, be sure to pack your own water and battery-operated equipment since your camping options will be primitive only. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.
When you visit Garnet Ghost Town, you are asked to follow the BLM's Leave No Trace Policy, which works to preserve the natural state of the ghost town. This policy includes rules like properly disposing of your trash and food and keeping your distance from wildlife.
To reach Garnet Ghost Town from Missoula, Montana, take State Highway 200 east for about 30 miles. Then turn south in between mile markers 22 and 23, and continue on for about 10 miles until you reach Garnet.
Ready to visit Garnet Ghost Town? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you'll have your RV to return to for the night where you'll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
