The Remnants Of This Abandoned Town In Montana Are Hauntingly Beautiful

Imagine living in Montana in 1895, when the land was wild and untamed and the mining boom was just beginning. This is such a romantic and legendary time in American history! Perhaps you would have been one of the first inhabitants of Garnet, the once-thriving community located about 30 miles east of Missoula, Montana. Although it was abandoned long ago, it remains one of our best-preserved ghost towns, and it's still beautiful -- albeit, hauntingly so. Read more about Garnet below, and see if you think it's the creepiest ghost town in Montana...

Believe it or not, Garnet, Montana, was never built to last.

Local miners were much more interested in extracting the riches below the ground that building a town above it.

Yet despite the intentions of the original builders, Garnet remains one of the most well-preserved abandoned towns in Montana. It's also, in our opinion, the creepiest ghost town in Montana.

The buildings of Garnet may not have been built to last, but they certainly did.

Garnet was named for the ruby-colored stones that were often found in the area. Of course, the surrounding mountains were also rich in gold-bearing quartz.

The Garnet Mountains attracted miners who collected gold first by panning, then by using rockers and sluice boxes.

By the late 1940s, Garnet, like so many other Gold Rush towns, was completely abandoned. But Montanans have carefully preserved as many original buildings in Garnet as possible, giving us a glimpse into our local history.

Travel + Leisure even named Garnet one of America's coolest ghost towns!

Garnet is open for tours, and lots of hiking trails and camping spots are available nearby.

The Garnet Preservation Association, a Montana nonprofit, helps keep things running smoothly in this lively little ghost town.

We're lucky to have such a beautiful place to explore to learn more about our past -- even if it's the creepiest ghost town in Montana!

Well, what do you think? Do you agree that Garnet is the creepiest ghost town in Montana? Is there another ghost town in Montana that you deem creepier or more eerie? We'd love you hear about your ghost hunting adventures in the Treasure State!

If you enjoy checking out old abandoned spots in the Treasure State, check out these places that nature is reclaiming.