Remarkable Mining Town Hidden In Mountains Near Missoula

An Eerie Little Town With Tons Of History

About 30 miles east of Missoula is an old town hidden away in the mountains.

While Montana is home to many popular ghost towns this one in particular is home to some of the most well preserved buildings from 1897.

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The small town of Garnet was a mining town consisting of, "four stores, four hotels, three livery stables, two barber shops, a union hall, a school with 41 students, a butcher shop, a candy shop, a doctor’s office, an assay office, and thirteen saloons."

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The Ghost Town Mouse

In 2016 I had the experience of walking through the old town and also found a story about "'Jennifer' The Ghost Town Mouse." Growing up with the nickname "Mouse" myself, I couldn't help but love the town and the history that I found there.

The town hit its peak in population around 1898 with about 1000 people in the town which fell dramatically once the mining went dry.

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According to their website a fire destroyed parts of the town in 1912 and by the 1940s Garnet was officially a ghost town.

Help Keep This History Alive

The Garnet Historic District hosts school tours as well as created a scavenger hunt for people to explore the town. Fundraising helps keep the town intact as well as tours. If you are in the area please go explore and donate to help keep this place available to see for many more years to come.

Keep reading to see a walk through of my brief tour of Garnet Ghost Town.