Ghost towns (Helena: dorm, college, live)

[mattman3seven]

I am just curious. But I though a ghost town was a town that had a population of ZERO, not 150??? Virginia City is not a ghost town, it's a historic town. Do I not know what a ghost otwn is or something?

Someone correct me if I am misinformed please! I have always thought of a ghost town as an old deserted town that has not had anyone living there for a long time.

I have been researching a good ghost town myself lately to go to, and I saw this post and the Virginia City stuff. If that is what is advertised as a ghost town, I guess I am not as interested anymore.

So does anyone know of an "empty" ghost town that has some relics left over that isn't a waste of time driving from Shelby? Thanks for any help!

[Gman2007]

The closest one to you is Gold Butte up in the Sweetgrass Hills. There won't be much left to see there except maybe some evidence of mining and the cemetery.

Sweet_Grass_Hills_Gold_Butte_Montana_Pictures

A Ghost Town: Gold Butte, Montana

A good book I have is called, Ghost Towns of Montana by Don Miller. The pictures are good but the maps aren't. It shows about 40 ghost towns around Montana and would give you an idea of some you may be interested in.

[Mustangman1989]

Personally, I really recommend Granite ghost town. Theres not a whole lot left standing, but navigating the drive up there is fun in itself. I've been there twice now. Once in 2000, and then again this past July. This last time the dirt road up there was so washed out and full of deep ruts that I barely made it in my 4x4 F250. It's a good thing no one was coming up/down, cause there was no room for two vehicles side by side.

[MT2WA]

It's in Idaho near the Montana border but check out Burke, Idaho. You can get there from Thompson Falls (in the summer only) by going up Prospect Creek to Cooper Creek, hand a left and head out the dirt road straight for about 18 miles and you'll come out in Burke. the cool thing about Burke is the notch the town was built in was so narrow and steep the built the hotel over the canyon, and a railroad actually pulled through the hotel lobby. Many of the buildings are still there, and there is some signs that explains the history.

[rickers]

I've been through Burke quite a few times. I also go to a very little known Ghost town that is on few maps (only three maps that I know of show its location). There are a couple of log cabin remains, an old car body and a broken down mill structure. There is a tunnel you can go in to the end with side drift tunnels with one at the end that spirals in to itself like a snail shell interior. You can also dig chrysacolla out of the roof of the end of the tunnel if you have the guts ! Sorry but I am keeping the location of this place a secret.

[rickers]

OK it's not that big of a secret anyway. It's The Green Mountain Mine, aka The Dixon Mine.
But I ain't going to tell ya how to get to it ! A friend of mine and I went there once and there was a white rabbit sitting in the tunnel entrance. We followed in all the way to the end where it doubled back and ran back past us to the entrance. After we were done exploring and after getting back to the rig parked nearby, we looked back at the mine entrance and there was the rabbit again just sitting there guarding it's home.

[plantlover]

Was the wabbit 6' tall with floppy bunny ears?? LOL, just kidding. I always enjoy your informative comments, must give you some reps.

[rickers]

Here are some pictures of the Green Mountain Mine. I felt sorry for the white rabbit. It was very thin and was drinking mine water. I think it ran away from a nearby summer cabin or a house down the road.

Picasa Web Albums - Rick - Green Mountai...

[Jbechtel]

Garnet is a nice restored ghost town and Elkhorn a nice unrestored.

[hapilee]

last year we took our kids to Bannak and Virginia City. Bannak by far was better. the whole city is deserted and you can go in and out of most buildings at will. The kids(age 2 and 4) LOVED it. Virginia City was cute but is restored and is commercial.