October is the time my kids and I turn our attention to ghosts, ghouls, and goblins.
Especially ghosts.
In a few weeks various haunted houses set up by local community groups will begin to open up, with the promise that they’ll scare the bejeebers out of us in return for a charitable donation.
And they do a good job, too. But their ghosts leave something to be desired.
A Ghostly Town
Because I know where the real ghosts are.
Ghost towns.
Some of the best are in Western Montana, where the discovery of gold in the 1800’s led to mining camps popping up all over the place. Many of these camps turned into thriving towns over time, but once the gold ran out, few of them could survive as the residents picked up and moved on to the next lucky strike.
Over the past century, these ghost towns were left to fall apart and fade away. You could drive all over the western part of the state looking for the remains of hundreds of old settlements, but you’d need a lot of time, a very sturdy vehicle, and an extremely patient family.
Luckily, several locations have been well preserved by the State of Montana, so you don’t have to go hunting high and low.
Masonic Lodge at Bannack
You’ll have the best experience at Bannack, the sight of one of the first major gold discoveries in the area. During its 1860’s heyday, Bannack had a population of over 3,000, and it soon became the first territorial capital of Montana. The town didn’t thrive for long, and by the 1880’s the population had dwindled to just a few hundred. By the 1940’s the last resident had died or moved on, and Bannack became a ghost town.
By 1954, the state turned the town into a State Park in order to preserve it. And that’s one of the keys to the place. They preserve the buildings, rather than restore them. This isn’t some glorified amusement park recreation of history. This is the real thing.
As you and your kids stroll the walkways, it’s easy to imagine what the rough and rowdy town might have looked like filled with prospectors, settlers, and thieves. Special guided tours allow you inside some of the buildings, and even into otherwise restricted sites.
There’s really no better way to experience a little bit of the Old West.
Oh, and ghosts? Yeah, they have them. According to some people, Bannack has ghosts a plenty.
And at the end of this month, the ghosts will be walking the streets with you during the Bannack Ghost Walks. These special performances are based on actual historical events, including gunfights, hangings, and other ghastly misdeeds. Call (406) 834-3413 for more information about the Ghost Walks.
Bannack State Park is open all the rest of the year, with other special events during the summer that are fun for the entire family. Entry fee is only $5 for your entire vehicle. The park is easy to access, located just 24 miles southwest of Dillon, Montana, about 20 miles off I-15.
Visit the Bannack State Park website for more details.
If you’re a camping family, they have two different campgrounds in the park. But if you like something a little nicer, I highly recommend Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. It’s about an hour north of Bannack, just outside of Butte. We’ve used it as a base of operations for exploring Western Montana, and it’s always a joy to end a tiring day by taking a dip in the hot pools. While you’re there, you can also take a side trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns, Montana’s first state park, and one of the largest limestone caverns in the Northwest.
Bannack State Park is also not too far off the regular routes to Yellowstone National Park.
Carriage rides at Bannack State Park
Photos courtesy of VisitMT, the official Montana Travel Website.
