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Ghost Towns

docsouce
Explorer II
Explorer II
What are your favorite Ghost/Mining towns in Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana? I have looked up some, but I'm interested in an RVers point of view. We have a 25' Class C with no tow, I'll need half way decent approach roads. Once I get some ideas I'll connect the dots later!!
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22 REPLIES 22

Allworth
Explorer II
Explorer II
For a curated town we agree with Bannock or Bodie. The road back into Bodie can be badly washboarded depending on weather and whether the County has run a grader over it recently.

For a truly abandoned town try Anamas Forks, above Silverton, CO.

With your "C" you won't be able to go on up Mastadon Gulch to the mine camps, but AF itself is neat. Check out the San Francisco newspapers glued to the inside of the walls in the "bay window" house as insulation. Caution! The floor is rotten near the door. There are two seasons in that part of Cololrado, Winter and August.
Formerly posting as "littleblackdog"
Martha, Allen, & Blackjack
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"Real Jeeps have round headlights"

F-TROUP
Explorer
Explorer
JMHO, but buy a 2 dr jeep wrangler and your rving would be expanded 10 fold. Stop looking to go to places you think you can go too, to anywhere you want to go.

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
Pangaea Ron wrote:
ReneeG wrote:
Our favorite was Bannack State Park in SW Montana. They have two nice campgrounds there within walking distance of the ghost town and you can get in easily and out. We did and we're towing a 35' FW. Look on Campendium, under Dillon, MT, and you'll see my review.


We love Bannack State Park and have stayed there several times. We were there once just after repairs were completed from the flood damage. The governor was there for a grand opening and each building had volunteers in period dress with music being played on several of the porches. It was wonderful surprise. The jail is interesting, with its only window facing the gallows on the top of the hill.

I had a relative who was a sheriff in Virginia City, MT, which is another interesting ghost town, but a bit more commercial. There was a sheriff in Virginia City who arranged for stage coaches to be robbed between Virginia City and Bannack. . . I don't think that it was him?


We've been to Virginia City too. Interesting bit of information. It was cold when we were at Bannock, so we kept our walking tour brief. Definitely would love to go back and visit the Pioneer Scenic Byway again too. Lots of nice campgrounds.
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Explorer
ReneeG wrote:
Our favorite was Bannack State Park in SW Montana. They have two nice campgrounds there within walking distance of the ghost town and you can get in easily and out. We did and we're towing a 35' FW. Look on Campendium, under Dillon, MT, and you'll see my review.


We love Bannack State Park and have stayed there several times. We were there once just after repairs were completed from the flood damage. The governor was there for a grand opening and each building had volunteers in period dress with music being played on several of the porches. It was wonderful surprise. The jail is interesting, with its only window facing the gallows on the top of the hill.

I had a relative who was a sheriff in Virginia City, MT, which is another interesting ghost town, but a bit more commercial. There was a sheriff in Virginia City who arranged for stage coaches to be robbed between Virginia City and Bannack. . . I don't think that it was him?
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caver
Nomad
Nomad
I'm trying to think of ones that haven't already been mentioned. Comet MT is one.Pony which I hit last year is a living ghost town.Hughesville? had some serious ruins but one of the websites say much of it has been demolished. Bannack if you can only visit one in MT. the only one I've seen more extensive than Bannack is Bodie in CA > it's also a State Park which seem to help in preservation. Some government agency's are only allowed to stabilize buildings. Some allow volunteer groups to come in and restore bits to what is supposedly looked like in the day.

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
Richard. Thank you. Hubby did not want to take the dually to Lemhi Pass from Tendoy fearing the road would be narrow. We've taken many roads in "The Frank" with our Jeep relieved we hadn't taken our dually.
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Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

richardcoxid
Explorer
Explorer
ReneeG

Lemhi pass from the west IS steeper than from the east. Normally it is doable in a automobile with caution and common sense. Remember this is a combination of private farm land/open range/NFS land and both sides of the pass are used daily by farm trucks during the summer (never seen a 18 wheeler though) However, IF there is greater than normal snow on the top, warmer than normal spring etc it could be rough going early in the spring due to the run off. But with the farm traffic I am sure that it is bladed quite often. We have have never had any trouble.

About 20 miles south of Salmon turn east off of ID #28 at Tendoy. About 10-12 miles to the top, the last couple of miles are the steepest, but with your dually you wonโ€™t have any trouble. At the top there is a picnic area/the โ€œfarthest most springโ€/ continental divide information and numerous L&C information signs. From the top go east down to the village of Grant and go north about 10 miles to Bannack or from Grant continue east to Clark Canyon Reservoir, cross the dam to join I-15. Numerous L&C information Kiosks and information about a L&C campsite the is under the water of the Reservoir. Or from the top of Lemhi Pass go North paralleling the Continental Divide for a few miles then it drops off the ridge and turns west and joins ID #28 a few miles north of Tendoy.

Goggle: Lemhi Pass and all the links. Look up Lemhi pass on Goggle Maps.

Hopes this helps you out!

Richard
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ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
richardcoxid wrote:
Correction on my last post. (Thank you auto correct) it should read: I have been to the top of LEMHI pass many times.


Is Lemhi Pass from this direction easily driven using a dually truck? Or is it narrow and not recommended for that size of vehicle?
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton

richardcoxid
Explorer
Explorer
LEMHI PASS
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richardcoxid
Explorer
Explorer
Correction on my last post. (Thank you auto correct) it should read: I have been to the top of LEMHI pass many times.
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2019 Outdoor RV (ORV) Timber Ridge 24RKS

richardcoxid
Explorer
Explorer
X2 on Bannack, it is in the MT state park system about 50 buildings are open for tourists.
In the 1880s a charismatic young man appeared in town and ran for the office of Sheriff, he won the election. Unknown to the residents of Bannack he was a convicted felon from CA that had been pardoned by the Governor of CA (murdered the husband of his girlfriend) Now it gets interesting. The sheriff rounded up a group of โ€œbadโ€ guys. Then mysteriously when a miner was going to the town of Virginia City, MT or was just leaving Bannack area he would mysteriously disappear along with his GoldDust! When the Sheriff was the leader of the โ€œRoad Agentsโ€ who do you go to for help? This was the start of the MT vigilantes.

This brings up the numbers 3-7-77! We have been told that there is nothing in the Official history of MT or the Bannack Masonic Lodge history about the origin of those numbers. Evidently when the vigilantes discovered who a โ€œbadโ€ guy was they would paint those numbers on his cabin or tent. That was code: 3 sevens= 21 plus 3= 24, he had 24 hours to get out of town of or he would be found hanging on the short end of a rope! When the vigilantes captured Henry Plummer (notice the spelling) they held him prisoner in the Jail that he had had built and hung him on his gallows. There are many other theories as to what the numbers mean. Even today on the logos of the MT highway patrol and the MT Air National Guard the numbers 3-7-77 appear.

Google-
Bannack State Park, MT
MT Vigilantes
Henry Plummer, sheriff of Bannack, MT
Origin of the numbers 3-7-77
Bannack Historic Masonic Lodge 3-7-77
While you are at it google- Virginia City, MT and Nevada City, MT (both are living ghost towns, The Hotel in Nevada City has a interesting two story outhouse!

We would go up to Bannack a couple of times every summer, Even tho it is only 23 mi from Dillon on a good paved road it is our style of camping, No off air TV, No off air radio, No hard wired phone service and NO Cell Phone service! (the state park rangers have a radio phone to Dillon for emergencies) The CG is unimproved (a single water spigot and pit toilets) on the banks of Grasshopper Creek. (Fishing) If it isnโ€™t a moon lit nite it is DARK and a zillion stars in the sky! Someplace I have a photo of Alice napping on a recliner and a Deer grazing not 10 feet from her!

If you go South on the dirt road from Bannack about 10 mi you will come to the little village of Grant turning right (west) at Grant will take you to Lehmi Pass only 10 miles or so. (Part of it is paved)

On I-90 between exit 267 and 278 is the town of Three Forks. A few miles out of town is the Missouri Headwaters State Park. The Jefferson River flows north and joins the Madison River also flowing north from YSNP, then a couple hundred feet later the Gallatin River also flowing north from YSNP joins in to form the Headwaters of the Missouri River. Just look at any map and you can see it so it must be true! Now the plot thickens, One of the responsibilities that President Jefferson charged Lewis and Clark with on their journey west was to map and determine the headwaters of the Missouri River. About 10 miles south of the town of Dillon, MT on I-15 is Clark Canyon reservoir, straight west of the reservoir is Lehmi Pass on the continental divide separating ID and MT. (Good paved road except the last few miles are gravel) At the top of the pass there is a spring, on a large rock there is a US Dept of the Interior Plaque that says in part โ€œmost distant fountain springโ€ BUT now the MT F&G and others say that it is actually Browers Spring in the Centennial MTโ€™s south and east of Clark Canyon Res. (East of Monida on I-15) Who is correct? I have been to the top of Lehman pass many times.
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memtb
Explorer
Explorer
Kerwin, Wy. 20 milers or so up the Greybull River from Meeteetse, Wy. Not much left of the old mining town, but beautiful country, and some unique history. A little coal mining town ( Gebo) just north of Thermopolis, Wy.... some old homesites and a small cemetery. There are several abandoned coal mine town sites around the Kemmerer, Wyoming area. Many of these require some off-roading....4WD highly recommended! memtb
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4runnerguy
Explorer
Explorer
Some more in Colorado:

St. Elmo SW of Buena Vista. Graded gravel road primarily following an old railroad grade. You can continue on the road up toward Hancock for another 6 or so miles and there are various mining ruins along the road. Once you cross the creek, there's a trailhead where you can walk to the east portal of the Alpine Tunnel (about three miles).

Bonanza at the NW corner of the San Luis Valley. Graded gravel road but easy driving.

Gothic north of Crested Butte. Just a few buildings here, but the wildflowers in July and August are some of the best anywhere in the nation. Again, an easy graded gravel road.

Marble, CO. The marble quarry here supplied the stones for some of the buildings in D.C. Also do the loop through Redstone on your way here (it's a one lane street on the other side of the river from the highway). Some charcoal kilns right beside the highway. Paved road all the way to Marble.

There are lots of smaller ghost towns above Cripple Creek. Cripple Creek itself has legalized gambling which has kind of changed the complexion of the town. But as employees looked for housing, some other towns like Victor have been preserved and restored to an extent. Lots of paved roads up here and many of the others are well maintained gravel roads.

Same can be said for Blackhawk and Central City. Lots of smaller ghost towns in the surrounding hills.

All along US 550 between Ouray and Silverton there are mining ruins visible across the valley. There are also a few right along the highway like at the view area about 1 1/2 miles north of Red Mountain Pass. If you're serious about seeing lots of ghost towns and mining ruins, rent a jeep in Ouray or Silverton and take a day to explore those back roads. Pretty interesting stuff.

As boogie 4-wheel mentioned, head to Nevada to see a lot of ghost towns without the crowds around.
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docsouce
Explorer II
Explorer II
Thanks folks this info is just what I'm looking for. This summer we have 10 weeks mid June to the end of August to again explore our great country. We figure to be at Mesa Verde NP the end of June to check out the spots we missed on our last visit. I'll add these to my list of other interesting out of the way places we would like to visit, plot their location on my paper maps, yes paper maps, and see what routes pop up.
2020 JAYCO 26XD
Just right for the two of us!