Lonesome Highway — Garnet Ghost Town Road to Bearmouth via the Clark Fork River Bench
Montana's best ghost town, earned not given.
Garnet was one of Montana’s most productive gold camps, and at its peak around 1898 nearly a thousand people lived up in these granite hills east of Missoula. The route leaves I-90 at Bearmouth, climbs Bear Gulch Road past scattered ponderosa and sage flats, and delivers you to the Garnet townsite where over 30 structures still stand — the kind of place where you half-expect someone to walk out of the hotel. The BLM manages the site with minimal intrusion; no entry gates, no ticket booths, just a weathered interpretive sign and the wind. The road continues past Garnet across open ridgeline to a second access off Montana Highway 200 near Drummond, making a natural one-way loop through the Garnet Range if you shuttle vehicles or ride it as an out-and-back.
The main road is rough two-track with embedded rock and off-camber side-slopes in the upper sections — a stock high-clearance 4WD handles it fine in dry conditions, but this is not a passenger car road under any circumstances. Mud season in April and May can close access entirely. BLM keeps the townsite open year-round but the road is best from late May through October. No permit required. Water is not available on route; carry your own. Dispersed camping is allowed on BLM land outside the ghost town boundary. Cell service is absent the entire ridge.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Rock |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 12 mi / 19.3 km |
| Duration | Half day |
| Max elevation (ft) | 6300 ft |
| Best season | Late May–October |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD |
| Nearest town | Drummond, MT |
| Land manager | BLM — Missoula Field Office |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | No |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | BLM Garnet Ghost Town |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
Trail Conditions
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Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Tacoma or 4Runner handle this trail, or do I need a lift?
A stock high-clearance 4WD handles this fine. The rocky sections near Garnet want decent ground clearance — think factory Tacoma TRD Off-Road minimum. A lifted rig isn't required, but aired-down tires make a real difference on the loose rock.
When does the road to Garnet actually open in spring, and can I run it in October?
The road typically opens late May once snowmelt settles, but that shifts year to year — call the BLM Missoula Field Office before committing to an early season run. October is usually solid, but early snowstorms hit this elevation fast; check the forecast hard if you're going after mid-October.
Do I need a permit or is there a fee to drive through and visit Garnet Ghost Town?
There's a $3 per person day-use fee to enter the Garnet Ghost Town area, collected on-site. No permit is required to drive the road itself. The BLM manages the site and the fee goes toward preservation.
What's the hardest section of this trail and what should I actually be ready for?
The climb up to Garnet on the eastern approach is the roughest stretch — loose rock, embedded boulders, and shelf road sections with limited room to maneuver. It's not a white-knuckle trail, but if you're riding street pressure tires and haven't locked your hubs, that section will remind you why you should have.
Is there any water or gas between the trailhead and Bearmouth, and how far is the nearest fuel?
There is zero reliable water on-route and no services — carry everything you need. Drummond is your closest fuel stop, sitting roughly 15 miles west of the Bearmouth end on I-90; top off there before you head in.
Trail track
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