Garnet Range Road

This 12-mile dirt track winds through the heart of Montana’s Garnet Mountains, connecting Highway 200 to the historic Garnet Ghost Town. The route follows old mining roads built in the 1890s when prospectors pulled millions in gold from these hills. Steep climbs through dense lodgepole pine give way to open ridgelines where you can see the Blackfoot Valley stretched out below. The ghost town itself sits at 6,000 feet, with over a dozen preserved buildings including the JK Wells Saloon and Davey’s Store.

High clearance is mandatory — this isn’t a Sunday drive in the family sedan. Rocky sections, loose scree, and steep grades demand attention, especially when wet. The road is typically passable May through October, but check conditions with the BLM Missoula office before heading out. No cell service, no water, and the nearest fuel is 30 miles away in Potomac. But you’ll have 30,000 acres of roadless wilderness practically to yourself, plus some of the best-preserved mining ruins in the West.