Garnet Range is approximately 30 miles east of Missoula in western Montana. It begins south of Greenough on MT 200 and travels east to the area of Reynolds City ghost town. The byway is 12 miles long and follows Garnet Range Road, which is accessible by car in good weather from May through October. From January through April, the route is marked and groomed as a National Winter Recreation Trail for snowmobile use and cross-country skiing.
From MT 200, the Garnet Range scenic byway climbs 2,000 feet into the evergreen forest of the Garnet Mountains and offers spectacular views of the Mission, Rattlesnake, Swan, and Sapphire mountain ranges. The byway provides access to one of the best-preserved ghost towns remaining in Montana, the gold mining town of Garnet.
The town of Garnet grew around a stamp mill erected in 1895 by Dr. Armistead Mitchell. Soon after the mill was constructed, Sam Ritchey hit a rich vein of ore in his mine just west of town. The rush was on. By early 1898, nearly 1,000 people resided in Garnet. After 1900 the gold, however, became scarce and difficult to mine. By 1905 many of the mines were abandoned and Garnet’s population shrunk to 150. Fire in 1912 destroyed much of the town and the advent of World War I in 1914 drew most of the remaining residents away to defense-related jobs. By the 1920s, Garnet had become a ghost town.
The Garnet Range byway is part of a 55-mile system of snowmobile and cross-country ski trails. A visitor center is located in Garnet and offers more detailed information on the town and the recreational opportunities found in the area. During winter, there are two cabins in Garnet that are available for rent.