Top ghost towns
Ghost TownBannack
Ghost TownElkhorn
Ghost TownMarysville
Ghost TownCarter
Ghost TownPony
Ghost TownGarnet
Ghost TownComet
Ghost TownDooley
Ghost TownGranite
Ghost TownLombard
Ghost TownUnion City
Ghost TownThoeny
All ghost towns (29)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bannack | Beaverhead County | — | Dillon | 1 |
| Elkhorn | Jefferson County | — | Boulder | 2 |
| Marysville | Lewis and Clark County | — | Helena Valley Northwest | 2 |
| Carter | Chouteau County | — | Fort Benton | 2 |
| Pony | Madison County | — | Whitehall | 1 |
| Garnet | Granite County | — | Clinton | 2 |
| Comet | Jefferson County | — | Boulder | 2 |
| Dooley | Sheridan County | — | Plentywood | 1 |
| Granite | Granite County | — | Anaconda | 1 |
| Lombard | Broadwater County | — | Townsend | 1 |
| Union City | Madison County | — | Big Sky | 1 |
| Thoeny | Valley County | — | Havre | 1 |
| Mondak | Roosevelt County | — | Sidney | 1 |
| Comertown | Sheridan County | — | Plentywood | 1 |
| Sixteen | Meagher County | — | Townsend | 1 |
| Maudlow | Gallatin County | — | Manhattan | 2 |
| Lonetree | Chouteau County | 952 m | Fort Benton | 1 |
| Coulson | Yellowstone County | — | Billings | 7 |
| Armstead | Beaverhead County | 1,690 m | Dillon | 1 |
| Hell Gate | Missoula County | 952 m | Orchard Homes | 5 |
| Fox | Carbon County | — | Red Lodge | 1 |
| Southern Cross | Deer Lodge County | 2,125 m | Anaconda | 2 |
| Mike Horse | Lewis and Clark County | 1,718 m | Lincoln | 1 |
| McCarthyville | Flathead County | 1,348 m | South Browning | 1 |
| Armells | Fergus County | 1,155 m | Lewistown | 1 |
| Calkins | Meagher County | 1,547 m | Townsend | 1 |
| Hibbard | Rosebud County | 933 m | Lockwood | 1 |
| Vandalia | Valley County | — | Glasgow | 1 |
| Rocky Point | Fergus County | 688 m | Lewistown | 1 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph ghost towns
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.