49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever

5. Garnet Ghost Town – Montana, USA

Hidden in the forested hills of western Montana, Garnet is one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the American West. Unlike more commercialized frontier relics, Garnet retains an authenticity that makes it feel as though the last miner just stepped out for a smoke and never returned. Founded in the 1890s during Montana’s gold rush, Garnet once hosted over 1,000 people, complete with saloons, hotels, and general stores. But when the gold dried up and World War I lured men elsewhere, the town emptied. Today, thanks to preservation efforts, visitors can walk among weathered cabins, peek into the dilapidated Wells Hotel, or hear the wind whistle through the abandoned jail. Set against a backdrop of pine-covered hills, Garnet feels less like a ruin and more like a time capsule—one that whispers stories of hardscrabble lives, boom-and-bust dreams, and the enduring romance of the American frontier.