Garnet Ghost Town

Some 120 years ago, as many as 1,000 people called Garnet home, and used it as a base to mine gold. The gold, as it is want to do, ran out in a couple of decades, and a fire not long after burned half of the town. Despite that, today Garnet sees 16,000 visitors annually and is one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the nation. Visitors can tromp in and around old buildings, including a hotel, saloon, and store. The site is preserved in part by a preservation association and the Bureau of Land Management. Nearby are campgrounds and picnic sites. The ghost town is open all year, but the road is not plowed; many visitors cross-country ski 11 miles to the site in winter.