Virginia city Montana

Virginia City and Nevada City Ghost Town: discovering the Wild West in Montana

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If you’ve read the Montana road trip itinerary that Lorenzo took along the Vigilante Trail, you’ll no doubt have been impressed by the towns of Virginia City and Nevada City, two destinations of considerable interest to fans of westerns and the more adventurous stories of the Gold Rush. The article with the itinerary explains the most common case where you will find these two towns of the Far West along your way, namely during a trip from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park in far northern Montana.

However, the acceptable distance from a key town like West Yellowstone (“just” 1.30 hours) encourages you to make an excursion specifically and entirely dedicated to these two towns. Even if you are not planning to go to the northern territories of Montana – but especially if you have some time left to spend in the area after visiting Yellowstone and don’t have to leave immediately for other more common destinations on the western road trips – you can organize a half day to discover Virginia City (not to be confused with Virginia City in Nevada) and its “ghost sister”: Nevada City.

So, since the two towns probably won’t just be right on the route between stops on your road trip, you’ll need to plan your trip and visit to the two historic sites that, contrary to what you might think, can’t just be dismissed in a rushed tour. Let’s find out all the things to do in Virginia City and Nevada City

PS: Are you about to leave for the Big Sky Country? Read our article about all the attractions in Montana.

Virginia City and Nevada City: a brief history

Nevada City e Virginia City in Montana 01

Spring 1863: in the depths of the Alder Gulch valleys, a rich seam of gold was discovered by some prospectors on their way from Bannack to Yellowstone. Obviously, this fact could not remain a secret: after a short time, an army of thousands of gold seekers arrived from all over the west, ready to scour every inch of this corner of the Madison Valley in search of some shiny nugget that could make them rich, or to work in the mines.

In the years that followed, gold worth about 30 million dollars was extracted from this and other gorges in the area: as a consequence of this “invasion”, Virginia City and Nevada City were developed one mile away, towns that were destined to become a reference point for all pioneers and adventurers in search of fortune during the Gold Rush period.

Virginia City grew to a considerable size, soon becoming an icon of the West, as well as the capital of the area: it remained so for ten years, from 1864 to 1875. As expected, not only gold prospectors arrived there, but also brutal bandits and outlaws: the name “Vigilante Trail” takes its name from the vigilante corps (Montana Vigilantes) that was created to defend the two towns from the raids of the bandits. Alder Gulch was the most fruitful and richest goldfield in the Rocky Mountains. Visiting Virginia City and Nevada City gives you the opportunity to breathe in the unique atmosphere of the Far West, because in those parts everything is still as it was (or almost).

How to get there

where is virginia city montana located
Virginia City Montana directions
  • Coming from the south (West Yellowstone) you need to take Hwy 20 to the junction with MT-87 N. Turn onto it and continue in the direction of Ennis. Follow the main road (Hwy 287) to Ennis, where you will then see signs for Virginia City. Nevada City is located just one mile to the northwest.
  • Coming from the north you need to travel the Vigilante Trail in reverse: from Butte you reach Whitehall and then travel south along MT-55 and MT-41 to Twin Bridges. From here you can get to Nevada City in 30 minutes on Hwy 287. Virginia City is of course located a few miles to the east after that.

Virginia City: what to expect

virginia city montana attractions

The first town you’ll meet coming from West Yellowstone along Highway 287 is Virginia City. Unlike Nevada City, which as we will see is now literally a ghost town-museum, Virginia City is a quite lively and certainly authentic town, although inevitably catering for tourists, especially in the high season. After having parked your car near the Visitor Center on Main Street (Wallace Street), get a map (find it here in pdf) and start exploring, allowing a couple of hours for the walking tour. You will come across more than sixty historic buildings, some original, others reconstructed and converted to commercial use.

As you walk the uneven, creaking planks in the shade of Wallace Street‘s wooden arcades, you’ll see the opera house, the saloons and restaurants, the hotels, the trading post, the bank, the old coffee, candy, alcohol, beer and tobacco stores, the barber shop, the post office, the clothing, jewelry and trinket stores. In some of these buildings you can go in and browse, just as if you were on a dusty abandoned movie set that has suddenly come back to life.

In addition to the stores, along Wallace Street you’ll see the old administrative offices, the school, the Freemasonry Hall, City Hall, the private homes of city dignitaries, and other fascinating buildings built in Gothic and Greek revival style. I also recommend venturing down Idaho Street and along the dirt and uphill side streets, for there too you will find old abandoned buildings and beautifully restored historic homes. A myriad of sights that will deserve your photographs!

Things to do in Virginia City Montana

Things to do in Virginia City Montana

If you want to enrich your experience in Virginia City’s Wild West, there are a few tourist activities offered locally:

  • you can take a ride on the historic train departing from the Northern Pacific RR Depot (near the theater and the Visitor Center). Riding the Alder Gulch Shortline Railroad from Virginia City to Nevada City is an experience recommended for nostalgic and curious children!
  • you can enter the Opera House to see a melodrama by the old local company, the Virginia City Players Theatre Company. Performances are usually held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 4pm, Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays at 2pm and 7pm, and Sundays at 7pm;
  • you can ride in the horse-drawn stagecoach or in a vintage fire truck to take a narrated tour of Virginia City;
  • you can take home a photo dressed in Wild West-style clothing at the Photographic Emporium;
  • you can pan for gold like the miners of the late 1800s at the River of Gold western museum/workshop, located halfway between Virginia City and Nevada City. Here you can learn how the old mining machinery worked and learn about the techniques used to search for and extract ore;
  • attend a Grand Victorian Ball or spend tea time in Victorian style at the Historic Bennett House Country Inn;
  • on summer weekends, Virginia City’s Main Street hosts “Living History Events”– performances of daily life in period folklore and customs, with costumed characters. At that point you will really feel like you’ve traveled back in time!

Virginia City Photo Gallery

Nevada City Ghost Town: what to expect

Nevada City Ghost Town montana

To make you realise what awaits you I want to use two more famous western USA cities as a touchstone: if Virginia City can somehow remind you of Oatman, then to describe the very close Nevada City, I could maybe mention Bodie, an abandoned western town that has not been overtaken by commercial and tourist activities. Nevada City is in all respects an open-air museum, with an entrance fee: the name is Nevada City Living History Museum and, besides the train station/Visitor Center, a historic hotel (whose lobby can be visited) and an adjacent bar/restaurant, you won’t find any other place open to the public. At the entrance of the museum they will give you a map (you can also find it below in pdf), which will be useful for understanding the history, the use and allocation of all the beautiful building.

Moving between the two towns
How to get to Nevada City from Virginia City It’s not difficult! Either by the vintage train mentioned in the previous paragraph, or by driving the mile and a half that separates it from Virginia City.

What to do in Nevada City Montana

First stop by the interesting visitor center in the old station and get all the historical information you need to enjoy your visit. Here’s what not to miss out…

Music Hall

Before discovering Nevada City, pay a little attention to the Music Hall, a wonderful collection of vintage “music machines” dating back to the early twentieth century and still in working order. Your incredulous eyes will see music boxes, organs, automatic pianos of exquisite workmanship, manufactured in Paris, Chicago, New York by historical manufacturers such as Engelhardt, Gavioli, Wurlitzer, Mills Novelty, etc. The collection is part of the museum, and the room is basically the antechamber to the ghost town. 

Nevada City Living History Museum

nevada city montana

The town of Nevada City is really charming, and even more “real” than Virginia City. If you hold the precious map like a gun, you’ll regret not having a holster to keep it in case some cowboy appears any moment on the dusty road! You’ll be able to visit a considerable number of buildings filled with furniture and fittings from a time long gone. You’ll see the rooms and establishments from behind glass or by entering right through the door. On your way you will see the bank, the school, the jail, the pioneer cabins and all the businesses and buildings that were vital in a western town. Check the museum calendar to see if there are any events scheduled for the day of your visit to Nevada City, and you might even be lucky enough to catch one of the living history performances in period costume that are held at the outdoor museum.

  • Hours: May 27-September 4, daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m
  • Prices: Adults $8-$10; children $6-$8

Nevada City Photo Gallery

Places to stay in Virginia City Montana and nearby

virginia city montana hotels

As for an overnight stay in the area you have two options, both of great charm: you will have the opportunity to choose between two historic hotels, one in Virginia City and one in Nevada City.

  • Fairwater Inn: a historic hotel dating as far back as the founding of the town. It is located on Main Street in Virginia City and is the ideal choice for those who want to enrich the experience of a visit with a stay in absolute Far West style. The hotel exterior still has the characteristics of the hotels of the time, such as the terrace and the wooden veranda with chairs and tables to “watch what is going on” on the main street. The rooms are in rustic style, the furniture is vintage but the services offered are modern. It’s not a luxury hotel, but if you’re looking for this type of facility, you’ll have to look elsewhere!
  • Nevada City Hotel: as I mentioned, this is the only accommodation facility in the ghost town Nevada City. The staff is very friendly, but it’s the atmosphere that trumps everything! By sleeping in this charming vintage hotel, you’ll be even more isolated than in Virginia City. The only noise you’ll hear is the dry creaking of porch boards, should the ghost of some old cowboy pass by. The Nevada City Hotel, unlike the Fairwater Inn, also offers food service.

If you can’t find availability, you can look for lodging at Ennis‘ mountain-style motel The Sportsman Lodge.

All accommodations in Virginia City

All accommodations in Ennis 


Our Tip:
Looking for accommodations for your trip from California to other parts of the Southwest? Read our guide that contains reviews of hotels and strategic tips for finding accommodations near major attractions: Where to Stay: Our Tips for the SouthWest Area

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

bernardo pacini
Bernardo Pacini

I am an enthusiastic traveler. I have also published some poetry. Besides traveling, my interests include literature, prog music and good food,.

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1 thought on “Virginia City and Nevada City Ghost Town: discovering the Wild West in Montana”

  1. In Virginia City, be sure to visit the award-winning Thompson-Hickman Memorial Museum and Library…it’s the lovely old stone building directly across the street from the Visitors Center. If you are a history buff, you’ll revel in the treasured artifacts and documents within the museum, and in the archive section upstairs.

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