Elkhorn Ghost Town

Jefferson County, Montana46.2747, -111.9458

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
8.7 miBoulder, MT
Mild months
May–Sep5 of 12
Elevation
6,440 ft1,964 m
Elkhorn, Montana
Photo: John N. DeHaas, Jr., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elkhorn sits in Jefferson County, Montana. People call it a ghost town, though 12 residents were counted in 2020. It lies at about 6,440 feet above sea level. It was founded in 1872.

On the map

20 mi40 miHelenaHelena Valley West CentralHelena Valley NortheastMontana CityTownsendElkhorn
  • BLM
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Elkhorn. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Boulder, MT, about 8.7 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bozeman, MT, 59 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Wickes9.1 mi northwest
  2. Comet11 mi west
  3. Louisville21 mi north
  4. Lombard29 mi southeast
  5. Marysville37 mi northwest
  6. Maudlow39 mi east
  7. Silver Bow39 mi southwest
  8. Mammoth42 mi south

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Private or unlisted land

The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Deerlodge National Forest, Elkhorn State Park. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°3512Jan3814Feb4721Mar5427Apr6435May7242Jun8248Jul8246Aug7238Sep5728Oct4219Nov3412DecJan: 0.3 inFeb: 0.2 inMar: 0.4 inApr: 0.8 inMay: 1.9 inJun: 2.3 inJul: 1.4 inAug: 1.1 inSep: 1.1 inOct: 0.6 inNov: 0.5 inDec: 0.3 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run May to September, judging by NOAA normals from Boulder.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Boulder station (USC00241008), 8.6 miles away. The town sits about 1,500 feet higher than the station, so expect it to run cooler. About 10.9 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationJefferson County, Montana
Coordinates46.27472, -111.94583
Elevation6,440 ft (1,964 m)
Founded1872
Census counts2010: 10 · 2020: 12
Also known asElkhorn, Montana, Elkhorn, MT, Elkhorn State Park
SourcesWikidata Q389288 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Elkhorn ghost town?

In Jefferson County, Montana, at 46.2747, -111.9458. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Boulder, MT, about 8.7 miles west in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bozeman, MT, 59 miles away.

Can you visit Elkhorn?

Private land, lived-in town. The town center is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. People still live here, so streets are open while buildings and lots belong to their owners. Ask before you step onto a property. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Deerlodge National Forest, Elkhorn State Park. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Elkhorn?

Mild months here run May to September, judging by NOAA normals from Boulder.

Are there other ghost towns near Elkhorn?

Yes. Wickes (9.1 mi), Comet (11 mi), Louisville (21 mi), Lombard (29 mi).

More ghost towns in Montana

All 77 ghost towns in Montana · Ghost towns near Helena · Ghost towns near Bozeman · Ghost towns near Butte