Virginia City Ghost Town

Madison County, Montana45.2942, -111.9410

Can you visit?

Private land, lived-in town

Private or unlisted land · Streets public, lots private

Nearest town
11 miEnnis, MT
Mild months
May–Oct6 of 12
Elevation
5,760 ft1,756 m
Virginia City, Montana
Photo: SchmuckyTheCat, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Virginia City sits in Madison County, Montana. People call it a ghost town, though 219 residents were counted in 2020. It lies at about 5,760 feet above sea level. It was founded in 1863.

On the map

20 mi40 miDillonBig SkyEnnisChurchillGallatin GatewayVirginia City
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Virginia City. 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 Ennis, MT, about 11 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bozeman, MT, 51 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Nevada City1.6 mi northwest
  2. Union City5.9 mi south
  3. Laurin9.5 mi northwest
  4. Pony25 mi north
  5. Mammoth26 mi north
  6. Melrose43 mi northwest
  7. Grayling46 mi west
  8. Armstead50 mi southwest

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: Dillon Field Office. 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°3715Jan3915Feb4722Mar5428Apr6437May7343Jun8350Jul8149Aug7141Sep5831Oct4421Nov3514DecJan: 0.7 inFeb: 0.6 inMar: 0.9 inApr: 1.8 inMay: 2.4 inJun: 2.7 inJul: 1.3 inAug: 1.1 inSep: 1.2 inOct: 1.4 inNov: 0.8 inDec: 0.8 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 October, judging by NOAA normals from Virginia City. Snow is normal from October to May.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Virginia City station (USC00248597), 0.4 miles away. About 15.7 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationMadison County, Montana
Coordinates45.29420, -111.94100
Elevation5,760 ft (1,756 m)
Founded1863
Census counts2010: 190 · 2020: 219
Also known asVirginia City, Montana, Virginia City, MT
SourcesWikidata Q955580 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Virginia City ghost town?

In Madison County, Montana, at 45.2942, -111.9410. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Ennis, MT, about 11 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bozeman, MT, 51 miles away.

Can you visit Virginia City?

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: Dillon Field Office. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Virginia City?

Mild months here run May to October, judging by NOAA normals from Virginia City. Snow is normal from October to May.

Are there other ghost towns near Virginia City?

Yes. Nevada City (1.6 mi), Union City (5.9 mi), Laurin (9.5 mi), Pony (25 mi).

More ghost towns in Montana

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