5 Real Haunted Locations In Montana Open To Visitors
Montana’s rugged beauty hides more than peaks and pastures – it’s crawling with “spirit” you won’t find in a glass. Historic hotels rattle with restless guests who refuse to check out, while abandoned prisons still keep an after-life sentence echoing through the halls.
Brave enough to go ghost-hunting?
You might find a room with a boo-tiful view, or stumble upon a corridor where whispers give you the heebie-jeebies. These five haunted hangouts welcome visitors year-round, though some residents are a little too dead-icated to ever leave.
1. Chico Hot Springs Resort & Day Spa
Mineral pools at Chico Hot Springs steam beneath Montana skies, melting stress while history lingers close. Just 30 miles north of Yellowstone, the retreat has welcomed travelers since 1900, some of whom seem unwilling to leave.
Guests whisper of a Victorian lady gliding through halls in flowing dress, believed to be Percie Matheson, the devoted former owner.
Near the main lodge her presence feels strongest, brushing the air with quiet grace. Between stargazing soaks and elegant dining, visitors savor not only comfort but also living lore. Staff lean into the charm, sharing ghost tales that enrich the century-old magic.
2. Copper King Mansion
Gilded Age opulence meets ghostly mischief in this 1884 masterpiece built by copper magnate W.A. Clark! Visitors staying in the B&B portion might experience harmless pranks – objects mysteriously relocating or lights switching on without explanation.
The mansion’s 34 lavishly decorated rooms showcase stunning stained glass windows, hand-carved woodwork, and period antiques that transport you straight back to Montana’s mining heyday. Ghost hunters particularly note activity in the third-floor ballroom, where shadowy figures occasionally drift across the room.
Could the spirits be former party guests still enjoying the mansion’s grandeur? Or perhaps the Clark family themselves keeping watch over their treasure? Either way, this architectural gem offers both historical tours and potential paranormal encounters in one magnificent package!
3. Grand Union Hotel
Since 1882, a Victorian jewel on the Missouri River has paired fine dining with whispers from the other side. Guests speak of footsteps echoing down empty halls and hushed voices drifting from rooms long unoccupied.
Halloween heightens the mischief, with spirits shifting belongings or chilling cozy corners. Renovations brought modern comfort, yet the hotel’s old-west bones still hum with history.
Staff happily trade ghost tales, weaving mystique into the luxury. Between gourmet plates and sweeping river views, visitors savor more than a meal – they taste heritage, elegance, and perhaps a phantom’s playful presence brushing past in candlelit silence.
4. Moss Mansion Museum
A towering red sandstone mansion from 1903 looms over Billings, its grand façade matched by whispers of sorrow. Built for businessman Preston Moss, the home turned tragic when his youngest daughter passed at just five years old.
Visitors claim to glimpse a child skipping through halls, or hear giggles echoing in empty rooms. October ghost tours heighten the chills with tales of footsteps and shifting objects.
Beyond hauntings, original furnishings and ornate décor showcase turn-of-the-century elegance. Docents blend rich history with eerie personal stories, ensuring each tour stirs both curiosity and goosebumps inside Montana’s most storied residence.
5. Old Montana Prison
Yikes, if walls could talk, these cell blocks would scream! Operational from 1871 until 1979, this imposing stone fortress housed Montana’s most dangerous criminals and witnessed numerous violent deaths, including a 1959 riot that claimed several lives.
Daytime self-guided tours let visitors explore cell blocks, the yard, and guard towers while learning about the prison’s dark history. For serious ghost hunters, special nighttime investigations access restricted areas where disembodied voices, shadowy figures, and unexplained cold spots regularly occur.
Many report feeling watched or even touched in the maximum security section and death row cells. The prison’s notorious isolation cells, nicknamed “the Hole,” generate particularly strong paranormal activity. Would you brave a midnight visit to this stone monument to human suffering?
