Montana is a state which has a wide variety of interesting tales to tell from the many battles that have taken place there to the Copper Kings and the various vigilantes.

Of course, amid those tales there are also stories with a spookier edge to them describing some of the many hauntings said to occur here.

Let’s take a closer look at 11 of the most haunted places in Montana:

11. Bear Canyon Campground, Bozeman

Bear Canyon Campground in Bozeman, Montana
Bear Canyon Campground in Bozeman, Montana

Bear Canyon is such a beautiful setting that it is difficult to think of the area as one of the most haunted places in Montana.

However, that is the reality! Several people who have been camping or hiking in Bear Canyon have happened upon the ghost of a little girl in a white dress.

This might not seem all that scary in comparison to some of the other ghost stories coming out of Montana, but it is said that this little girl appears in order to lure females away from the trail causing them to get lost in the woods – not so innocent after all.

10. Bonanza Inn, Virginia City

Bonanza Inn in Virginia City, Montana
Bonanza Inn in Virginia City, Montana

The Bonanza Inn is said to be the most haunted building in Virginia City which is saying a lot for a town renowned for its history of murder, execution and debauchery!

Guests at the inn have reported being pinched and poked while staying there.

Room 1 is also said to be particularly haunted and guests staying in that room have the biggest chance of encountering the resident ghost, which is said to take the form of a spectral nun!

9. Boulder Hot Springs Hotel, Boulder

Boulder Hot Springs in Boulder, Montana
Boulder Hot Springs Hotel in Boulder, Montana

The Boulder Hot Springs Inn and Spa was originally built in 1863, but it has undergone massive amounts of renovation since then to the point that it is almost unrecognizable.

Despite this, the hotel is still considered to be a historic landmark in Boulder, and one of the most haunted places in Montana.

The main ghost that is said to haunt this location is said to be a female spirit called Simone. It is believed that she is the spirit of a prostitute who was murdered in the building by a mining executive.

There has also been a strange male voice heard in the property when nobody has been there!

Some reports also say that there are the spirits of children running through the halls at night.

8. Little Bighorn Battlefield, Crow Agency

Little Bighorn Battlefield, Crow Agency, Montana
Little Bighorn Battlefield, Crow Agency, Montana

One of the most famous locations in Montana is also one of the most haunted places in Montana. We are of course talking about the Little Bighorn Battlefield.

It probably goes without saying that this particular site is a prime location for paranormal activity. It is not at all uncommon to hear men screaming in agony or for apparitions to appear late at night.

7. St Charles Hall, Carroll College, Helena

St Charles Hall at Carroll College in Helena, Montana
St Charles Hall at Carroll College in Helena, Montana

The oldest building on Carroll College campus is St. Charles Hall. It is also one of the most haunted places in Montana. The building was named for St. Charles Borromeo and was constructed back in 1909 when the cornerstone was laid by President William Taft. These days the building primarily serves as a dormitory.

Some of the paranormal activity that has been recorded at St. Charles Hall includes one famous incident that occurred in 1964 on the fourth floor.

A student was in the men’s bathroom when he blacked out and hit his head on the sink. This caused hemorrhaging in his brain and although he was taken to hospital, he died of pneumonia a couple of weeks later.

Ever since then students have experienced strange things on the fourth floor.

Many of them report seeing a young man with a visible head injury in the mirror when they are brushing their teeth.

Others have said that they turn on the faucet only for blood to come out instead of water.

After several years of distressing reports like these from students, the bathroom was locked up and is no longer in use.

However, there are still reports of scraping noises coming from behind the locked door!

There are also reports of the apparition of a student jumping out of a window to commit suicide.

It seems that the event is replayed like an echo in time.

Others claim that a number of priests have died in various parts of the building and still wander the halls, but the only documented occurrence is related to the young man who died in the bathroom.

6. Copper King Mansion, Butte

copper King Mansion in Butte, Montana
Copper King Mansion in Butte, Montana

The original owner of Copper King mansion, William Andrews Clark, is apparently still haunting his former home.

Some of the regularly reported activity in the house includes unexplained shadow figures, cold spots in the building, and a warm, welcoming presence.

5. Elks Lodge 537, Miles City

Elks Lodge 537 in Miles City, Montana
Elks Lodge 537 in Miles City, Montana

During the prohibition era, the Elks Lodge was something of a hot spot in Miles City. It was pretty much the place to be if you were in search of drinks and entertainment.

There are even rumors that it may have been a favorite hangout of Bonnie and Clyde who apparently went there to play cards.

In 1963, the Elks Lodge was the site of a suicide and this is believed to be behind the paranormal activity that has been reported in the building.

There have been many sightings of a female spirit wearing a long dress wandering the halls of the Elks Lodge and she has even been caught on camera on one occasion coming out of a bathroom.

4. Fort Peck Theatre, Fort Peck

Fort Peck Theatre, in Fort Peck Montana
Fort Peck Theatre, in Fort Peck Montana

While Fort Peck Dam was being built in the 1930s, the town of  Fort Peck was built as a temporary home for US Army Corps Engineers and their families.

There were homes and other amenities built including Fort Peck Theatre which was completed in 1934 so that the workers would have entertainment.

Although it was intended to be temporary, the theatre remains in use today for a variety of theatrical productions.

It is said that the Fort Peck Theatre is haunted by a male ghost who will manifest wearing 1930s style work clothing.

It is common for people to hear the sounds of men at work when the theatre should be empty.

There have also been reports of apparitions in the dressing rooms from time to time.

3. Montana Territorial Prison, Deer Lodge

Montana Territorial Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana
Montana Territorial Prison in Deer Lodge, Montana

Montana Territorial Prison was in operation from 1871 until the late 1970s and the insufficient facilities, overcrowding, and barely edible food rations made it a particularly miserable place to be – even by prison standards.

There have been several murders and suicides in the building and the prison was also the site of a massive riot in 1959.

All of this has contributed to making Montana Territorial Prison one of the most haunted places in Montana.

Some of the strange sightings that have been reported include apparitions in the empty cells, phantom footsteps, cell doors closing by themselves and a malevolent entity in the solitary confinement area which has been known to scratch, push and choke visitors.

One of the most well-known ghost that is said to haunt Montana Territorial Prison is convicted murderer Paul Eitner aka ‘Turkey Pete’ who was incarcerated here for almost 50 years before dying of natural causes in 1967.

2. Sacajawea Hotel, Three ForksBOOK NOW

Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana
Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks, Montana

The Sacajawea Hotel was built back in 1910 and since then it has hosted numerous well-known guests including the builder himself, John Q Adams.

It is thought that some of these guests, including Adams never actually checked out.

There have been several reports of an apparition resembling John Q Adams throughout the hotel and many guests have also witnessed a ghostly housekeeper who appears seemingly out of nowhere before walking into a closet that is actually no longer there!

It is certainly something that would be disconcerting to see in the night!

1. The Grand Union Hotel, Fort BentonSTAY HERE

The Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton, Montana
The Grand Union Hotel in Fort Benton, Montana

Fort Benton is one of Montana’s oldest towns, so as you might expect it has plenty of history around it.

One of the most haunted places in Montana is The Grand Union Hotel which was built back in 1882.

Local legend states that at one time a drunken cowhand rode his horse into the hotel and all the way up the main staircase before he was shot dead by the bar manager.

Ever since then, there have been some unexplained things happening.

Guests and staff alike have heard phantom hoofbeats on the stairs, mysterious blue lights are said to dance across room number 202 and there have been multiple sightings of a male spirit dressed in a long coat who appears in various different parts of the hotel.

Related Articles

Montana is an old state with a long and colorful history. Naturally with all places that have a history dating back so long, there’s bound to be ghost stories associated somewhere. In Montana that extends to its hotels! If you’re feeling brave, you’ll want to spend the night at some of these haunted hotels!

Learn about the most haunted places to stay in Montana