Melrose

Montana's ghost towns span gold-rush gulches and the great homestead bust that emptied the Hi-Line.

Melrose is a small community in Silver Bow County, Montana, United States. It is 34 miles (55 km) south of Butte and about 30 miles (48 km) north of Dillon. The zip code is 59743. It was established in 1881 at the junction of the road from Corinne, Utah, and the smelter at Glendale. Situated on a scenic stretch of the Big Hole River, Melrose today is famous for trout fishing. It is located in the Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest.

The on-the-ground condition of Melrose is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Melrose is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Melrose is roughly 45.6319, -112.6844 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.