Things to Do in Virginia City, Montana: Gold Rush Town (2026)

The best things to do in Virginia City, Montana, are walking the gold-rush streets of the historic district, riding the Alder Gulch Short Line to Nevada City and seeing a show at the Opera House or the Brewery Follies. It’s a town of 219 people and the seat of Madison County, in Alder Gulch between the Tobacco Root Mountains and the Gravelly Range.

Prospectors found gold on Alder Creek on May 26, 1863, and a boomtown of thousands followed within weeks. Virginia City served as Montana’s territorial capital from 1865 to 1875. In the 1940s Charles and Sue Bovey began buying the fading town and restoring it, and it became a National Historic Landmark district.

Virginia City Historic District

Of the nearly 300 structures in town, almost half were built before 1900. Original buildings with Old West displays and plaques stand next to working restaurants and shops. The state now owns most of the historic buildings, and the Montana Heritage Commission runs them with help from the National Park Service.

★ Good to know Heritage Commission attractions run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day; outside that window, much of town is quiet.

Nevada City Museum and Music Hall

Nevada City sits about 1.5 miles down Alder Gulch. The Heritage Commission’s Old Town Museum and Music Hall there is the second big stop of any visit. Tickets and passes for all Heritage Commission attractions are sold at its entrance on MT Highway 287.

★ Good to know The Nevada City museum and Music Hall keep longer hours than the rest of the Heritage Commission sites.

Alder Gulch Short Line Railroad

This 2-foot-6-inch narrow-gauge railroad carries passengers between Virginia City and Nevada City and back. The Heritage Commission operates it from the Virginia City depot on West Wallace Street. In Nevada City, the train leaves from the Bovey Visitor Center.

★ Good to know Buy tickets at the Virginia City depot or the Nevada City museum; the train runs in the summer season only.

Virginia City Players at the Opera House

The Virginia City Players are the longest continually running summer stock theatre west of the Mississippi. They stage turn-of-the-century melodrama and vaudeville in the historic Virginia City Opera House. The University of Montana Western now runs the productions.

★ Good to know Shows are family-friendly and run from about mid-June to early September, so check the schedule before you go.

Brewery Follies

This live comedy show plays in the old H.S. Gilbert Brewery in the historic district. Expect satire, nonsense and absurdity, with local beer on hand. It runs Wednesday through Saturday evenings with weekend matinees.

★ Good to know The season runs from late May to mid-September; reserve ahead online or by phone.

Boot Hill

Virginia City’s Boot Hill holds the graves of five road agents killed during the vigilante era of 1863 and 1864. They include Jack Gallagher, Boone Helm and “Clubfoot” George Lane. The plot sits next to the town’s main cemetery.

★ Good to know Pair it with the Thompson-Hickman Museum, which has what’s said to be Clubfoot George’s clubfoot (now a replica).

Thompson-Hickman Museum

Volunteers with the Vigilance Club run this small museum on the lower level of the Thompson-Hickman Memorial Building. The collection includes a petrified cat and an old Chinese wedding cake. It’s open from Memorial Day weekend into September.

★ Good to know Because it’s volunteer-run, hours can vary; the usual schedule is Wednesday through Sunday.

Also in town

The Heritage Commission also runs gold panning and a mining history stop at the Mount Vernon Dredge between the two towns. Its food and drink listings include Cousin’s Candy Shop, the Pioneer Bar and the Bale of Hay Saloon, where the bar scenes in Little Big Man were filmed.

When to goCome between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day, when the railroad, museums and shows are running. Mid-June through August has the most going on.

How long to stayOne full day covers both towns and the train; stay the night if you want to catch the Players or the Follies.

Heads upOutside summer, most attractions and many businesses close, so an off-season visit is mostly a walk past closed buildings.

Getting hereBozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) is the closest airport with scheduled airline service, about 70 miles and 1 hour 30 minutes by car. Butte’s Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) is about 80 miles away.

Is Virginia City, Montana, a ghost town?

Not quite. About 219 people live there, and it’s still the Madison County seat. The historic buildings are preserved as an open-air museum, and the Heritage Commission runs neighboring Nevada City as a museum too.

When are Virginia City’s attractions open?

The Montana Heritage Commission’s sites run daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day. The shows and many shops follow a similar summer season.

How far is Virginia City from Yellowstone?

The Heritage Commission puts West Yellowstone about 90 miles away. Ennis is 14 miles east on MT 287, on the way to the Madison River.

What towns pair well with Virginia City?

Ennis is 14 miles east in the same county; see things to do in Ennis. For more, browse our small towns in Montana.

Where to find them

Virginia City Depot and Visitor Information Center 413 W. Wallace St., Virginia City, MT 59755 Website Directions
Nevada City Museum and Music Hall 1578 MT Hwy 287, Nevada City, MT 59755 Website Directions
Alder Gulch Short Line Railroad 413 W. Wallace St., Virginia City, MT 59755 Website Directions
Virginia City Opera House (Virginia City Players) Website Directions
Brewery Follies (H.S. Gilbert Brewery) Website Directions
Boot Hill Website Directions
Thompson-Hickman Museum Website Directions