Entry No. 10 — the Bozeman file — filed under: haunted
Old Montana Prison Ghost Tours
This decommissioned territorial prison in Deer Lodge ran from the 1870s into the 1970s and saw riots and deaths inside its stone walls. Overnight ghost tours, led by paranormal investigators from roughly 8pm to 2am, get you into normally off-limits spots like the Death Tower and the upper cell-block tiers. It's a real, intense, by-appointment experience, not a daytime museum stroll.
The story
From the 1870s until it was finally shuttered in the late 1970s, the Old Montana Prison in Deer Lodge ran on overcrowded cellblocks, brutal winters, riots, and thick stone walls. By day, the address at 1106 Main Street acts as a standard historical museum. But when the daytime tourists clear out and the gates lock, the energy changes entirely.
The overnight ghost tours are led by paranormal investigators and run from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. These six-hour sessions bypass the polite museum walkways and grant access to off-limits zones usually locked behind iron grates—most notably the upper cell-block tiers and the Death Tower.
You are not getting a scripted haunted house with jump scares and theatrical fog. You are spending six hours in the dark, standing on cold concrete walkways where violent history played out for a century, listening to how sound carries down narrow corridors when the rest of the town is asleep.
What it's like
Show up before 8 p.m. dressed for cold drafts—stone walls hold onto winter cold well into summer, and you will be on your feet in dark, unheated spaces until 2 a.m. You will be guided through pitch-black tiers and cordoned-off structures with investigative gear or your own senses. The main catch is availability: tickets run around $99 and sell out well in advance, so do not expect to roll up to Deer Lodge on a whim and get inside.
The move: Sign up for the overnight investigator-led ghost hunt and spend the small hours in the cell blocks together.
📍 Before you go About 95 miles northwest of Bozeman; ghost tours run on scheduled dates only (around $99, 8pm-2am) and you must be 15+ (under 18 with a parent). Daytime museum tours are separate. Book ahead via pcmaf.org or 406-846-3111.
- 📍 Deer Lodge
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1106 Main St, Deer Lodge, MT 59722
Hours: Added 2026-06-24 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Butte Crystals & Spiritual Wellness — If spending six hours listening for echoes in dark cellblocks leaves you needing a spiritual reset, make a pit stop at Donna Zawada's shop in Butte on your way back.
- Ringing Rocks — Balance the heavy stone silence of the prison with a detour near Whitehall to hammer away at a strange field of boulders that chime like metal.
- Elkhorn State Park (ghost town) — Pair prison dark history with more abandoned Montana architecture by driving out to the silent 19th-century timber halls standing in Elkhorn.
Good to know
How do I book a spot on an overnight ghost tour?
Tours run on select scheduled dates only. You must book in advance online through pcmaf.org or by calling 406-846-3111. Tickets are around $99.
What are the age requirements?
You must be at least 15 years old to participate, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Which areas do the night tours visit that daytime tours miss?
Nighttime investigations grant access to restricted sections off-limits to day visitors, including the upper cell-block tiers and the Death Tower.
How far is Deer Lodge from Bozeman?
It is about 95 miles northwest of Bozeman, straight down I-90.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: pcmaf.org · Wikipedia · southwestmt.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-06-24