Entry No. 59 — the Seattle file — filed under: ghost town
Melmont Ghost Town Hike
Established in 1900 as a coal-mining town along the Carbon River, Melmont was abandoned by the early 1920s and later swept by a forest fire. Today, hikers can explore the overgrown ruins of the town, including a concrete dynamite shed, the stone foundation of the schoolhouse, and a rusted-out vintage car. The trail follows an old railroad grade under the historic Fairfax Bridge, surrounded by dense Pacific Northwest forest.
The story
In 1900, Melmont sprang up along the Carbon River for a single purpose: pulling coal out of the ground. For two decades, miners carved out a living in the shadow of Mount Rainier, complete with a company store, a schoolhouse, and a rail line running coal down the valley. By the early 1920s, the coal supply ran dry, the mine shuttered, and the residents packed up. A subsequent forest fire incinerated whatever timber structures remained, leaving the site to be reclaimed by the woods.
Because wood doesn't survive a wildfire or a century of Pacific Northwest rainfall, you won't find wooden saloons or false-front storefronts here. What survives are the objects heavy enough to withstand both fire and time: a windowless concrete dynamite vault built to handle internal explosions, the moss-slicked stone foundation of the old schoolhouse, and the rusted chassis of an early-20th-century car slowly sinking into the forest floor.
What it's like
Park near the historic Fairfax Bridge along Mowich Lake Road and drop down to the flat, unpaved railroad grade following the river. The walk is straightforward—about four miles round trip with roughly 300 feet of elevation gain—but finding the actual ruins requires stepping off the main track into thick moss and second-growth timber. Expect damp air, river noise, and very little signage telling you where to look.
The move: Hike the easy, flat trail along the Carbon River to hunt for moss-covered stone foundations, photograph the historic Fairfax Bridge from below, and enjoy a quiet picnic near the riverbank.
📍 Before you go The site is located along a public hiking trail on county-managed land, accessible by walking from the Fairfax Bridge trailhead.
- 📍 Carbonado
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 23689 Mowich Lake Rd, Carbonado, WA 98323, USA
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.
Pair it with
- Franklin Ghost Town — Double down on early-20th-century Washington coal history by visiting another overgrown mining town site just 18 miles north.
- Recycled Spirits of Iron (Ex Nihilo Sculpture Park) — Contrast Melmont's accidental, rust-and-stone ruins with Dan Klennert's deliberate, welded scrap-iron forest sculptures near Elbe.
- Dickman Mill Park — Trade interior coal ruins for waterfront industrial history at the site of Tacoma's last operating sawmill on Commencement Bay.
Good to know
How long is the hike and how tough is it?
It is roughly four miles round trip along a flat, abandoned railroad grade with around 300 feet of total elevation gain.
Where do you park to find the trail?
Look for pull-offs near the historic Fairfax Bridge on Mowich Lake Road outside Carbonado, then head down toward the river grade.
What specific ruins are visible along the route?
Key landmarks include the concrete dynamite shed, stone schoolhouse foundations, rusted vintage car wreckage, and the underside of the Fairfax Bridge.
Do I need a permit or fee to visit?
The hike crosses county-managed public land along a public trail; no fee or permit is required, but you should confirm trail conditions before going.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: wta.org · visitrainier.com
last checked: 2026-07-20