Montana's Hidden History: A VR Trip to Canyon Creek's Kilns & Guest Ranch
Some adventures are about epic views, and others are about discovering hidden history. Near Melrose, Montana, a quiet canyon road leads you back in time, first to the fascinating beehive-shaped charcoal kilns from the 1880s, and then to a historic guest ranch with stories burned right into its walls. It's a journey into Montana's rugged mining and ranching past.
The Golden Nugget 🌟
Don't Miss This: The charcoal kilns themselves are the main attraction. These fascinating structures stand like giant stone beehives. You can walk right inside them and imagine the intense process of turning wood into charcoal to fuel a mining boom over a century ago.
TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO CANYON CREEK
Grab your VR Headset and transport yourself here with me. From the historic kilns to the charming guest ranch, this is a nature fix that comes with a fascinating story.
Adventure at a Glance
| 🏞️ Area: |
Canyon Creek, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest |
| 📍 Location: |
Near Melrose, Montana |
| ⭐ Shauna's Rating: |
💎💎💎💎 (4 out of 5 Diamonds) |
| ☀️ Best For: |
Montana History, Unique Architecture, Scenic Drives, Fishing |
| ⏳ Recommended Time: |
1-2 hours for the kilns and ranch visit |
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| Canyon Creek Charcoal Mines Melrose Montana |
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Part 1: The Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns
These fascinating structures were built in 1881 to produce charcoal for the silver smelters in the nearby boomtown of Hecla, about 10 miles up the road. They would tightly stack the kilns with logs, seal them up, and light a fire. The color of the smoke—from white to yellow to blue—told them how the process was going. After about 15 days, the wood was transformed into charcoal, which was lighter to transport and burned hotter than wood. Thinking about these kilns, it strikes me that it's both the fire and the oxygen that transform the wood into something better. Many of us feel the "fire" of anxiety in our lives, but are we remembering to breathe? It's a reminder to take time to be still and let God help us become better through our trials.
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Canyon Creek Charcoal Mines Melrose Montana
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360 Video at the Canyon Creek Charcoal Mines
Make sure you rotate around to see everything. Use the Toggle button on the bottom corner to switch between modes. It makes it fun!
2D Trailer Short for Montana Charcoal Mines and Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
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| Charcoal Kiln Canyon Creek Canyon Montana |
Information about Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns.
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Map to the Canyon Creek Charcoal Kilns
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The Map above shows the map from Melrose, Montana. Location is 6 hours North of Salt Lake City and an hour south of Butte Montana. If you have an OHV vehicle, you can take the road at the Glendale Smelter up 8 miles to the old mining ghost town of Hecla.
Charcoal is produced when wood is burned in a low-oxygen environment. In doing so, water and other gaseous materials contained in the wood are released, leaving charcoal, a black light soft material which is composed primarily of carbon. Because charcoal is almost pure carbon, it burns hotter than wood. It is also lighter than wood and therefore, less expensive to transport, making it an efficient and economical means of smelting ore."
- Information from above sign to you can read it easier.
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| How they Fueled the Charcoal Mines |
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| How they used the color of the smoke to detect charcoal process. |
This is very interesting information about the 15 day process used to create the charcoal,
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| Views to Drive up to Charcoal Kiln Ruins |
Part 2: The Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
Just up the road from the kilns is the adorable Canyon Creek Guest Ranch. This place has an incredible history—it was built and run in the 1930s solely by a single woman! Inside the lodge, you can see cattle brands and initials burned into the wooden walls from all the different ranchers and miners who came from far and wide to enjoy her hospitality. The ranch has many cabins and is a wonderful place to feel away from it all, surrounded by excellent fishing and hiking trails.
Here is a link to the website of Canyon Creek Guest Ranch.
If you are interested me in doing a spotlight of your vacation rental and the surrounding attractions please contact me. I would love to set something up!
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Boat Ores on the fence from around the 1930's.
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Canyon Creek Main Cabin
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360 Video of Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
Make sure you rotate around to see everything. Of course the best way to watch it is by putting on a VRHeadset, and be transported here using YouTubeVR- ShaunasAdventures
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| One of the walls with brands and initials burnt in of ranchers who came to visit. |
2D Video of Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
Link to Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
Campfire by Canyon Creek
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| Campfire Canyon Creek Guest House |
Cloud Time lapse with Fire at Canyon Creek Guest Ranch.
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| Campfire Canyon Creek Guest House |
Inside Guest Cabins at Canyon Creek Guest Ranch
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| Inside our Guest House at Canyon Creek Guest Ranch |
Lakes up Canyon Creek Trail
An Unfinished Adventure: Grayling Lake
While visiting the ranch, I learned about the trail to Grayling Lake, a beautiful mountain lake with bright turquoise water. It's a strenuous 3-hour hike in (and 2 hours out), but the photos look amazing. I didn't have time to do it on this trip, but I highly intend to go back! If you go, make sure you have an offline map, as there is no cell service, and be prepared for wildlife.
We had the fun opportunity to stay at this ranch because my Hubby was hired for a drone shoot here for Fly fishing in this area. I came along for the ride. As soon as I got here, I of course asked about the trails, for there are many. One particularly attracted my interest, and that was Grayling Lake, for the pictures I saw are amazing. It is a cute mountain lake with bright turquoise water, and white rock mountain backgrounds. For those fisherman, it is one of those rare lakes with a Grayling Fish. It is about a 3 hour hike into the lake, and a 2 hour out, with other beautiful lakes in the area. Because I was only along for the ride, and because of time restraints, I did not get to hike to this lake, BUT I highly intend to go back. There is absolutely NO cell coverage out here, so you need to make sure you have an eternal GPS, and the map downloaded on GAIA maps if you go. Luckily the trail is well traveled so it is not one you should have to worry too much about getting lost. I would also have a sound Alarm, hiking stick, and pepper spray on your body, just in case, for there are many wildlife in the area. If you can't afford to stay at the Guest Ranch, you could still do these awesome hikes from the campground. For those who love mountain lakes, this is a perfect area to explore away from crowds.
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Map for Canyon Creek Trail #92 to Mountain Lakes
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Here is the map and map information.
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| Canyon Creek Trail #92 Information |
VR Video Treasure Hunt!
While you're exploring Canyon Creek in the VR video, see if you can spot these details:
🔎 Inside a Kiln: Can you find the shot where we're standing right inside one of the giant, beehive-shaped kilns?
🔎 Rancher's Brands: Look for the close-up shot of the wooden wall inside the ranch lodge. Can you see the historic cattle brands burned into the wood?
🔎 The Old Oars: Find the shot of the old wooden boat oars hanging on the fence—a relic from the 1930s!
🔎 Creek-Side Campfire: Can you find the peaceful shot of the campfire right next to Canyon Creek?
Conclusion
This corner of Montana is a beautiful reminder that history is all around us, waiting to be discovered on quiet backroads. It’s a story of industry, independence, and the enduring beauty of nature. What's the most fascinating piece of local history you've ever stumbled upon in your travels? Share your discovery in the comments below!
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