Bannack and Virginia City preserve the boom-and-bust story of Montana's earliest strikes. Beneath the postcard scenery lies a human story as rugged as the landscape.

Bannack was Montana's first territorial capital before it emptied out.

What sets it apart

Virginia City retains blocks of original 1860s storefronts. Small as it sounds, it is exactly the sort of thing that defines the experience on the ground.

Both towns are now protected as state parks and historic sites.

Why it matters

In the end, the story here is really a story about the northern Rockies and the people drawn to them. It is a heritage still very much alive in the towns and gatherings of today's Montana.