We love central Idaho. The area around Stanley, Challis, and Salmon is a great vacation spot. Between the town of Challis and Stanley, there is a really neat ghost town. Custer Ghost Town has a lot of intact buildings and a lot of information. This activity is best paired with a visit to the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge because you will pass it on your way to Custer.
History
Custer sprang up in 1877 because gold was found in the Yankee Fork River. It quickly became the hub for everyone working in the gold mines in the area. But Custer was only 33 years old when it became a ghost town in 1910. This ghost town is impressive because so much is intact. There are 22 sites or buildings on the Custer map.
What to See
Make sure to pick up a pamphlet that discusses each structure. There is information about who lived there or what each building was used for, as well as a map showing where buildings used to stand. Almost all of the buildings are open during business hours, and a few have docents where you can ask questions. Many of the buildings also have information signs.
We really enjoyed going into the McKenzie House. Boy was it fancy! The schoolhouse has a lot of extra artifacts inside including a cool coat made from bison fur. Most of the buildings contain some relics inside. And the mountains are beautiful, too. There are plenty of picnic tables if you want to pack a lunch.
Other Activities
Since this town is an old mining town, and near the gold dredge, you can try your hand at panning for gold. The saloon is a gift shop where you can buy snacks and souvenirs. They have some fun flavored sodas, so we each picked a different one to try.
We spent about 45-60 minutes checking out the history in Custer ghost town in Idaho. With another 45 minutes spent at the dredge, plan for around 1.5 hours for this side quest. It is worth your time. There is another ghost town closer to Challis called Bayhorse Ghost Town that is also a great stop. The Custer Ghost Town Site is open Memorial Day to Labor Day from 10 am – 4 pm every day of the week. Free to visit.
