list of ghost towns in usa

Ghost towns: once thriving communities that have dwindled over the decades. Some vanished entirely or were absorbed into newer settlements, but many of these towns still stand, at least in part, allowing us glimpses of what these now-abandoned places once were.

Where are America’s ghost towns, and how do they look today? Scroll down to find out.

We’ve researched over 3,800 ghost towns to show their spread across the country and within each state.

Professor of American Studies

Nearest city

Hawthorne, NV

Nearby ghost towns

Ione, NV Broken Hills, NV

McCarthy, AK

Key West, FL

Missoula, MT

Coloma, MT Bearmouth, MT Pioneer, MT

Bridgeport, CA

Aurora, NV Dogtown, CA Masonic, CA

Buena Vista, CO

Tincup, CO Turret, CO

Picacho, CA Jaeger City, CA Tumco, CA

St. George, UT

Adventure, UT Duncan's Retreat, UT Grafton, UT

Lion City, MT Pioneer, MT Trapper City, MT

Lordsburg, NM

Shakespeare, NM

55 ghost towns Talladega County contains the most, with 6. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Hoover.

Arcola, Hale County

32 ghost towns Nome contains the most, with 7. There are 4 ghost towns within 50 miles of Anchorage.

Kennicott, Valdez-Cordova

131 ghost towns Yavapai County contains the most, with 24. There are 24 ghost towns within 25 miles of Prescott Valley.

Fairbank, Cochise County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

20 ghost towns Marion County contains the most, with 3. There are 15 ghost towns within 50 miles of Fort Smith.

Rush, Marion County

346 ghost towns Kern County contains the most, with 113. There are 71 ghost towns within 25 miles of Bakersfield.

Bodie, Mono County

99 ghost towns El Paso County contains the most, with 14. There are 14 ghost towns within 25 miles of Colorado Springs.

St. Elmo, Chaffee County

Connecticut

4 ghost towns

6 ghost towns Sussex County contains the most, with 5. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Wilmington.

257 ghost towns Polk County contains the most, with 17. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Saint Petersburg.

Fort Jefferson, Monroe County

16 ghost towns There are 9 ghost towns within 50 miles of Augusta.

Auraria, Lumpkin County Hellohowareyoudoing / CC BY-SA 3.0

21 ghost towns Honolulu County contains the most, with 6. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Honolulu.

Kapoho, East Puna Bob Linsdell / CC BY-SA 3.0

26 ghost towns Lemhi County contains the most, with 4. There are 7 ghost towns within 50 miles of Boise City.

Rocky Bar, Elmore County J.Day Photography / CC BY-SA 3.0

82 ghost towns Macoupin County contains the most, with 12. There are 11 ghost towns within 25 miles of Waukegan.

Benjaminville, McLean County A McMurray / CC BY-SA 3.0

42 ghost towns Warren County contains the most, with 11. There are 12 ghost towns within 25 miles of West Lafayette.

Corwin, Tippecanoe County

26 ghost towns Buchanan County and Clayton County each contain 3. There are 22 ghost towns within 50 miles of Dubuque.

Donnan, Fayette County Firsfron / CC BY-SA 3.0

308 ghost towns Shawnee County contains the most, with 10. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Lawrence.

Dunlap, Morris County Patrick Emerson / CC BY-ND 2.0

13 ghost towns There are 9 ghost towns within 50 miles of Covington.

Creelsboro, Russell County

17 ghost towns Pointe Coupee Parish contains the most, with 9. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Baton Rouge.

La Balize, Plaquemines Parish

5 ghost towns Somerset County contains the most, with 3.

Perkins Township (Swan Island), Lincoln County Timothy Krause / CC BY 2.0

15 ghost towns Garrett County contains the most, with 9. There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Gaithersburg.

Daniels, Baltimore County Timothy Krause / CC BY 2.0

Massachusetts

11 ghost towns Worcester contains the most, with 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 25 miles of Holyoke.

Whitewash Village, Barnstable County Zachary Cava / CC BY 2.0

128 ghost towns Grand Traverse County contains the most, with 12. There are 16 ghost towns within 50 miles of Novi.

Harrietta, Wexford County Roman Kahler / CC BY-SA 4.0

55 ghost towns Winona County contains the most, with 5. There are 14 ghost towns within 50 miles of Rochester.

Forestville, Fillmore County Tony Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0

Mississippi

27 ghost towns There are 4 ghost towns within 50 miles of Biloxi.

Rodney, Jefferson County Michael McCarthy / CC BY-ND 2.0

21 ghost towns St. Charles County contains the most, with 4. There are 10 ghost towns within 25 miles of Kansas City.

Phenix, Greene County Diedrichb / CC BY-SA 4.0

106 ghost towns Carbon County contains the most, with 9. There are 19 ghost towns within 50 miles of Bozeman.

Bannack, Beaverhead County

31 ghost towns Pawnee County contains the most, with 13. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Lincoln.

Dobytown, Kearney County

106 ghost towns Nye County contains the most, with 15. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Henderson.

Ione, Nye County

New Hampshire

8 ghost towns Grafton County contains the most, with 4. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Nashua.

Monson, Hillsborough County John Phelan / CC BY-SA 4.0

11 ghost towns Burlington County contains the most, with 3. There are 3 ghost towns within 25 miles of Newark.

Batso Village, Burlington County mullica / CC BY 2.0

39 ghost towns Sandoval County and Grant County each contain 5. There are 6 ghost towns within 50 miles of Albuquerque.

Lake Valley, Sierra County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

14 ghost towns Cattaraugus County contains the most, with 5. There are 7 ghost towns within 50 miles of Troy.

Tahawus, Essex County

North Carolina

16 ghost towns Carteret County contains the most, with 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Asheville.

Brunswick Town, Brunswick County Rob Friesel / CC BY-SA 2.0

North Dakota

23 ghost towns Ward County, Grant County and Williams County each contain 3. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Bismarck.

Petrel, Adams County Andrew Filer / CC BY-SA 2.0

26 ghost towns Clermont County contains the most, with 4. There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Lancaster.

Moonville, Vinton County ChristopherM / CC BY 2.0

236 ghost towns Pushmataha County contains the most, with 13. There are 11 ghost towns within 25 miles of Norman.

68 ghost towns Baker County contains the most, with 9. There are 13 ghost towns within 50 miles of Keizer.

Shaniko, Wasco County

Pennsylvania

105 ghost towns Indiana County contains the most, with 36. There are 71 ghost towns within 50 miles of Pittsburgh.

Frick's Lock, Chester County

Rhode Island

1 ghost town

Hanton City, Providence PristineLibertine / CC BY-SA 3.0

South Carolina

11 ghost towns Barnwell County contains the most, with 5. There are 3 ghost towns within 50 miles of Greenville.

Dunbarton, Barnwell County

South Dakota

238 ghost towns Lawrence County contains the most, with 93. There are 51 ghost towns within 25 miles of Rapid City.

Burdock, Fall River County Runner1928 / CC BY-SA 3.0

12 ghost towns There are 10 ghost towns within 50 miles of Knoxville.

Loyston, Union County

511 ghost towns Wilson County contains the most, with 31. There are 25 ghost towns within 25 miles of New Braunfels.

Heckville, Lubbock County Leaflet / CC BY-SA 3.0

136 ghost towns Carbon County contains the most, with 18. There are 13 ghost towns within 25 miles of Lehi.

Harrisburg, Washington County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

5 ghost towns

Somerset, Windham County Andy Arthur / CC BY 2.0

19 ghost towns York County, Henrico County and Prince William County each contain 3. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Richmond.

Jamestown, James City County Sarah Stierch / CC BY-SA 2.0

116 ghost towns King County contains the most, with 16. There are 14 ghost towns within 25 miles of Auburn.

Lester, King County BryonDavis / CC BY-SA 2.0

West Virginia

21 ghost towns Fayette County contains the most, with 9. There are 11 ghost towns within 50 miles of Charleston.

Thurmond, Thurmond Mike / CC BY-ND 2.0

155 ghost towns Adams County and Milwaukee County each contain 10. There are 20 ghost towns within 25 miles of Racine.

Muskego Settlement, Racine County McGhiever / CC BY-SA 3.0

33 ghost towns Fremont County contains the most, with 6. There are 5 ghost towns within 50 miles of Cheyenne.

Miner's Delight, Fremont County The Bureau of Land Management / CC BY 2.0

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16 eerie ghost towns in America you can actually visit

You might actually see a spirit at these long-forgotten, abandoned ghost towns in America

America is home to hundreds of ghost towns and abandoned settlements. While they’re dotted across the county, they are ubiquitous in regions like California, Nevada and Colorado that experienced the boom and then bust of industries like mining.

Visiting ghost towns in America is a chance to step back in time, taking in life as it once was. Picture tumbleweeds rolling down Main Street, once-bustling stores now sitting in eerie silence, and faded signs that hint at lives lived long ago. You can wander through old homes, buildings and streets to get a snapshot of the past, taking in stories of pioneers, prospectors, and dreamers. Like the name suggests, you may even spot a ghost along the way.

If you're interested in a glimpse into the past, we've rounded up the most fascinating ghost towns in the US to discover America’s hidden history. If spooky travel is your thing, don’t forget to visit the scariest real-life haunted houses , take yourself on a ghost tour or pay your respects at the most hauntingly beautiful graveyards .

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Ghost towns in America

1.  Centralia, PA

An underground mine fire gone seriously wrong led to this modern ghost town northwest of Philadelphia. In 1962, a fire accidentally spread to the town's old, underground mines, creating sinkholes that spewed smoke and toxic fumes across the community. In 1983, most of the town was evacuated, and in 1992, its real estate was claimed under eminent domain and condemned by the state (delivering the final blow, the ZIP code was officially recalled in 2002). Even though Centralia's fire is still burning today—and expected to burn for another 250 years—four residents still live in the doomed town as of 2020 (sounds like they’re playing with fire, if you ask us). Only five homes remain standing in this town. 

2.  Custer, ID

The population of this gold mining town, located deep inside Idaho's Challis National Forest, peaked in 1896. Home to a massive stamp mill, it had eight saloons and a tiny Chinatown complete with laundry services, a shoe store, and a joss house (a Chinese place of worship). But just 15 years after its boom, Custer's mills shut down and its residents had no choice but to leave their remote mountain home; by 1911, just two families remained. However, most of the town still stands, and in 1981 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Its buildings are open seasonally for visitors and the original school now serves as a museum.

3.  Bodie, CA

This Gold Rush-era town near Yosemite has stood eerily untouched for almost 100 years. Although it already showed signs of decline with dwindling numbers at the start of the 20th century, a series of fires forced the remaining residents to flee the town, leaving it almost exactly as it was in the early 1900s. Dinner tables are still set, shops are still stocked with supplies, and the schoolhouse still has lessons on the chalkboard. Be warned: bad luck is said to befall anyone who steals anything from the site while visiting. 

4.  Kennecott, AK

This preserved-in-time copper mining town is located at the end of a 60-mile-long dirt road in the middle of Alaska's Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (the largest national park in the USA). In its heyday, from around 1910 to 1940, Kennecott processed nearly $200,000,000 worth of copper. By 1938, however, the mine was empty and the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the operation, leaving everything behind. Today, with St. Elias Alpine Guides, you can take a two-hour guided tour (the only official way to get into the town with its 14-story mill). Make sure also to visit the Root and Kennecott glaciers, too.

5.  Rhyolite, NV

This ghost town near Death Valley National Park was once a bustling ore mining community. In 1904, gold was found within its quartz (rhyolite is a silica-rich volcanic rock that contains quartz, hence the town name), and the game was on with 2,000 claims in a 30-mile area. Soon, Rhyolite boasted a hospital, an opera house, and a stock exchange. In 1906, Charles M. Schwab spent several million on its Montgomery Shoshone mine. Unfortunately, following the 1907 financial panic, businesses were shuttered and residents began to move out. In 1916, light and power were turned off, and the town went ghost. Today, Rhyolite is perhaps best recognized as the set for ScarJo's 2005 sci-fi thriller The Island .

6.  Cahawba, AL

Cahawba was the state's first capital from 1820 to 1825, situated at the junction of two rivers. After the war, the legislature was moved to Selma and the town lost business and population—and periodic flooding wreaked havoc. Today, it's visitable as Old Cahawba Archeological Park, which honors the history of the Native American presence there and the years when many freedmen and women lived there. You can see abandoned streets, cemeteries and building ruins—just make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the ghostly 'orb' that's been known to appear in the garden maze at the home of C.C. Pegues.

7.  Glenrio, NM/TX

Straddling the border between New Mexico and Texas, Glenrio was an action-packed stop on Route 66 for decades. From the 1940s until the 1960s, the tiny town's gas stations, diners, bars and motels were packed with road-trippers passing through the Southwest. But when I-40 was built in the 1970s, drivers no longer stopped in Glenrio, and the town fell into disrepair. Not all is lost, however: the Glenrio Historic District includes 17 abandoned buildings.

8.  St Elmo, CO

Like many ghost towns in the US, St. Elmo (originally called Forrest City) was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. When the gold and silver ran out and disease stalked the town, the population dwindled. The nail in the coffin ended the train service to Chalk Creek Canyon in the '20s. Surprisingly, a general store and Ghost Town Guest House are still operating, which means visitors can spend the night in this ghost town even if the scene is a little  unlively .

9.  Nelson, NV

Early Spanish settlers found silver in Nelson (then Eldorado) in the 1700s. It took another hundred years for other prospectors—many of them Civil War deserters—to find gold, creating the largest booms Nevada had ever seen. All hell broke loose when they did: disputes over the Techatticup Mine, the town's most notorious site, frequently led to murder. Nelson's mines remained active through the 1940s. An infamous 1974 flash flood destroyed the town of Nelson's Landing, five miles away. Nelson's buildings remain today—the ghost town is now a popular location for photo, film, and music video shoots.

10.  Bannack, MT

Paranormal enthusiasts may already know about this desolate former mining town in Montana—it’s featured in the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . The Gold Rush-era city was known in its time for being a little rough (holdups, robberies, and murders were well documented on the route to nearby Virginia City) and the sheriff of Bannack was a rumored outlaw. The town was abandoned by the 1950s, but more than 50 of its original 1800s structures still stand and can be explored now that it's a state park.

11.  Santa Claus, AZ

Sure, the middle of the Mojave Desert isn’t the first place you’d look for jolly old Saint Nick—and yet that didn’t stop this now-abandoned town in Arizona from dedicating itself to all things Christmas. Realtor Nina Talbot founded the town in 1937 to attract buyers to the desert, and while Santa Claus was popular with tourists for a bit, all the Christmas spirit wasn't enough to convince enough folks to move in. The decline of Route 66 sounded a death knell for the playing of Jingle Bells. You can still see rundown red-and-white buildings and forlorn tinsel for yourself (it’s not maintained, but you’re free to visit).

12.  Thurmond, WV

In the early 1900s, the railroad kept this West Virginia town humming as a thriving depot for coal. Thurmond had it all as a major stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway—hotels, banks, a post office, and more. Sadly, the Great Depression, followed by the invention of the diesel train in the 1950s, ended Thurmond's prosperity. Today, the National Park Service has restored the depot, and the town is on the National Register of Historic Places; you can take a self-guided tour of the now quiet town. Reach it by driving seven miles down a narrow, winding road.

13.  Calico, CA

Calico once thrived with its busy silver mines, beginning auspiciously in 1881. But in the mid-1890s silver lost its value and the inhabitants skedaddled. Walter Knott purchased some of Calico’s buildings to disassemble and move them to Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park near Disneyland. He returned to buy and restore Calico itself, which he later deeded back to the county; it’s now a county regional park that’s an accurate-looking ghost town if not wholly literal. There were once 500 mines here and now you can tour the Maggie Mine and 30 structures—shops, saloons, schoolhouse—and stay in a tent, bunkhouse or cabin overnight. In late October, watch for the “Ghost Haunt” weekend events.

14.  Goldfield, NV

This was your authentic Gold Rush mining camp, established in 1902, which was once the largest city in Nevada. The mines went bust and a flash flood spelled the town’s decline ten years before a fire put things to a conclusive end. Yet, about 250 people still live here among the remnants of the town with saloons, slanting homes, deserted hotel and shacks. It’s worth a visit to poke around this “living ghost town;” we especially recommend the said-to-be-haunted Mozart Tavern, where locals treat visitors with special kindness. Paranormal ghost tours take place here regularly, and the Goldfield Days in August temporarily fill the town back up to its boomtown population.

15.  Goldfield, AZ

There’s more than one Goldfield Ghost Town in the U.S., and this one in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains may provide less of that quiet contemplation of ruin and abandon than a ghost town usually provides; things are hopping here and the latest addition is a zipline. But there are tours of a legitimate century-old mine, a narrow gauge railroad, a walking ghost tour at night, seasonal historic gunfights over the contents of a Wells Fargo box, the typical gold-panning, and the not -typical chance to talk with a ‘floozy’ at Lu Lu’s Bordello. Bring the kids?

16.  Castle Dome, AZ

This place is enormous, with 80 buildings and 300 mines (not all are safe to enter). It represents a salvaging of the once-booming mid-1800s settlement (only seven buildings are original), with reconstructions harking to the gold and silver mining claims enacted here. The tales here are impressive, with an 1863 mine owner attacked by 180 Apaches and left in an arroyo to be half-eaten by coyotes, and the wild chain of events that followed, including an opium overdose, a stagecoach robbery and a fellow being shot trying to stop a lynching. There’s much more: an $800 million fluorescent minerals wall and a doomsday cult that wintered here, but we’ll just say it’s worth the visit.

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America's 15 coolest ghost towns to visit.

From Kentucky to California, the U.S. is filled with eerie abandoned cities.

(Courtesy of Travel South Dakota)

Take a step back in time while visiting these historic – and slightly spooky – ghost towns.

(Courtesy of Scott Peterson)

St. Elmo, Colorado

(Courtesy of Visit Montana)

Nevada City, Montana

Spokane, South Dakota

(Sydney Martinez/Courtesy of Travel Nevada)

Goodsprings, Nevada

(Getty Images)

Goldfield, Arizona

Blue Heron, Kentucky

South Pass City, Wyoming

Independence, Colorado

Calico, California

(Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism)

Frisco, Utah

White Oaks, New Mexico

(Courtesy of Aspen Historical Society)

Ashcroft, Colorado

(Courtesy of The Arizona Office of Tourism)

Ruby, Arizona

Bodie, California

Grafton, Utah

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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25 Ghost Towns Around The U.S. And The History Behind Them

Of all the historic sites to see and tourist attractions to visit in America , ghost towns may be the most enthralling. They are a haunting — and sometimes haunted — reminder of a past nearly forgotten . While many ghost towns came to be after the Gold Rush ended and mining camps were abandoned, others were forced to dissipate as larger cities sprang up nearby.

During the 19th-century hundreds of small towns were quickly formed around lucrative mining sites across the country, but particularly in the west. When the mines were tapped out or local companies went bankrupt during the First or Second World War, the residents of these towns left to find opportunity elsewhere. This narrative is true to many, but there are a substantial number of ghost towns in America that came before the Gold Rush or years later. Towns that became abandoned islands , like North Brother Island in New York, and towns that became obsolete once highways were built that bypassed them, like Glenrio on the border of Texas and New Mexico.

Over the years, these neglected towns have disappeared into dense forests while others have been well preserved by neighboring communities. However, some of the most interesting towns may be the ones still home to a handful of stragglers, the ones that were given a second chance in the early 1900s, or the one now completely submerged underwater .

Pine Barrens, New Jersey

Stretching more than seven counties in New Jersey and spanning over one million acres, Pine Barrens is home to several ghost towns. What was once a thriving industrial hub during the Colonial period is now a heavily forested, abandoned land most known for its countless hiking trails and the legendary Jersey Devil. The Jersey Devil, as legend has it, was a resident of the area born to the mother Jane Leeds who already had twelve children. In 1735, this creature became the thirteenth child, born with hooves, leathery wings, a goat's head, and a forked tail. It flew up the chimney and into the pines, where the legend claims the creature has been killing livestock since.

Thurmond, West Virginia

Thurmond was once a prosperous train town due to its location along the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad lines during the heyday of coal mining in the New River Gorge. The infamous Dun Glen Hotel reportedly hosted the world's longest-lasting poker game, which lasted 14 years, according to Ripley's Believe It or Not. However, the hotel burned down in 1930 and this disaster marked the town's eventual decline. Today, it's a ghost town — in more ways than one, as reports abound that the few remaining structures are haunted .

Kennecott, Alaska

This area of Alaska , also known as Kennicott, was once at the center of several copper mines. During that time the Kennecott Copper Corporation produced over 200-million dollars' worth of ore. It was one of the world's largest minerals companies until the price of copper dropped during the Great Depression. The ore deposits were running out, and in 1929 the first mine closed down. By 1938 all mines were closed and the railroad was shut down. Today, the abandoned mill town is a National Historic Landmark run by the Park Service.

St. Elmo, Colorado

Now one of Colorado 's best preserved ghost towns, St. Elmo was once a booming mining town for gold and silver in the Sawatch Range. Founded in 1880, the town was at its peak during the 1890s when it boasted a general store, a telegraph office, several hotels , a town hall, a newspaper office, and a school. In the early 1920s, the mining industry was in decline and when the railroad was abandoned in 1922 the mining companies that were left shut down, and residents fled elsewhere for opportunity. In 1952, after the death of St. Elmo's postmaster, the postal service in the town ended as well. While many of the buildings are still intact, several burned down during a fire in 2002 including the town hall. The nearby Buena Vista Heritage is working to rebuild the structure to its original state.

Bannack, Montana

Bannack, Montana was once home to a significant gold deposit discovery, made in July of 1862. The town's population grew to over 3,000 in less than a year and even became Montana's first territorial capital in 1964. At its peak the community was home to nearly 10,000 people, but as gold ran out the town slowly dwindled until the last residents left in the 1970s. Now, the abandoned town hosts a historical re-enactment each year, during the third weekend of July, known as "Bannack Days." Over the two days visitors can catch a glimpse of what the town was like during the Gold Rush. There are also Bannack Ghost Walks held on the Friday and Saturday before Halloween where visitors can take a spooky tour of the ghost town by way of flashlight.

Bodie, California

This mining town was unlike any others of its time. Bodie, California earned a reputation as the "most lawless" mining camp due to its high levels of violence, robbers, brothels, gambling halls, and opium dens. At its peak, Main Street was lined with 65 saloons and "houses of ill repute." It began as a small town of about 20 miners in 1861 and grew to about 10,000 by 1880. The town's official decline began in the 1900s. By 1910 the recorded population was 698 and the last newspaper was printed in 1912. Most of the town was burned down in 1932 after a massive fire swept through, but 200 buildings still remain in a state of "arrested decay." Visitors are not allowed within the buildings, but can take a tour of the old stamp mill.

Rhyolite, Nevada

In the Bullfrog Hills of Nevada , the now ghost town of Rhyolite was once a booming area with a stock exchange, several newspapers, hotels, two electric plants, public swimming pools , and two railroad depots. Although the town had a population of nearly zero by 1920, it is most known for one incredibly unique building that can be visited today — the Kelly Bottle House. Built in 1906, it was made from 50,000 discarded beer and liquor bottles thrown away by the saloons.

Terlingua, Texas

Terlingua, Texas was a thriving cinnabar mining area that became most popular in 1888. By the 1900s there were four mining companies in the area, and cinnabar production peaked during the First World War However, by the end of the Second World War miners began to leave after the main Chisos Mining Company went bankrupt. This once abandoned mining village is now a quaint desert community of 58, according to the 2010 census. Located near the Rio Grande, you can still find decaying buildings, ruins, and mine shafts from the glory days of its past. Those who live there now are mostly artists who have chosen to live without water or electricity, for the most part.

Santa Claus, Arizona

Along U.S. Route 93 Santa Claus, Arizona was known for its Christmas-themed attractions like the Santa Claus Inn. The area originated in the late 1930s, and was owned by a woman that some say created this as a marketing stunt to attract buyers. The desert town even had a place where visitors could meet St. Nick, or get Santa Claus postage from the post office. Over the years, interest in the town declined, until it was abandoned in 1995. Now, the only things that remain of this forgotten land are a few vandalized buildings, an unkept pink children's train called "Old 1225," and a wishing well.

Flagstaff, Maine

This ghost town is named after a flagstaff that was planted here by Benedict Arnold and his troops in the early 1800s. However, in 1950 the town was abandoned in order for a hydroelectric dam to be made. This meant the entire town would be submerged underwater , creating what is now Lake Flagstaff. Occasionally people can see signs of the lost town when things like chimneys peek out from the water's surface.

Salton Riviera, California

The once bustling resort beach town of Salton Riviera is now an abandoned wasteland on the West Coast . Located only a few miles outside of Los Angeles, the area used to 250 miles of road and 25,000 residential lots. However, little local employment opportunity was available for the number of residents it hosted and the community was officially abandoned once sea levels rose along with the increased pollution and salinity levels of the Salton Sea in the 1980s and 1990s. 

Ashcroft, Colorado

Ashcroft, Colorado began as a mining town like any other in 1880. As was the case with most mining towns, once the silver ran out and there was nothing left to mine most residents left, leaving only 100 people by 1885. However, the town caught a second wind of hope in the 1930s when the Winter Olympics brought interest back to the area and Billy Fiske (the captain of America's Olympic bobsled team which had recently won a gold medal) built the Highland-Bavarian Lodge nearby. The lodge was intended to expand into a massive ski resort, but when Friske was killed in combat during World War II the plan came to a standstill. It's been a ghost town since 1939.

Cahawba, Alabama

Cahawba, Alabama was the first state capital from 1820 through 1825. However, due to seasonal flooding in the town caused by the two large rivers it sat between, many residents left and the state legislature decided to move the capital in 1826. The town became a center for cotton trade and during the Civil War was home to Castle Morgan prison, where Union soldiers were kept as prisoners of war between 1863 and 1865. At that point, a major flood engulfed the town and the residents fled once again, taking their businesses with them. By 1903 most building were gone and barely anything remained after the 1930s, only a few deteriorating structures that now seem fit for a horror movie.

Virginia City, Montana

Founded in 1863, Virginia City was originally infamous for a lacking law enforcement or a justice system, much like their neighboring town of Bannack. Consequently, this led to a high rate of robberies and murders in the area . Between the years 1863 and 1864 alone, outlaws (or road agents as they were called) were responsible for about 100 deaths. In early 1865, the territorial legislature moved the capital from Bannack to Virginia City for a brief period. The town became home to Montana's first public school in 1866, but over time became a ghost town. Now the structures have been restored for tourism and Virginia City was made a National Historic Landmark in 1961.

Elk Falls, Kansas

Known as the "world's largest living ghost town," Elk Falls is still home to 107 people, according to the 2010 census. The town was always small, but at one point had a school that over 200 students attended. During its peak there were two stores, a dentist, a doctor's office, and a drug store. However, due to political upheaval in the 1870s, the population declined, with only 269 residents by 1927. Now Elk Falls is also known as the Outhouse Capital of the World, which has attracted many tourists over the years for their Outhouse Tours.

North Brother Island, New York

Until September 11, 2001 North Brother Island was home to the state's deadliest disaster . Located between the South Bronx and Rikers Island, the small island was uninhabited until 1885 when the Riverside Hospital was built there. This hospital became a way to quarantine those with contagious diseases, even treating "Typhoid Mary" Mallon, who was the first asymptomatic carrier of the typhoid fever bacteria. Then, in 1904, the General Slocum boat caught fire near the island which killed more than 1,000 people, mostly people from the Lower East Side community. This was the largest loss of life for New York until the 2001 attacks. In 1946, the island became housing for soldiers returning from war, but it was reopened as a hospital after World War II. North Brother Island was abandoned in 1963 and has been run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation since, but no visitors are allowed on the island.

Seattle Underground, Washington

This underground world below Seattle's Pioneer Square once sat on the ground level when the city was first built. After the Great Seattle Fire destroyed 31 blocks of the city in 1889, it was decided that buildings would no longer be made of wood (as they were prior) but instead out of stone or brick, and the city streets would have to be built two stories higher than they were at the time. The area which is now known as Seattle Underground was subject to floods, but with the newly elevated streets, the old town was buried and forgotten to make way for the new stone/brick city. In the early 1900s, the Underground was condemned by the city, but over the years was used as opium dens, gambling halls, speakeasies, and the homeless. Now, some of it has been restored which has allowed for guided tours that are accessible to the public.

Centralia, Pennsylvania

A coal seam fire began burning under the borough of Centralia on May 27, 1962, resulting in the town's slow abandonment over the past 50 years. The fire, which is 300 feet underground, originally began during a routine attempt to clean up a town landfill that was located in an abandoned strip-mine pit, which happened to be connected to a myriad of coal-filled, underground mining tunnels. Firefighters set the dump on fire, as they had always done in years previous, but this time the fire was not fully put out. Other legends persist that a coal fire from 1932 was never fully extinguished, and had just finally reached the landfill in 1962. Over the years, multiple excavation projects to discover the perimeter and depth of the fire, as well as plans to flush the fire, either failed or were abandoned. In 1992, all real estate was condemned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and claimed under eminent domain. Officials have allowed the few remaining residents to continue living in their homes, but when they either pass away or decide to move, the rights to their houses will be taken by the state. Scientists believe the fire could continue to burn underground for 250 more years.

Dogtown, Massachusetts

First settled in 1693, the town is said to have gotten its name during the American Revolution when women kept dogs to protect them while their husbands were out fighting. At its height, Dogtown was home to an estimate of 60 to 80 homes, with nearly 100 families by the mid-1700s. The growth of the fishing industry in the neighboring town of Gloucester eventually led to the demise of Dogtown. Toward its end the town was said to be home to residents practicing witchcraft, and the last building was demolished in 1845. However, during the Great Depression, millionaire Roger Babson hired people to carve inspirational messages into boulders throughout the densely forested area, which people can hike through and see to this day.   

Animas Forks, Colorado

At 11,200-feet above sea level, this mining camp is one of the highest in the West. Being at such a high elevation, the town's residents would flock south to Silverton in the fall for the impending winter. A 23-day blizzard in 1884 inundated the town with 25 feet of snow, leaving residents to create a system of tunnels to maneuver between buildings. When mining was on a downswing in the 1890s, many moved away. In 1904 the Gold Prince Mill gave mining in the area a second chance, but when the mill closed in 1910 the town was soon after abandoned. Only 10 buildings still stand.

Batsto Village, New Jersey

Within the Wharton State Forest is the site of Batsto Village. From 1766 until 1867 this town was the center for bog iron and glassmaking, and created the supplies for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. As the story goes for most ghost towns, Batsto Village faced population decline and bankruptcy when demand for iron lessened. Although the town was mostly abandoned, few residents still lived there until the last person left in 1989. Since New Jersey purchased the land 1958, they've restored much of the historic village and have opened it up to visitors.

Silver City, Idaho

This old mining town was not particularly unique to others of its time, but is unique in its immaculate preservation . There are 75 structures making up the area that date back from the 1860s into the 1900s. At its height, the mining town was home to 12 ore processing mills and about 2,500 people. There were upwards of 250 operating mines between 1863 and 1865. Now, Silver City has one of the country's largest open-pit gold and silver mines, and several small business — including the century-old Idaho Hotel, which has only received the addition of few modern amenities, but otherwise looks as it did 100 years ago.

Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico

During the heyday of the legendary Route 66 , Glenrio was a bustling road stop between Texas and New Mexico . Perfectly straddling the two states, the town was able to build their gas station in Texas, where taxes were lower, and its bars in New Mexico, where alcohol sales were legal. In 1939, The Grapes of Wrath crew even filmed in the area. However, when I-40 was built passing Glenrio the town became mostly desolate. It is now part of the National Register of Historic Places.

Texola, Oklahoma

This farming town in Oklahoma began around 1901 near Route 66 and the 100th Meridian. Due to its location, there was much confusion at the time as to whether the town was part of Texas or Oklahoma. By 1909 the town had a corn and grist mill, two cotton gins, a post office, and a weekly newspaper. In 1910 there were 361 residents, but peaked in 1930 with a population of 581. However, with the creation of I-40 and the soil erosion in the area now known as the Dust Bowl, population began to decline. As of the 2010 census only 36 people still lived in the town.

Swan Island, Maine

Off the coast of Maine , Swan Island can only be accessed by ferry, kayak, or canoe. The island was originally inhabited by Native Americans, but in the early 1700s European settlers came in and developed a town. The remote island was most known for fishing in the 1930, and its main occupation is now lobstering. In the 1940s, Maine began acquiring bits of land until the state fully owned it. Now, it is a popular summer destination but there are still five homes standing from the 1700s that visitors can peek into for a glimpse of the past .

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THIS OLD TOWN

I was born here. In a long-ago land of shadows and muted sounds I brushed against the pages of my days, Partially separated the shadows and sounds. The world was hot and cold against my cheeks

Within these small structured walls, I learned While my fancies found wings And sailed far beyond these walls.

I worshipped here. The soaring sounds touched God And He made me a sinner.

I loved here, And became immortal For a moment.

Gascoyne, North Dakota School by Kathy Alexander.

I heard the music of life And I carried the music within me.

In the melted minutes of larger shadows and louder sounds I sweat cold sweat I smelled the odors of life Tasted dirt Felt pain And slowly died.

I was buried here Under the cold clay of a faraway field. A few unheard words gave my entire life meaning. Stirring my silent screams even more than before.

The town is gone now And the treasure of my life is spent Upon the night winds and the weeds, And on eternity.

—  Perry Eberhart, Ghosts of the Colorado Plains , Swallow Press Books, Athens, Ohio, 1986.

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©  Kathy Alexander / Legends of America , updated November 2022.

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11 Abandoned Ghost Towns in the U.S. You Can Still Visit

Get a taste of the past at these cool ghost towns in the U.S.

Stacey Leasca is an award-winning journalist and co-founder of Be a Travel Writer , an online course for the next generation of travel journalists. Her photos, videos, and words have appeared in print or online for Travel + Leisure , Time , Los Angeles Times , Glamour , and many more. You'll usually find her in an airport. If you do see her there, please say hello.

John Elk/Getty Images

The rapid expansion west helped U.S. towns blossom all over the United States. Be it for their fertile land or stellar trading, tiny townships once boomed across the nation — until one day, they didn’t. Abandoned because of illness, collapsing industry, or merely because their once lively citizens moved on, these communities became known as “ghost towns.”  Perfectly (or near perfectly) preserved relics of our past can be found around the nation. As The New York Times reported , some 3,800 ghost towns exist in America, mostly abandoned between the 19th and 20th centuries for greener pastures and big city dreams. However, just because no one lives there doesn’t mean you can’t visit.

Here are 11 ghost towns in the U.S. you can still experience today.

Silver City, Bodfish California 

htrnr/Getty Images

Saving Silver City , located in California’s Kern River Valley, was a major labor of love. According to Sierra Nevada Geotourism , the 20-plus buildings that remain preserved to this day are thanks to the efforts of Dave and Arvilla Mills, who painstakingly worked to move the structures to a safe location as they were slated for demolition in the 1960s. Through their hard work, visitors today can see the buildings used in the mining camps around the area, as well as settler housing and even an old jail. The town now operates as a museum and is open seven days a week. 

St. Elmo, Colorado

Steve Heap/Getty Images

Founded in 1880, St. Elmo was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. Some 2,000 people eventually moved here looking for their little piece of prosperity, but by the early 20th century, the mines ran dry. So, the townspeople “rode the last train out of town and never came back,” according to its website. You can see their almost perfectly preserved homes and storefronts by visiting the community during the summer months. 

Terlingua, Texas

Loop Images/Getty Images

Terlingua is yet another mining town, only this one became one of the greats. By the 1930s, the community was the largest producer of quicksilver in the nation, according to Visit Big Bend . However, by the 1940s, the company leading the mining went broke, filed for bankruptcy, and many residents moved on. However, this place has had somewhat of a renaissance, with newcomers moving in, making the one-time abandoned spot a little more lively and more inviting to visitors, like you. 

Rhyolite, Nevada

Education Images/Getty Images

Rhyolite, you guessed it, is yet another mining town that was eventually left abandoned. Here, miners came for the plentiful quartz. Some 30 camps were set up within a short span, the National Park Service noted on its website, and the town even became home to its own stock exchange for a while. However, when the mining went belly up, so did the town. But you can still come to see the old bank and town’s former jail and dream about what life was like for this thriving community at the turn of the 20th century. 

Custer, Idaho  

RobertCrum/Getty Images

Custer is one of the older ghost towns on this list. Founded in 1879, the community became a must-visit destination for gold speculators and eventually was the home of the Lucky Boy and Black mines, which employed many of the townspeople. The community, Visit Idaho explained , reached its peak in 1896 with 600 residents. However, by 1910, the town was left abandoned. Thankfully, many of its buildings were left intact, and in 1966, the Challis National Forest took ownership, and the community even landed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now, visitors can come to explore the mining town during the summer months with free guided tours. 

Kennicott, Alaska

David González Rebollo/Getty Images

Head further north, all the way to Alaska, to see another pristine example of what life was like in early 20th century America (though this one wasn’t technically in America, as Alaska didn’t become an official U.S. state until 1959). Kennicott was a one-time thriving copper mining community, attracting many miners and their families. However, the region was mined out by the 1930s and became a ghost town in 1938. However, the National Park Service once again stepped in to preserve the town and even put together this handy map for a self-guided tour . 

Calico, California

Peter Unger/Getty Images

California was a hotbed of activity for miners in the 1800s, due to the presence of gold and other minerals. Several made their way to Calico , a town in Bernardino County, for their shot at finding silver. They did — at least for a while, until the mid-1890s, when silver lost its value and those looking for their fortunes left as quickly as they came. But the town has stood the test of time thanks to Walter Knott, who purchased the place and its buildings in the 1950s and restored those that lost their luster. You can visit every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

South Pass City, Wyoming

South Pass City began as another gold mining town in the mid-1800s, but after an initial boom, the gold ran dry. Rather than abandon the town on first pass, however, many who came for the gold stayed for the fertile land, setting up farms and homesteads. That too went by the wayside, but the community center still stands as a testament to the preservation efforts by the state, which designated it a historic site in 1968, alongside a dedicated group of volunteers who maintain it to this day. Come for a tour throughout the summer season. 

Independence, Colorado

Faina Gurevich/Getty Images

Prospectors struck gold in Independence, Colorado , sometime in the late 1800s, causing others to quickly follow suit. According to the Aspen Historical Society, the Farwell Mining Company acquired most of the leading mines by 1881 and employed hundreds of people thereafter. The town peaked with about 1,500 residents, and local businesses flourished — that is, until workers moved out in search of other riches, leaving the town abandoned. However, in 1975, the Aspen Historical Society took on the work of restoring the town for all the world to see. You can visit during the summer months via a self-guided tour. 

Nevada City, Montana

Teresa Otto/Getty Images

Nevada City could have just been another mining ghost town that languished in the annals of history. However, this one-time gold mining community was restored by the Bovey family, who worked on the project between 1945 and 1978. Today, many of the town’s original wooden structures remain. There are even a few intact music boxes and player pianos to check out inside. Admission is $10 for adults, and guests can visit over the summer months. 

Goldfield, Arizona

We bet you don’t have to guess what people were after in Goldfield, Arizona , in the mid-1800s. Prospectors made their way here to work in the Mammoth Gold Mine and quickly turned it into the kind of town that would later inspire Wild West movies. While here, visitors can still see its multiple saloons, general store, boarding house, and more. You can even watch a recreation of an old gun fight, thanks to the Goldfield Gunfighters. The town is open every day to visitors. 

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Lists of ghost towns in the United States

From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is a list of lists of ghost towns in the United States by state.

• List of ghost towns in Alabama
• List of ghost towns in Alaska
• List of ghost towns in Arizona
• List of ghost towns in Arkansas
• List of ghost towns in California
• List of ghost towns in Colorado
• List of ghost towns in Connecticut
• List of ghost towns in Delaware
• List of ghost towns in Florida
• List of ghost towns in Georgia
• List of ghost towns in Hawaii
• List of ghost towns in Idaho
• List of ghost towns in Illinois
• List of ghost towns in Indiana
• List of ghost towns in Iowa
• List of ghost towns in Kansas
• List of ghost towns in Kentucky
• List of ghost towns in Louisiana
• List of ghost towns in Maine
• List of ghost towns in Maryland
• List of ghost towns in Massachusetts
• List of ghost towns in Michigan
• List of ghost towns in Minnesota
• List of ghost towns in Mississippi
• List of ghost towns in Missouri
• List of ghost towns in Montana
• List of ghost towns in Nebraska
• List of ghost towns in Nevada
• List of ghost towns in New Hampshire
• List of ghost towns in New Jersey
• List of ghost towns in New Mexico
• List of ghost towns in New York
• List of ghost towns in North Carolina
• List of ghost towns in North Dakota
• List of ghost towns in Ohio
• List of ghost towns in Oklahoma
• List of ghost towns in Oregon
• List of ghost towns in Pennsylvania
• List of ghost towns in Rhode Island
• List of ghost towns in South Carolina
• List of ghost towns in South Dakota
• List of ghost towns in Tennessee
• List of ghost towns in Texas
• List of ghost towns in Utah
• List of ghost towns in Vermont
• List of ghost towns in Virginia
• List of ghost towns in Washington
• List of ghost towns in West Virginia
• List of ghost towns in Wisconsin
• List of ghost towns in Wyoming

• The Coolest Ghost Towns in America
• America's Weirdest Small Towns
• Hollywood Legends
• Death Valley Is Super Creepy
• Ghost Stories from Salem, Mass.
• Stories from the Ozark Mountains
• The Hoover Dam
• The Lost Colony of Roanoke
• The Most Haunted Lakes in the US
• The Most Haunted Ghost Towns In The United States
• What Lurks in Jerome, Arizona?
• The Pacific Northwest
• Creepy Legends About Central Park
• The Mighty Mississippi River
• The Everglades
• Myths & Lore from the Grand Canyon
• All Along the Pacific Crest Trail
• Real Spooky Kicks on Route 66
• Stories from Yosemite National Park
• Doveland, WI, Disappeared
• The Most Famous Ghosts in the United States
• Oregon's Great Crater Lake
• Stories from the Appalachian Trail
• Yellowstone National Park

America's Coolest Ghost Towns

"Ghost Town" is a slang term for a town or city that has, for one reason or another, been abandoned by people. Typical reasons for cities to be evacuated and abandoned by humans include an economic collapse, armed conflicts and wars, changes in the transportation grid, natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes or - in some cases - specific acts of local governments. Sometimes, the term "ghost town" is also applied to places that are sparsely populated, or from where a once-large population scattered, but this list will largely focus on abandoned, empty ghost towns.

American academics have attempted to get even more specific about the definition of "ghost town." Professor T. Lindsay Baker of Tarleton State University in Texas has issued two defining characteristics of ghost towns: (1) there is no more reason for this town to exist and (2) there are tangible remnants of the town for visitors to see.

Tombstone, AZ

Centralia, PA

• # 1 of 20 on The Weirdest Small Towns In The United States
• # 7 of 17 on People Share The Creepiest Places They've Visited
• # 8 of 12 on Satellite Images Of 12 American Ghost Towns That Time Forgot

Jamestown, VA

• # 47 of 168 on The Best US Cities For Vacations
• # 56 of 361 on The Coolest Cities in America
• # 4 of 15 on The Coolest Places to Visit from Colonial America

Rhyolite, NV

Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine, AZ

Ironton, CO

Bannack, MT

Los Cerrillos, NM

Death Valley National Park, CA

• # 34 of 63 on The Best National Parks in the USA
• # 56 of 175 on The Best Tourist Attractions in America
• # 29 of 44 on The Best Day Trips from Los Angeles

Crystal, CO

Howardsville, CO

South Pass City, WY

Times Beach, MO

Agua Caliente, AZ

Hillsboro, NM

Lulu City, CO

Animas Forks, CO

Crow Creek Mine, AK

Benton Hot Springs, CA

Gold Run, CA

Clairemont, TX

Patchen, CA

Sutter's Mill, CA

• South Dakota
• Attractions
• Cities / Towns
• Buildings/Attractions
• Places/Travel

America’s 10 coolest ghost towns

Mar 7, 2022 • 9 min read

The deserted ghost town of Bodie, California; population: 0 © Zack Frank / 500px

America’s history is rich in stories of pioneers heading off to find their fortunes. When they found a bountiful haul, word would get out and “boomtowns” would fill with prospectors, followed by everything from brothels to churches.

Often, though, no sooner would a town get settled than whatever bounty had appeared would be gone, or disaster (both natural and manmade) would strike – and the town’s inhabitants would move out, often en masse. 

What was left behind? Ghost towns, the abandoned remains of once-prosperous towns, now left to decay and dust. Many of these still exist throughout not only the West but across the US, often in off-the-beaten-track locales where they’ve been sitting undisturbed for over a century. You can visit their eerie remains—if you know where to look. From perfectly preserved towns to submerged skeletons, every ghost town is different; in some, you’ll find hip artist communities staking out space, in others, just the feeling of ghosts still swinging open saloon doors.  

Be transported back in time at these 10 cool relics of boomtowns past. 

Cerro Gordo, California 

Population: 1 How to get there: It’s a three-hour drive from LA , then a bumpy 7 miles on unpaved roads.

Back in 1865, the Cerro Gordo Mines in the Inyo Mountains produced the equivalent of $500 million in silver. In its heyday, the town hummed with a population that hit 4000 with more than 500 buildings.  

However, the town’s wealth brought mayhem, with a purported murder a week. Death was all around, including shootouts and a massive mine collapse that killed 30 Chinese immigrant miners. And then a fire wiped out most of the town in 1880. It’s a past not a lot of people would want to embrace, except for the one Tik Tok influencer , Brent Underwood, who bought the ghost town — which still has 22 buildings — and moved in right before the pandemic.

Expert tip: Underwood is hoping to revive the American Hotel, said to be the oldest hotel in California east of the Sierra Nevada and the town’s best-preserved building and turn the town into a resort.

One man is quarantining alone in an abandoned California mining town

Rhyolite, Nevada 

Population: 0 How to get there:  6 miles from Beatty on State Route 375 and about two hours north of Las Vegas

Set in a volcanic rock canyon at the edge of Death Valley , Rhyolite Ghost Town saw its population erupt to several thousand in 1904 after “Shorty” Harris’s famed gold discovery. By 1920, dwindling mine production caused the town to collapse. The weathered remains of the bank, general store and train depot have starred in many films  and its easy accessibility makes it one of the most photographed ghost towns in Nevada.

Expert tip: Check out the Tom Kelly bottle house constructed out of 50,000 medicine, beer and whisky bottles. Restored for a Paramount Pictures film in 1926, the house still stands today.

The Grand Circle is the ultimate US Southwest road trip

Jerome, Arizona

Population: 450 How to get there: About 100 miles north of Phoenix, about a two-hour drive

Jerome is a copper mining ghost town that was once known as the “Wickedest Town in the West.” Although it still looks like it did 100 years ago, there’s a twist to this ghost town: It’s now a creative hub, with artists and galleries sharing space with the rough-shorn relics of the past. 

Another cool perk of a visit: you can spend the night in the haunted Jerome Grand Hotel which was originally a hospital; rumor has it that past hospital residents haunt the hotel. 

Expert tip: Check out Haunted Hamburger for a great meal.

Explore Arizona's natural beauty beyond the Grand Canyon on this epic road trip

Kennicott, Alaska

Population: 0 How to get there: About 5 miles down the road from McCarthy, 90 miles from the turnoff from the Richardson Highway.

Kennicott , a once-booming copper mining town that was abandoned in the late 1930s, is inside the nation's largest national park— Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve . The mining buildings and barn-red bunkhouses, train depot, old mill building (with tools still on view) and other buildings were all left as-is when workers cleared out of town – however, the National Park Service did add some historical info to help you delve into this cool Alaska abandoned town. 

Expert tip: In the small town of McCarthy (pop. 40) is Ma Johnson's Historic Hotel , the ideal place to stay inside the national park. 

Alaska's best beaches for bears, bald eagles and natural beauty

St. Derion, Nebraska

Population: 0 How to get there: A 90-minute drive from Omaha

Located on the northern brim of Indian Cave State Park , St. Derion was completely abandoned in 1920. Before then, however, it was a healthy town that relied on income from its ferry crossing. Unfortunately, when the river changed course, the town began to weaken and fade. Severe floods led to its eventual fall, leaving only a schoolhouse, general store and two cemeteries. Speaking of those two cemeteries—word is this ghost town is haunted by actual ghosts, with visitors saying they’ve felt a “paranormal presence” while wandering the area.

Expert tip: St. Derion’s location makes it a great spot to add to a visit to Indian Cave State Park.

Deadwood, South Dakota

Population: 1374 How to get there: Head northwest from Rapid City for about 40 miles

Grab your cowboy boots as you explore the old Wild West in the historic ghost town of Deadwood , once home to western legends Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane (and the inspiration for both the HBO series and movie of the same name). Founded during the gold rush of 1876, Deadwood remains today as it was then, complete with iconic stagecoaches and saloons.

Deadwood’s rich history has created many haunted legends, with spirits rumored to be spotted in the Bullock Hotel, Saloon No 10 and Mount Moriah Cemetery , where Hickock and Calamity Jane are both buried.

Expert tip: For more ghost lore, join one of the hotel's in-depth tours ($10). 

Plan a drive on America's most iconic road trips

Ferguson, South Carolina

Population: 0 How to get there: Enter Lake Marion from Ferguson Landing in Eutaw Springs

For most ghost towns, visiting just means lacing up your sneakers and walking through town. However, for Ferguson, you’ll need some waterproofing—and a kayak. This underwater ghost town peeks just above the state’s largest lake, Lake Marion, and is the remains of one of the many towns moved to make room for South Carolina’s manmade lake. Accessible only by boat, Ferguson was once a bustling lumber town on the Santee River banks. The town's lumber mill, Santee River Cypress Lumber Company, began thriving in 1910, but it’s rumored that the workers were paid in untransferable currency, causing them to flee for better work, ultimately leading to the town’s demise. Visitors can now paddle through the remains and see one of the kilns, along with ghostly structures reaching up from the depths.

Expert tip: Want to spend the night? Taylor’s Landing and Campground offers the closest facilities to the sunken town. 

Top 6 beaches in South Carolina

Thurmond, West Virginia

Population: 0 How to get there: Part of the New River Gorge National Park; highway access is from Route 19, between Beckley and Hico

Thurmond boomed in the 1870s when Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad opened the coal-rich region to both miners and developers. The trains brought tens of thousands of people to town, and everything from the bank to the bars did a brisk business. That all changed due first to the Great Depression, and then a series of fires. But today, Thurmond  is remarkably well-preserved—especially the railroad station—and easily accessible as part of the New River Gorge National Park. Nearby, check out Beury, where you can see the remnants of the Beury General Store and explore the site where coal mining baron Joseph Beury built his 23-room mansion, complete with a swimming pool, stables and greenhouse.

Expert tip: Go white water rafting nearby with Adventures on the Gorge .

19 wild and wonderful West Virginia adventures

Belmont, Nevada

Population: 0 How to get there: 50 miles east of Ely on US HWY 50; 4 hours from Reno

Unlike similar mining towns, Belmont’s boom lasted an impressive 20 years after the first silver discovery here in 1865. Many structures are still intact here, including the fascinating 150-year old Belmont Courthouse , a state historic site, where you’ll find that many visitors have carved their names, including Charles Manson! There are also preserved miners’ cabins and mill sites plus the Monitor-Belmont Mill chimney, originally built to mill bricks, then used for target practice by WWII Air Force pilots. 

Expert tip: Head 20 miles west to the Manhattan Bar & Motel, the only functioning business in this nearby ghost town. Also here: Belmont’s original church, purportedly stolen in the middle of the night and moved to Manhattan after Belmont busted. 

Strangest places in the US to take your kids

Bodie, California

Population: 0 (however park rangers reside here when on duty) How to get there: Head 75 miles southeast from Lake Tahoe on HWY 395, then it’s 12 miles on mostly paved roads to get to the town

One of the largest intact ghost towns in the west, Bodie is actually a state historic park—protected as a relic of the gold rush era. Back in the late 1800s, Bodie was a booming mining community with nearly 10,000 residents. Over time, the gold started to diminish, as did the population. When the residents packed up, they left behind everything from furniture to bottles of booze, all still on display in the 200 buildings still at this site.  

Expert tip: Plan a visit for Bodie Ghost Walks & Star Stories , spooky after-hours ghost tours of the abandoned town, cemetery and stamp mill. 

Why you should drive California's scenic Highway 395

You might also like: Top 10 weird and wonderful USA roadside attractions 10 lesser-known haunted places around the world   Where to see a UFO

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These 18 American Ghost Towns Will Chill You To The Bone

Sarah McCosham

I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books. I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.

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Contrary to their name, ghost towns are not locales filled with unsettled spirits. They are something completely different… and far eerier. Ghost towns are places that were once filled with busy, bustling streets, thriving businesses, and lively residents; then, over the course of months and years, these towns were all but abandoned, leaving many to wonder if they ever really existed at all. The U.S. is full of ghost towns: in the West, abandoned areas remain from the days of the Gold Rush; in the Pacific Northwest, evidence of old homesteads exists along the Oregon Trail ; the Midwest is full of towns that once thrived during the Great Migration; while the South and Mid-Atlantic regions have their own ghost towns which harken back to the very first days of America. This fall, as we enter the season of frightening and fun fantasies, trade the haunted houses for a real-life ghost hunt in these 18 American ghost towns that just so happen to be the creepiest ghost towns in the US.

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Ghost towns hold an irresistible attraction for explorers. Confronting the remnants of these once-thriving towns is a harrowing and haunting experience that will undoubtedly leave you grateful for the here and now. The creepiest ghost towns in the US were abandoned over time due to economic hardships; others were immediately evacuated due to external circumstances; while some leave little evidence as to why they were deserted. Nobody wants to be erased from history, and that’s precisely what time has tried — unsuccessfully — to do with these 18 locales. So visit, honor, and remember what these American ghost towns once were; and then leave with a sense of pride and purpose for your own place in history.

Fall is the season of spooky American adventures. Here are 19 of the most fascinating abandoned places in America you’ll definitely want to add to your autumn bucket list!

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

More to Explore

More haunted places in the us, what are the most haunted houses in the us.

Sure, it's fun to visit American ghost towns that have been abandoned for quite some time, but if you want a real scare a haunted house is the ultimate creepy destination. Here are some of the most haunted houses in the US:

• Sallie House , Atchison, KS : The story behind this haunted house in Kansas is pretty creepy. It involves a little girl and a botched surgery. A combination that sends your mind in all sorts of directions. In the 1800s, medical practices weren't what they are today so a simple appendicitis surgery could often go haywire. And it did. Throughout the years strange occurrences and freaky events have been reported. Unexplained voices, burnt finger marks on candles, and even physical attacks. But the worst part is, the little girl wasn't responsible for the worst of these events... Other ghosts haunt the property too.
• Lava Hot Springs Hotel , Lava Hot Springs, ID : A hot springs hotel is supposed to be a relaxing destination, however, there is more than meets the eye at this particular spot. The building used to be a sanatorium. You just know there had to have been some pretty terrible things going on behind locked doors. Room 13 is particularly active with past spirits. If you visit, keep an eye out for Martha.
• Shaker’s Cigar Bar , Baraboo, WI : Houses and old sanatoriums aren't the only buildings that can be haunted. Shaker’s Cigar Bar has a long storied history with plenty of tragedies since it opened back in 1864 as a boarding house. In its past, it has also been a honky-tonk saloon and a brothel. Today, you can still hear disembodied voices and catch a glimpse of ghostly apparitions.

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These Are the Most Haunted Places in the US

By Caitlin Morton and Matt Ortile

We know the United States as the land of spacious skies and amber waves of grain, but it's also the land of ghosts. In the most haunted places in America, lingering spirits roam through the halls of hotels , abandoned asylums, Broadway theaters, and even a city zoo. If you want to get up close and personal with the paranormal, many of these sites offer guided tours through the spookiest of spaces—as well as overnight stays in the most haunted rooms in some of these hotels. (That's one way to capitalize on spirits stuck on our plane of existence, at least.)

If ghosts aren't your go-to travel buddies, fear not. Many of the below sites and the destinations where they are found offer enough culture, history, architectural wonders, and beautiful scenery to keep you firmly planted in this realm. Just be sure not to provoke the spirits as you go about your journeys.

Below, 32 of the most haunted places in America. Happy travels…

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Additional reporting by Randy Kalp and Jenna Scherer.

Bodie, California

In the 1870s and '80s, Bodie boomed when gold was found in the hills surrounding Mono Lake —at one point, it was home to 10,000 people. It's now a State Historic Park , with some parts of the town preserved in a state of "arrested decay"—think tables with place settings, and shops eerily stocked with supplies. It's not surprising that there are many reports of supernatural activity here, including ghost sightings and music playing from shuttered bars. There is also a legend that any visitor who takes anything from Bodie—even a rock—will be cursed with bad luck and health problems upon leaving.

Planning your visit: There are no food shops, gas stations, or other commercial facilities at Bodie in order to, according to the California Department of Parks and Recreation , “preserve the ghost town atmosphere.” Prepare accordingly.

Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia

Those of you who remember the '90s will recognize this cemetery as the one featured in the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil . Like the book, the Savannah cemetery itself has a Southern Gothic atmosphere, with Spanish moss giving shade to time-worn Victorian monuments. There are many notable figures buried here, like singer Johnny Mercer and poet Conrad Aiken, but it's Gracie Watson who most deserves a visit. Having died at just six years old, her grave is marked by a life-size marble statue with her hand resting on a tree stump, symbolizing her life cut short. Many visitors place toys at her grave when they visit, and some have reported seeing the ghost of Gracie near the site. Other spooky accounts of the Bonaventure include inexplicable sounds, like crying babies and barking dogs, and statues suddenly smiling as people approach them.

Planning your visit: The Bonaventure Historical Society offers guided tours and, if you're looking for a particular gravesite, instructions that will point you where you need to go.

Cahawba, Alabama

Alabama's first capital and famous ghost town takes its name from the state's longest river, situated at the confluence of the Cahaba and the Alabama. It was abandoned after the Civil War, and its empty buildings, slave burial ground, and eerie cemeteries are now popular settings for ghost tours and stories of paranormal activity. The most famous tale is that of a luminous floating orb appearing in the former garden maze of Colonel C.C. Pegues’s house, shortly after the colonel had been killed in battle. The phenomenon became known as "Pegues’s Ghost," and still attracts curious visitors to the site today.

Planning your visit: Since Cahawba is a ghost town, you'll want to make your base elsewhere—driving from nearby Selma takes just 20 minutes, and the nearest airport is Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM), about an hour away.

Calcasieu Courthouse, Lake Charles, Louisiana

Toni Jo Henry was a former sex worker who reached national levels of infamy when she killed a man in cold blood in 1940. It took three trials for a jury to convict the "charming" Toni Jo, but she eventually became the first (and only) woman in Louisiana to be executed in the electric chair. However, her spirit is said to have remained in the courthouse, where workers can feel her presence and even smell her burning hair. Many claim she meddles with everyday life at the courthouse to make life more difficult for the employees, locking doors and fiddling with office equipment.

Planning your visit: For your travel companions too creeped our to visit the courthouse? Send them to Lake Charles, North Beach, a naturally occurring inland stretch of white sand that's perfect for picnics, swimming, and, well, long walks on the beach.

Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Since its construction in 1886, the Crescent Hotel has served several purposes: luxury resort, conservatory for young women, junior college. But the strangest mark on its history came in 1937 when it got a new owner, Norman G. Baker. Baker was a millionaire inventor who decided to pose as a doctor (despite having no medical training) and turn the hotel into a hospital that could "cure" cancer. He was eventually exposed and run out of town, though reports say that his spirit found its way back to the site—and gained some otherworldly company, too. The now-operating Crescent Hotel is said to be haunted by at least eight ghosts , ranging from a five-year-old girl to a bearded man wearing Victorian clothing.

Planning your visit: If you really want a spirited night at the Crescent Hotel , you can book Room 218, a.k.a. Michael's Room, the most paranormally active address on the property—and, according to the hotel website, the one most frequently requested by bold and brave guests. (If you need a buddy, the room sleeps two, for what it's worth.)

Dock Street Theatre, Charleston, South Carolina

One of the oldest theaters in America, this site in downtown Charleston has racked up a lot of tumult and history over the years. After a fire burned down the original theater, the Planters Inn was built on the spot; it was converted back to a theater in the 1930s. The most flamboyant ghost here is Nettie Dickerson, who, legend has it, was struck by lightning while standing on the balcony of the hotel. Her shadow has been reported gliding along the second floor of the theater, dressed in a red gown. Also in otherworldly attendance: Junius Brutus Booth, a renowned 19th-century actor (and the father of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth) who used to frequent the inn.

Planning your visit: The Dock Street Theatre is right in the middle of the French Quarter, in Charleston's original walled city. You'll have your pick of restaurants and hotels in the area after catching a show (or a ghost sighting); the elegantly timeless French Quarter Inn is a Readers' Choice Awards favorite.

The Driskill, Austin, Texas

The Driskill is a majestic Romanesque hotel with modern rooms and an iconic brick facade, drawing European tourists and wedding parties since 1886. It's a true Austin landmark—and according to some, a true hot-spot for ghosts. Travelers have noted eerily abnormal sounds through its ornate corridors, as well as phantom sightings of the hotel’s namesake, Jesse Driskill, whose portrait still hangs in the lobby. They say Driskill never recovered from the heartbreak of losing his hotel in a high-stakes poker game, and honestly, we get it: This spot would be a hard one to say goodbye to.

Planning your visit: The Driskill is a stone's throw away from the Colorado River bisecting the city: Just walk down Congress Avenue and you'll hit the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail , which offers fantastic views of both the water and the city.

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The castle-like Eastern State Penitentiary took solitary confinement to new levels when it was built in 1829. Prisoners lived alone, exercised alone, and ate alone; when an inmate left his cell, a guard would cover his head with a hood so he couldn't see or be seen. The prison had to abandon its solitary system due to overcrowding from 1913 until it closed in 1970, although the forms of punishment did not get any less severe (chaining an inmate's tongue to his wrists is one example). The site—one of the most haunted places in America—now welcomes thousands of visitors every year, both for its museum and annual Halloween celebrations, which feature 15 haunted attractions within the prison walls. Reported paranormal happenings have included disembodied laughter, shadowy figures, and pacing footsteps.

Planning your visit: The Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc., the nonprofit organization that keeps the Penitentiary open as a tourist site, goes all in on Halloween. If you're visiting in October, be sure to review all the need-to-knows on their site.

Connor Sturges

Olivia Morelli

Jessica Puckett

Emily's Bridge, Stowe, Vermont

New England is known for its lovely covered bridges, but some are more likely to elicit dread than delight. Take Emily's Bridge in Stowe , for example, a 50-foot-long bridge that is said to be the site of a young woman's death by suicide in the mid-1800s. According to legend, the woman (Emily) was supposed to meet her lover at the bridge to elope, but ended up hanging herself from the rafters when he never showed up. Today, Emily's ghost is said to maliciously haunt the site, clawing at passing cars and even scratching the backs of pedestrians until they bleed. There are slightly less menacing spooks as well, like images of a white apparition and strange voices and footsteps coming from the tunnel.

Planning your visit: If you drive up to the bridge and can't bear to go in? Re-route. In the fall, Stowe is a fantastic place to go leaf peeping , and in the winter, it's one of New England's bona fide ski capitals; the Austrian-inspired Trapp Family Lodge is just 15 minutes away from Emily's Bridge by car, for a safe retreat.

Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania

The Battle of Gettysburg was one of the bloodiest in American history, with somewhere around 50,000 young men dying in the three-day conflict. Many of the soldiers never received a proper burial after their untimely deaths, and many believe the souls of these men now wander the battlefield to look for their weapons and comrades.

Planning your visit: If you do choose to wander the fields, the National Park Service encourages visitors to Gettysburg National Military Park to be mindful of deer ticks, especially when the insects are most active in the late spring to early fall. Follow traditional protective measures like wearing insect repellent and pants.

Honolulu International Airport, Hawaii

If flight delays and $13 sandwiches aren't enough to make you fear airports, Honolulu 's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (also called Honolulu International Airport) has an extra feature to strike fear in even the most intrepid of travelers: a resident ghost. Dubbed “the Lady in Waiting,” the apparition is a blonde woman in a white dress who shows up in off-limits areas of the airport. According to legend, the woman fell in love with a man who promised to marry her (while she was still alive, of course), but then he hopped on an international flight and abandoned her at the gate—her ghost is still waiting for him to return. People have reported other strange occurrences as well, like toilet paper rolls that unravel on their own and toilets that flush by themselves. (Although when it comes to airport bathrooms, we've seen a lot scarier.)

Planning your visit: Since the airport's Lady in Waiting is said to show up in places usually inaccessible to travelers, you'd probably be better off actually, you know, leaving the airport and seeing Hawaii. Perhaps a stay at the Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort ? It was voted the best resort in Hawaii in this year's Readers' Choice Awards .

Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff, Arizona

Flagstaff's Hotel Monte Vista has its fair share of paranormal guests who have truly overstayed their welcome, including a long-term boarder who had a habit of hanging raw meat from the chandelier in Room 210; two women who were also thrown from the third floor and allegedly now attempt to asphyxiate male guests in their sleep. There are also reports of an infant whose disturbing cries have sent staff members running upstairs from the basement. (Actor John Wayne even claims to have had a paranormal encounter here.)

Planning your visit: When you need a break from ghosthunting (or ghostbusting), there's plenty to do in Historic Downtown Flagstaff, where the Hotel Monte Vista stands. Among them: Nearby restaurants Atria and Brix are perfect for locavores who love a menu that rotates with the seasons (and none of it hangs from a chandelier here).

House of the Seven Gables, Salem, Massachusetts

No, this house did not steal its name from the classic novel—in fact, it inspired the novel. Aside from being the site of those famous witch trials, Salem also happens to be the birthplace of Nathaniel Hawthorne, who used this 17th-century house as inspiration for his famous 1851 novel, The House of the Seven Gables . Aside from its beautiful-yet-spooky facade, the house is surrounded by tales of paranormal activity and ghost sightings (all based on personal experiences of staff).

Planning your visit: Every October, the house offers spooky tours as well as performances of their “ Haunted Fables at the Gables ." There are daytime options as well as nighttime options for the brave of heart. And late in the month, the programming becomes dedicated to an interactive theater experience called Daemonologie: Sinew & Soul .

Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois

Lions, and tigers, and…ghosts? As it turns out, one of Chicago's most popular attractions is also one of its most haunted, with much more than just chimpanzees roaming the grounds. From the 1840s to '50s, the heart of Lincoln Park served as the city cemetery, housing some 35,000 bodies . The cemetery was eventually moved due to its proximity to the city's water supply, and most of the bodies—but not all of them—were moved along with it. If you've ever seen a horror movie, you know that messing with burial grounds is the easiest way to get haunted, and the Lincoln Park Zoo is no exception. As if walking above several thousand corpses isn't creepy enough, famed parapsychologist Ursula Bielski once called the area (in its current state) “without a doubt the most active site I’ve investigated”—and people have reported seeing ghosts there since it opened in 150 years ago.

Planning your visit: The Lincoln Park Zoo is free—no admission fees are required. Opening hours change with the season, so be sure to double check so you don't get locked out of the park (or locked in).

Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, Fall River, Massachusetts

Without a doubt, the most famous haunted bed and breakfast in New England is the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River. For those unfamiliar with the story (or the macabre jump-rope rhyme), police accused Borden of brutally killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet in 1892; she was acquitted of the murders later that year. At the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast Museum, visitors can tour the house or spend the night, even staying in the room where Abby Borden was killed. Guests and employees have reported all kinds of strange activity in the house, including weeping and footstep sounds, an apparition in Victorian-era clothing wandering the halls, doors opening and closing, and muffled conversations coming from vacant rooms.

Planning your visit: Since the Lizzie Borden House has only six rooms available for booking on any given night, you might find yourself with no room at the inn, as it were. Don't fret: Just drive 30 minutes and cross state lines to Providence , Rhode Island, where a bevy of plush hotels like the Graduate await (hauntings not guaranteed).

The Mark Twain House, Hartford, Connecticut

Mark Twain lived in this Hartford house from 1874 to 1891, during which time he wrote both The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer . The landmark now serves as a museum that showcases the iconic author’s life and work. It’s also an excellent place to experience the paranormal, apparently, as visitors have reported things like odd noises and a woman in white (isn’t it always?). The billiard room is considered the most haunted spot in the house—it is where Twain used to sit and smoke cigars, and some claim they can smell smoke wafting through the air as they pass through.

Planning your visit: The Mark Twain House and Museum website highly recommends booking timed tickets in advance of your visit. And if you're looking for another equally historical house tour, the home of the writer and abolitionist Harriet Beecher Stowe is just a one-minute walk away, around the corner from Twain's.

Masonic Temple, Detroit, Michigan

With its 16 floors, over a thousand rooms, and Gothic facade, the Masonic Temple is one of the most imposing additions to Detroit 's skyline. According to rumors, there's also more to it than meets the eye, like hidden passageways and staircases. The most famous urban myth associated with the Temple, however, is that of its architect, George D. Mason: Legend has it that Mason went bankrupt funding the construction and then leapt to his death from the roof. You'll be hard-pressed to find facts to back up this tale, but it certainly does help explain reports of a ghost climbing the steps to the roof of the building.

Planning your visit: The Masonic Temple maintains an active events calendar for its theaters and ballroom. There are guided tours as well, though they're subject to staff availability,—be sure to consult the calendar and get tickets ahead of time.

The Mizpah Hotel, Tonopah, Nevada

The Mizpah Hotel opened in 1907 as one of Nevada's first luxury hotels, complete with solid granite walls and Victorian-era decor, and it was fully restored in 2011. But the swanky hotel has a history as blood-red as its scarlet furnishings—one it proudly embraces. Legend has it that a woman died on the fifth floor, and her soul never left the building. The "Lady in Red" now reportedly makes her presence known by whispering in men's ears and leaving pearls from her broken necklace on guests' pillows.

Planning your visit: The Mizpah Hotel isn't creepy enough for you? Walk 10 minutes up along Main Street and stop by The World Famous Clown Motel , which is exactly what it says on the tin. If that weren't enough, its tagline is “America's Scariest Motel.”

Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio

Opened in 1896, the Ohio State Reformatory is famous for its Gothic facade and ominous six-story cell block. But its greatest claim to fame is when it served as the filming location for The Shawshank Redemption —though, to be clear, the prison was shrouded in terror long before Red and Andy holed up there. The reformatory closed in 1990 due to overcrowding and inhumane conditions, but not before more than a total of 200 people (including two guards) died in the building. Legend says that the ghosts of several former inmates still roam the halls, as well as an old guard who jabs people with his nightstick.

Planning your visit: There are various ways for visitors to experience the hauntings first-hand at the Reformatory, from two-hour guided tours to private paranormal investigations. The site also plays host to an annual music and tattoo festival called InkCarceration .

One if by Land, Two if by Sea, New York City

One if by Land, Two if by Sea has all the makings of a perfect evening: gold chandeliers, fireside tables, upper-crust cuisine… and about 20 ghosts. The spirits are reportedly more playful than malicious—paranormal activities are classic phantom pranks like flickering lights, tilting picture frames, and moving plates. Some of the most famous apparitions guests have claimed to see include a woman dressed in black who walks down the staircase and a Ziegfeld follies girl. Other people claim that Aaron Burr haunts the restaurant—it was his carriage house back in the day, after all. Sadly, there are no reports of him performing any songs from the Hamilton soundtrack.

Planning your visit: Given the fame it has as one of the world's most romantic restaurants, reservations are a must. And for a truly swoon-worthy evening, book a room nearby at The Marlton Hotel , a New York City classic, right off of Washington Square Park .

Pine Barrens, New Jersey

The heavily forested Pine Barrens spans over 1 million acres and seven counties in New Jersey. The area thrived during the Colonial period, host to sawmills, paper mills, and other industries. People eventually abandoned the mills and surrounding villages when coal was discovered to the west in Pennsylvania, leaving behind ghost towns—and, some say, a few supernatural wanderers. The most popular Pine Barrens resident is without a doubt the Jersey Devil. According to legend , the creature was born in 1735 to Deborah Leeds (her 13th child) with leathery wings, a goat's head, and hooves. It flew up the Leeds' chimney and into the Barrens, where it has reportedly been killing livestock—and creeping out South Jersey residents—ever since. ( The Sopranos ' fans will recognize the vast woodlands from the namesake Season 3 episode, which was anxiety-inducing in its own right.)

Planning your visit: To say that the Pine Barrens are huge is to understate the fact. It can be easy to get lost—as TV characters Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie learned the hard way. If you want to go exploring, stay in your vehicle or at the very least stay close to roads and campgrounds.

Pittock Mansion, Portland, Oregon

Oregonian pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock decided to build their dream house when they reached their golden years, in 1909, spurring the innovative design and construction of the Pittock Mansion . Unfortunately, the couple only got to enjoy their home for a few years before passing away—Georgiana in 1918 and Henry in 1919. The building is now a public landmark where some strange occurrences have been reported, such as the smell of roses (Georgiana's favorite bloom) filling a room with no flowers in it, and a childhood painting of Henry moving, on its own, from spot to spot within the house. Clearly, death was not enough of a reason for the Pittocks to vacate their beloved home.

Planning your visit: Be mindful of the Mansion's opening hours , which vary throughout the year. Virtual tours are also offered. In addition to tours, temporary exhibits and permanent collections that celebrate local Oregon history and culture are also on display at the house.

Red Onion Saloon, Skagway, Alaska

Established in 1898 as a brothel for miners during the Klondike Gold Rush, Alaska's Red Onion Saloon had a feature that set it apart from other bordellos: It used dolls to help run its business. (Always a good sign.) Every day, 10 dolls would be placed on the bar downstairs, each one representing one of the ladies working in the upstairs rooms. A customer would choose one of the dolls, at which point it was laid down on the bar to indicate that the corresponding worker was occupied. When the customer came back downstairs, the doll would be returned to her sitting position to let other potential clients know she was available. Fast-forward to 2023, and the Red Onion Saloon still operates as a bar and restaurant (yep, the dolls are still on display), and offers tours of the upstairs rooms, which are preserved as a sort of makeshift brothel museum. As if licentious dolls weren't creepy enough, there are reports of Lydia—a former madam of the brothel—haunting the site, complete with cold spots and lingering smells of perfume wafting through the halls.

Planning your visit: There's no super easy way to get up to Skagway, but it is set along the Inside Passage, a popular coastal route for cruise ships traveling through the North American Pacific Fjordland. If you want to pay a visit, look for a sailing that has a shore day in Skagway.

RMS Queen Mary , Long Beach, California

Aside from a brief stint as a war ship in World War II, the RMS Queen Mary served as a luxury ocean liner from 1936 to 1967. During that time, it was the site of at least one murder, a sailor being crushed to death by a door in the engine room, and children drowning in the pool. The city of Long Beach purchased the ship in 1967 and turned it into a hotel , and it still serves that purpose today—although the reported ghosts of the deceased passengers get to stay for free. (For an extra dose of spine-tingling experiences, see if you can visit the ship's engine room, which is considered by many to be a "hotbed" of paranormal activity.)

Planning your visit: In addition to overnight stays at the guest rooms , there are tours and exhibits on offer on the Queen Mary. An experience called The Grey Ghost Project allegedly takes “a skeptical- and evidence-based approach to investigating the supernatural." The Steam and Steel Tour, meanwhile, brings you close to the ship's massive engine rooms.

San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonio, Texas

The oldest church in Texas holds El Mariachi Mass on Sunday, and is a stunning example of Gothic Revival architecture. But come nightfall, you'd have to be something of a daredevil to enter its myth-ridden grounds . When construction workers started renovating the church in 1936, they unearthed bones, nails, and tattered military uniforms near the altar, which some believe belonged to three soldiers of the Alamo. Since the disturbing incident, visitors have reported shadowy figures and orbs in their photographs, as well as ghosts in the back of the church itself . Such otherworldly inhabitants include a man dressed in black and figures in hooded, monk-like clothing.

Planning your visit: Be mindful of the mass times and confession hours should you decide to drop by during the day. Once you've paid a visit, head to the San Antonio River Walk , which is right outside the church, for some bites, people-watching, and maybe even a boat tour .

Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Norwalk, Connecticut

Built in 1868 to help ships reach Connecticut's Sheffield Island (a 45-minute ferry ride from South Norwalk), this 10-room, Victorian-style lighthouse has a bit of a troubled past. In 1972, the lighthouse's original keeper died suddenly while watching passing ships with a spyglass; his death was never fully explained. Then, in 1991, an archaeologist working on historic site preservation reported several mysterious happenings, including mystical music coming from the shores, distant cries for help, and the sound of a foghorn—despite there being no foghorn on the island. Many believe the sounds were the work of the ghost of Captain Robert Sheffield, who originally purchased the islands in the early 1800s (and apparently had a knack for weird musical instruments).

Planning your visit: Today, Sheffield Island Lighthouse offers guided group tours from May through September. For a truly picturesque afternoon out on the water, try a sunset cruise that leaves from South Norwalk.

The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

The Stanley Hotel 's stately Georgian architecture and world-renowned whiskey bar have lured travelers to Estes Park since the hotel opened in 1909. But the Stanley reached new levels of fame after inspiring Stephen King's fictional Overlook Hotel from The Shining . That eerie association aside, many other ghost sightings and mysterious piano music have been connected to the hotel. The Stanley Hotel leans into its reputation quite cleverly, offering nightly ghost tours and psychic consultations from the in-house Madame Vera .

Planning a visit: Estes Park is a popular base for visitors heading to see the majesty of Rocky Mountain National Park , so hiking and outdoor adventuring could easily be bundled with ghostbusting at The Stanley on your next Colorado trip.

St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is visited by nearly 225,000 people annually, but it is just as well-known for its otherworldly visitors. Several tragic events occurred at the now-historic site that have contributed to the alleged paranormal activity. One of the first was when the lighthouse keeper fell to his death while painting the tower; his ghost has since been spotted watching over the grounds. Another event was the horrific death of three young girls, who drowned when the cart they were playing in broke and fell into the ocean. Today, visitors claim to hear the sounds of children playing in and around the lighthouse.

Planning your visit: Stay a while in St. Augustine, voted on of the best small cities in the US in this year's Readers' Choice Awards . There's lots more history to explore in this centuries-old town (founded in 1565 by a Spanish admiral), like the Castillo de San Marcos across the Matanzas River.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, West Virginia

The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum opened its doors to patients in 1864, and in the 1950s, the West Virginia facility reached its peak, housing more than 2,400 patients—even though it was designed to hold only 250. The severe overcrowding led to inhumane conditions (like lack of heat and convalescent people kept in cages), and patients started acting increasingly violent, from starting fires to attacking staff members. The asylum finally closed in 1994, but the souls of some patients are said to linger.

Planning your visit: Ghost tours are available for those who dare, but for the rest of us, there are other attractions across the West Fork River that bisects Weston: the Mountaineer Military Museum and the Museum Of American Glass in West Virginia .

Whaley House, San Diego, California

Thomas Whaley built this family estate in 1857 in San Diego , on the former site of the city's first public gallows. Shortly after he moved in, he reported hearing the heavy footsteps of "Yankee" Jim Robinson, a drifter and thief who was hanged on the site four years before the house was built. Whaley's family history ended up being filled with tragic deaths and suicides, many of which occurred inside the home itself. Some of the family members reportedly still haunt the landmark , often accompanied by cigar smoke and the smell of heavy perfume.

Planning a visit: There are day and evening guided tours on offer at the Whaley House; there's even an after-hours investigation package where participants can join “ an actual paranormal investigation ” and get their hands on “ the latest ghost hunting equipment .”

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

The Winchester Mystery House might be one the most disturbing construction projects in history. Following the death of her husband and child, Sarah Winchester (the wife of a rifle-maker's son) was informed by a seer that her family was killed by the ghosts of gunshot victims. To keep away the vengeful spirits, she commissioned the Victorian fun house-turned-macabre dwelling that you see today. Some of the creepier features include staircases that lead directly into the ceiling, doors that open onto brick walls, and windows that can take you to secret passages.

Planning your visit: Book a guided tour , since you'll probably need it to navigate this M.C. Escher drawing of a house. If you're looking to be truly transported, grab tickets to the Unhinged immersive theatre experience that's on offer during the Halloween season.

The Bowery Hotel, New York City

This iconic hotel in Manhattan's Lower East Side is out of New York's Gilded Age with opulent decor and charming (albeit sometimes creepy) oil paintings throughout the property. But if you're feeling an otherworldly presence when you check in, that may be due to the poltergeists that allegedly make The Bowery Hotel their home. Some say that the elevators go haywire every night at one in the morning thanks to those spooky specters.

Planning your visit: If you want to stay up until 1:00 a.m. to catch the ghouls wreaking havoc, there's plenty to do in the neighborhood to keep you occupied until then. Grab dinner at nearby Momofuku Ko , then catch a performance at The Bowery Electric .

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18 of the Spookiest Ghost Towns in America

Old mines, abandoned buildings, and ghostly orbs: These are a few of the most haunted locales in the country.

Calico, California

Although you probably won't find any silver in this one-time mining hot spot, you can experience a goldmine of activities in this ghost town turned tourist attraction. At Calico Ghost Town —now a California historical landmark—you can explore Maggie Mine, the only formerly used mine in the area that's safe for guests to see. You can also take a ride on Calico Odessa Railroad to see all of the sights. If you're really feeling daring, you can even participate in one of the spooky ghost tours!

Rhyolite, Nevada

On the eastern edge of Death Valley sits Rhyolite , a former mining hub. At its peak in 1907, this town boasted a hospital, an opera house, and a stock exchange. The area seemed so promising that even Charles M. Schwab invested and bought one of the mines . Unfortunately, it didn't take long for the thousands of people to scatter: A financial crises, natural disasters, and the loss of funding caused nearly every resident to leave the Nevada spot by 1920.

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Goldfield, Arizona

Aptly named, Goldfield was swarming with miners hopeful for gold in the late 1800s, but was dried up by 1898. The area was inhabited and renamed Youngsberg in 1921, but was abandoned once again in 1926. In 1988, the defunct city took the route of a few other ghost towns and became a tourist attraction with a handful of activities including a zipline, a reptile exhibit, and horseback rides. There's also a museum, a saloon, and other different merchants.

St. Elmo, Colorado

Formerly named Forest City, St. Elmo was once a bustling mining center with a population of 2,000 at its peak. By 1930, though, only seven people reportedly resided there, including the family who ran the general store and the hotel—one who is rumored to haunt the place to this day. Now privately owned and maintained, visitors can still swing by the small city, which is said to have some of the most paranormal activity in the state.

Terlingua, Texas

Though most of its residents fled after the market for mercury crashed, Terlingua actually remains fairly bustling. Visitors can snack on chili at the "internationally acclaimed" restaurant , grab a drink at the saloon, explore the ruins, and wander the halls of the old jail during their time at the historic hotspot.

Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana

Interested in experiencing the mortal fear of trying to stay alive in the gun-slinging Old West? The former residence of Calamity Jane, Virginia City has resisted change since 1863, with hundreds of historic buildings still standing. One mile down the road on Alder Gulch is Nevada City, another town that boomed and busted thanks to the Gold Rush. Ride a train between the two cities where you can witness early settlers struggle to survive and actual historic events through living history shows (the hanging of Red Yeager, anyone?). The reality of life in a Gold Rush town is likely to leave you shaking in your (cowboy) boots.

Bodie, California

Abandoned by the discouraged gold rushers who followed William Bodie to the town to try—but not succeed—to find more of the precious metal he had discovered in 1859, this well-known ghost town in California has been left eerily untouched for more than 150 years. Shacks still stand with tables set, waiting for their long-gone residents to return, while shops and restaurants are still stocked up with some supplies, prepared to service customers who will never arrive. If that isn't spooky, what is?

Cahawba, Alabama

Southwest of Selma lies "Alabama's most famous ghost town." As the state's first permanent capital from 1820 to 1825, a bustling center for the trading and transport of cotton before the Civil War, and a village for freed slaves after the war, this town at the confluence of the Alabama and Cahaba Rivers made several comebacks after floods and yellow fever epidemics. Unfortunately, its residents all drifted away for good by 1900. Now known as Old Cahawba Archaeological Park , the town and its abandoned streets, cemeteries and ruins have been the setting for many ghost stories, including one about a ghostly orb appearing in a now-vanished garden maze at the home of C. C. Pegues.

Kennecott, Alaska

Considered the best remaining example of early 20th-century copper mining, this mill town is at the end of a 60-mile dirt road in the middle of Alaska's massive Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. From 1911 to 1938, Kennecott employed as many as 300 people in the mill town and 300 in the mines, processing nearly $200 million worth of copper. As a company town, it included a hospital, general store, school, skating rink, tennis court, recreation hall, and dairy. By 1938, however, the copper ore was tapped out, and the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the town, leaving behind their equipment, their buildings, and their personal belongings.The National Park Service and tour operators offer guided access to the 14-story concentration mill and several other historic buildings, telling tales of lucky fortunes, tenacious frontiersmen, and tragic endings in the remote wilderness.

Bannack, Montana

This desolate former mining town in Montana is so riddled with paranormal activity it was featured in an episode of the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . Founded in 1862 when John White discovered gold on Grasshopper Creek, Bannack was a typical gold rush town in the Wild West. After gold was discovered in nearby Virginia City, many prospectors moved there and the road between the two towns became the scene of more holdups, robberies and murders than almost any other stagecoach route—with the leader of the outlaw gang later discovered to be Bannack's very own sheriff. The mining town lasted longer than most, with its population finally petering out between 1930 and 1950, at which point the state of Montana made the well-preserved town a state park . Today, over sixty structures are still standing, most of which can be explored.

South Pass City, Wyoming

Another well-preserved mining town in the American West, South Pass City was founded in 1867 when the large Carissa gold deposit was discovered near the Sweetwater River. Located about 10 miles north of the Oregon Trail on the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains, throngs of prospectors soon descended on the area despite the severe conditions, hoping to also strike it rich. Within a year, the population had swelled to about 2,000 people, mostly men, and saloons, brothels, and the boisterous and dangerous life of a frontier town were in full swing. Despite throwing themselves into the back-breaking work, the prospectors didn't find more large gold deposits, so by the mid 1870s, only 100 people remained. Homes, stores, hotels and saloons fell into disrepair, with the last of the pioneer families moving away in 1949. Today, a handful of residents have returned to live in South Pass City, and the South Pass City State Historic Site features more than 30 preserved historic structures dating from the city's heyday.

Centralia, Pennsylvania

With smoke and noxious gases escaping from every nook and cranny, this Pennsylvania town has been smoldering since 1962—and its underground fire is expected to burn for 250 more years. A landfill burn gone awry sparked the fire in an abandoned coal mine, which quickly spread into the veins of the coal deposits that had once been the key to Centralia 's prosperity. When the initial damage was done, the catastrophe had scorched 140 acres of the town and the surrounding area. Residents evacuated, homes were leveled, and the highway was closed down as the massive fire caused gaping sinkholes spewing fumes. Of the nearly 2,000 Centralia residents who were there when the mines caught fire, only six still remain, determined to make the few streets and buildings in this doomed town their home until they die.

Thurmond, West Virginia

Thurmond 's empty downtown belies the fact that five people still actually live in this West Virginia town, now a ghost of the thriving community it used to be. Once a big stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, the invention of the diesel locomotive in the 1950s rendered its coal-run railroad obsolete. The train depot is now a museum, Amtrak station, and visitors' center for travelers who come to the region to raft on the New River Gorge National River, and the quaint Thurmond Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Surprisingly untouched by modern development, Thurmond is a throwback to an American town of the past, an unsettling reminder of how prosperity can be fleeting.

Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico

During the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, travelers packed Route 66, sending tens of thousands of people through Glenrio , a tiny town on the border of Texas and New Mexico that offered motorists a road stop with gas stations, diners, bars, western-themed motels, and even a dance hall. When I-40 was built in the 1970s, however, drivers now bypassed the former overnight desert oasis. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Glenrio Historic District includes the old Route 66 roadbed and 17 abandoned buildings, like the Little Juarez Diner, the State Line bar, and the State Line Motel, its now-broken signs announcing to nonexistent motorists that it's the "last in Texas"—or the "first" depending on your direction of travel through the American West.

Bulowville, Florida

Cleared of its natural forest in 1821 by Charles Bulow to establish a 2,200-acre plantation to grow sugar cane, cotton, indigo, and rice, this East Florida land soon also housed the area's largest sugar mill, built by Bulow's son, John. Its title didn't last long, however, as the Seminole Indians set fire to the plantation and mill in 1836 during the Second Seminole War. Built of hardy local coquina rock, the mill's massive ruins now rise eerily among the large oak trees that have reclaimed the land in the 150-acre Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park , while the crumbling foundations of the plantation house and slave cabins show the volatility of Florida frontier life.

Essex County Jail Annex, North Caldwell, New Jersey

A prison is always haunting, but an abandoned one exudes an even creepier feeling, especially the austere Victorian-style Essex County Jail Annex in New Jersey. First built in 1873 and expanded over the years to include an auditorium, hospital, and cafeteria, much of the facility was closed down in the 1970s and it was abandoned for good in the late 1990s. Left to decay and vandalism by thrill-seekers, inmates' files filled with mugshots and rap sheets soon covered the floor of the auditorium, while shotgun ports and tear gas modules on the ceilings of the mess hall remain to remind trespassers of their potential harrowing fate should they be judged criminals.

Grossinger's Catskill Resort, Liberty, New York

In its heyday, the Grossinger's Catskill Resort was the sort of seasonal retreat featured in Dirty Dancing , where well-to-do families in the 1950s spent their summers lounging by its two massive swimming pools, playing golf or tennis, and enjoying the lush 1,200-acre surroundings just two hours north of New York City. In the winters, it offered theatre and skiing, the first place in the world to use artificial snow on its slopes. Of the cabins, cottages, hotel, landing strip, post office and more that served the resort's hundreds of thousands of guests until it closed in the mid 1980s, a few exquisite places still remain undemolished or horribly vandalized. One is the stately natatorium, gorgeously overgrown with moss and ferns, with sunlight streaming through its windows and skylights onto the graffitied pool and abandoned lounge chairs. The other is the hotel's lobby and ballroom where the twin staircases, massive fireplaces and a checkerboard ceiling suggest its former glory. If you listen hard enough, you might still hear the tinkling of cocktail glasses or the clicks of heels dancing the foxtrot.

Rolling Acres Mall, Akron, Ohio

Built in 1975 and expanded several times, the Rolling Acres Mall once housed more than 140 stores, a movie theater and a food court. In 2008, the mall was closed and only two large retailers continued to operate, with all stores finally closing in 2013. Having changed owners several times and currently in the process of foreclosure, the once-bustling mall will likely be demolished. Until then, the 1,300,000-square-foot space remains an eerily empty relic of modern civilization, with its cracked glass ceilings letting in snow during winter storms as if the structure stands alone in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

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Ghost Towns In The USA: 19 Abandoned Towns You Can Explore

When you hear the term ghost town, you might think of a radioactive city such as Chernobyl or Fukushima. But you don’t have to travel around the world to visit a ghost town. Below are 19 of the best ghost towns in the USA.

Here are 19 of the most isolated ghost towns in the USA.

The Anarchist’s Guide To Exploration

If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of urban exploration, this book is for you. Learn how to uncover more abandoned places and the techniques used to capture their beauty.

1. St. Elmo, Colorado

Kicking off our ‘Ghost Town In The USA’ list is the small town of St. Elmo that’s sat tucked in Colorado mountains since 1880. Like many ghost towns, St. Elmo was a town built off the back of the great mining boom in in the late 1800s. Over the years, 150 mines were opened up and extracted over $60 million dollars worth of gold! St. Elmo was made up of nearly all men, so there plenty of saloons, dance halls, and brothels for the miners entertainment. What more could a miner ask for?

In 1881 the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad were built through St. Elmo. This not only increased it’s population, but paved the way for hotels, restaurants, and even a newspaper to be built. Overtime, the metal mines began to close, and by 1910 the town was on a significant downward spiral. By 1926 the railway was torn up and turned into a road. The only people that still called St. Elmo home was the Stark family. The Stark’s held on, and believed that the town would boom again. They rented out cabins to tourists and travelers while also just barely keeping the general store afloat.

The Stark family eventually died off, and the town was left to a close friend of theirs. The town officially became a ghost town in 1952 when the post office closed it’s doors for good. Ever since, claims of ghostly children playing around the hotel have been reported. There have also been several sightings of the now passed Stark family roaming among the buildings. St. Elmo is one of the best preserved ghost towns in the USA.

2. Bannack, Montana

Bannack was founded just after a massive gold deposit discovery in 1862, and quickly grew in size towards the end of the 1800s. The town was cut off from all other cities, and only accessible via the Montana Trail. In Bannack’s heyday, the mining town boasted 10,000 residents. It had bakeries, blacksmith shops, saloons, and even it’s own brewery.

The town was also home of Henry Plummer, who served a Bannack’s sheriff. However instead of protecting his town, he was secretly robbing them blind. Henry ran a gang of highwaymen called The Innocents. These men would rob stage coaches as well as caravans and leave them for dead. It’s claimed The Innocents were responsible for over 100 murders. The citizens of Bannack eventually caught on, and rallied a group of vigilantes to bring Plummer and his gang to justice. By 1864, Plummer’s rein of robberies and murder would come to a swift end. Plummer, was hanged on his own gallows on January 10th. The vigilantes would up and hang another 22 bandits that were associated with Plummer. Like most ghost towns in the USA, Bannack was ripe with both crime, and vigilante justice. As the gold in the mines dissipated, so did the people of Bannock. By 1954 preservationists had purchased the land, not to open it as a tourist attraction, but to save it as it was over 100 years ago.

3. Steins, New Mexico

The dusty ghost town of Steins was founded in 1880 after gold and silver deposits were discovered in the Peloncillo mountains. The town grew as the Southern Pacific Railroad ran a rail line to the growing community. In 1905 a rock crushing plant was built nearby as well to help support the tracks. Steins was so isolated from civilization, that their only source of water had to be brought via train. Even then, people lived and thrived in the town all the way up until the 1940s.

As World War II came to and, the quarry in Steins would also close. With the quarry ceasing operations, they would no longer be subsidizing the water that was coming into the town. The locals were left with a choice. Leave everything behind, or eventually die of dehydration in the New Mexico desert. Steins is truly one of the most isolated ghost towns in the USA.

The railroad allowed for free transportation out of town, but residents could only take what they could carry. The town was completely deserted for 40 years until it was purchased by Larry and Linda Link. They operated ghost tours from the property until Larry Link was unexpectedly murdered in 2011. The tours have since ceased, and the town sits vacant.

4. Castle Dome Landing, Arizona

Right on the California Arizona border sits the remains of Castle Dome Landing. When American’s first discovered the Castle Dome Mountains, there was already evidence of mining that had taken place, most likely by Native Americans. Mineral and gold deposits were found up and down the Colorado river in the 1860s. Quickly prospecting camps sprouted up and Castle Dome Landing was born. Serious mining was delayed until nearly 1870 due to attacks by the Native Americans.

Castle Dome Landing was a hub for ore shipments to be sent out all across the county, but primarily to California. Soon the population would grow to nearly 3000 residents. Castle Dome was one of the first stops for steamboats traveling up the Colorado river. But like all boomtowns of it’s era, that was about to change..

By 1884 mining in the area had dwindled almost entirely. It wasn’t until the beginning of World War I and II that the land was reused to produced lead for ammunition. The town would continue to fluctuate in populate as the price of silver rose and fell. By 1978 the last mine had shutdown and there were no residents left. The original site of Castle Dome Landing has been flooded, but many artifact have been rescued and can be found in the Castle Dome Museum.

5. Bodie, California

Bodie is arguably one of California’s most famous ghost towns in the USA, and with all of its well preserved buildings, it’s easy to see why. The town formed like all the other boomtowns, centralized around deposits of gold and silver. By 1879 Bodie had a population of nearly 7000 and all the amenities that would accommodate large towns. But as time went on, other more promising mines would tempt miners with ‘get rich quick’ jobs. This lured many miners away, but the mines in Bodie were still strong.

The real decline started in 1920 when the Bodie Railroad was abandoned and scrapped. Nearly all the mining companies had left and all that remained were 120 residents, mostly family of miners who wanted to settle.

In 1940 nearly everyone was gone, and the threat of vandalism and arson loomed as the abandoned town sat unprotected. Caretakers were hired to protect the historic town, and by 1960 the Bodie State Historic Park was formed.

Today 110 original structures remain standing for anyone to explore. If you’re looking for ghost towns in the USA with plenty of buildings to explore, Bodie is your place!

6. Garnet, Montana

Tucked away in the sleepy hills of the Garnet Mountains is a cluster of decaying buildings that have manged to withstand the tests of time for over 100 years. By the mid 1800s the gold rush was in full swing. Miners had panned the nearby rivers so much, its was deemed unprofitable. Luckily a few found gold rich veins in the Garnet mountains, and the town seemed to pop up over night.

By 1898 nearly 1000 people lived in Garnet. Buildings were quickly and hazardously constructed often times with little to no foundation. There was not time for that, there’s golden nuggets to be found! But the fortune finding was very short lived. By 1905 nearly a million dollars worth of gold was removed from Garnet, and as more ore was extracted, the mines quickly became less profitable Only 150 people remained in the mostly abandoned town, and by 1940 it was completely empty. It’s now open to explore and remains in a state of arrested decay.

7. Calico, California

Unlike most ghost towns we’ve covered, Calico was known mostly for it’s vast amount of silver. Yet, that still couldn’t save it from it’s eventual demise. Calico was home of the states largest silver mines, the Silver King Mine which produced the most silver in all of California. By 1890 the town had 3500 residents and a diverse population of Americas, Chinese, English, and French.

Unfortunately as fast as Calico boomed, it would bust. In that same year, the Silver Purchase Act was enacted, driving down the price of silver. Silver would eventually bottom out at 0.57 cents per ounce. By 1900 the schools had closed their doors, and the post office had ceased operations. Calico was officially dead.

The land the town was on was bought privately, but then sold to the state in 1966. Ever since it’s been a historic landmark and has hosted ghost hunts, camping, and other seasonal events.

8. Centralia, Pennsylvania

Known for being the inspiration for the film Silent Hill, Centralia is one of the most infamous and modern ghost towns in the USA. Centralia wasn’t known for its treasures or rare metals, but an equally vital resource of the time, coal. The town was settled in the mid 1800s, as several coal mines and a railroad were created to support this new community. But there was trouble from the start.. In 1878 members of the Molly Maguries, an Irish secret society assassinated the founder of Centralia Alexander Rae. The leaders of the gang were hanged in 1877. Centralia thrived much longer than most boomtowns, and reached a population of nearly 3000 people by the turn of 1900. The stock market crash of 1929 would challenge the towns economy, as 5 major coal mines closed. The town would inevitably survive another 50 years.

In the spring of 1962 the town would burn it’s garbage as it has always done in the past, however this action would be the entire area’s downfall. Hot ash from the fire ignited a strip mine below and would start an underground fire that is still burning to this day. As time passed the fire slowly spread through the vast network of coal veins below the city. While the fire burned on noxious smoke poured from small holes in the ground and sinkholes began swallowing portions of nearby roads and homes. As the turn of the century approached the people of Centralia were divided. One half wanted the leave, the other half didn’t think the fire was a true threat. But it wouldn’t matter. By 1992 the government evoked eminent domain and relocated nearly all of the residents.

Nearly everyone took the relocation offer accept for 7 residents who fought to keep their home, and their land. After many long drawn out court hearings the 7 residents won. They were awarded roughly $340,000 for the value of their homes are were allowed to live in their homes for the rest of their lives. Even today on cold nights you can see smoke billow up from parts of the abandoned highway, or at the fire ventilation pipes just south of town.

9. Kennecott, Alaska

The ghost town of Kennecott takes us to the far reaches of the Alaskan wilderness where explorers and investors try to tame the land for the sake of fortune. A prospector by the name of ‘Tarantula Jack” and another man who clearly doesn’t have a cooler nickname, stumbled upon a massive stretch of malachite. A closer look revealed that this area was rich in copper. Then men and their company would stake claim to the land.

Soon after, funding was secured to develop the area, and the Alaskan Syndicate was formed and 30 million in startup capital was secured to extract the precious copper. Soon, railroads were built, steamship lines were formed, and the town of Kennecott was born in 1911. At it’s peak year, the mines were able to generate over 34 million dollars in revenue.

The mining operation was in full swing until a geologist in 1925 determined that that high quality copper ore was dwindling quickly. By 1938 all the mines had closed Kennecott was officially a ghost town. It wasn’t until 1980 that the area was considered a protected natural park preserve. Fun fact, some of the best preserved ghost towns in the USA are protected by national parks.

10. Batsco Village, New Jersey

Batsco village’s history dates back all the way to 1776 when an iron master by the name of Charles Read built the first iron works along the river. The area was plentiful with bog ore and other natural resources that made the land a perfect place for a village. Unlike the ghost towns, there was no boom here. No massive gold, or silver rush. Batsco’s economy was primarily dependent on the iron ore stored along it’s river. Eventually by the mid 19th century demand for iron had fallen and the town needed a new source of income.

Around 1878 a businessman purchased the struggling town and restored many of the buildings and properties that were falling into disrepair. This effort however did not bring back the population the town once had in it’s heyday. During the 1960s the village was considered historic and protected. A few families remained that were descendants from the original founder. The last family left as late as 1989.

11. Two Guns, Arizona

Two Guns has an ancient and bloody past that dates all the way back to 1050 AD where native American’s first called this land home. The land was recognized as a great place to pass the Diablo Canyon and was a natural meeting point for drifters and travelers making their way out west. Two Guns has the most unique history of any of the ghost towns in the USA.

Apache Death Cave

In 1878 a group of Apaches hid out in a cave from their Navajo enemies. They were spotted by the warring tribe and surrounded. The Navajo lit sagebrush on fire at the cave exit.

Any Apache that tried to escape was shot, and the rest asphyxiated to death. In total 42 Apaches died. The cave is now known as the Apache Death Cave.

Billy The Kid & The Wild West

Two Guns fell into the spotlight again as infamous outlaw Billy The Kid used the nearby ruins as a hide out to avoid the law after a stagecoach robbery. In the late 1880s the Santa Fe Railway ran right along Two Guns, making this place even more of a settlement for gamblers, drifters, and outlaws. In 1889 four bandits stole over $100,000 worth of currency as well as jewelry, silver and gold for a train passing through Two Guns. They fled on horseback but captured shortly after. The stolen good were never recovered. Years later one man confessed that the treasure was buried in the canyon rim near Two Guns. The gold and money have never been found.

Chief Crazy Thunder

In 1925 Harry Miller leased the land in Two Guns and wanted to capitalize on it’s history as much as possible. He declared himself as Chief Crazy Thunder and began clearing out the Apache Death Cave. He sold the their skulls as Indian relics. Miller built a zoo with mountain lions, snakes and cougars to bring even more travelers in. Electricity was ran through the death cave and tours were given from the cave to along the canyon.

In 1926 the road running by Two Guns was named the now famous Route 66. That same year Miller had a falling out with the land owners and shot and killed Earle Cundiff. He was later acquitted of the murder. Miller left the state and the zoo animals were relocated elsewhere. The only thing to takes it’s place in the coming years would be a service station in the 1960s. That eventually burned down and the place has been abandoned ever since. Today you can explore the ruins of the old cottages, the burned down gas station as well as the Apache death cave itself.

12. Picher, Oklahoma

Picher was formed in the early 1900s as massive deposits of zinc and lead ore where discovered on the land. The demand for zinc and lead has high and lasted all the way through both World Wars. Picher is one of the more modern ghost towns in the USA. During this time, there was no regulations restricting mining, or any environmental protections to protect the land and people of Picher. Slowly large chat piles formed as they were removed from the mines during zinc and lead extraction.

The residents would slowly find out that this chat would be responsible for their contaminated drinking water as well as their air quality. As people began to get sick and underground mine collapses created massive sinkholes, the towns population quickly diminished. A few residents stuck it out and refused to leave.

In 2008 a tornado ripped though what remained of the battered mining down and destroyed much of what was left. By 2010 all remaining residents were offered federal aid to relocate as the town was deemed uninhabitable. The chat piles still remain and you can find a few empty home tucked away in the corners of former communities. You can read more about the story of Picher here.

13. Rhyolite, Nevada

On the edge of death valley sits the ghost town of Rhyolite, which rose just as fast at is fell. Founded in 1905 it was built primarily for miners who were chasing the dream of striking it big in the Bullfrog Mining District. Industrialist Charles Schwab bought the nearby mine and heavily invested in electricity, piped water, telephone systems, and even a stock exchange. These investments contributed greatly to the rapid growth of Rhyolite.

But by 1907 investors were hesitant to continue their contributions, as massive earthquakes just hit San Fransisco and the panic of 1907 was in full swing. By 1911 the last mine was closed, nine years later the population would fall from 1000, to zero. Ever since the town has sat empty and decaying. It’s now a tourist attraction, and sometime the ruined town is used as a backdrop for movies and music videos.

14. Goldfield, Arizona

Goldfield sits between the Superstition Mountains and was a classic boomtown during the gold rush era. Gold was discovered around Goldfield (hence it’s name) and thus the town was born in 1892. The promise of riches brought in miners from every corner of the state. The mining continued on for five years until the gold ore dried up. Most miners moved on, but some stubborn ones stayed, insisting there was more that was missed. By 1920, everyone was gone.

Today the town is mostly a tourist attraction with zip-lines, restaurants, and train rides. Many of the buildings have been restored, but in my opinion the place feels too much like an amusement park, and less like a ghost town.

15. Terlingua, Texas

In the mid 1800s it wasn’t anything fancy that drew people to this section of Texas, it was a different kind of precious metal. Mercury. Legend has it that the mineral cinnabar which contains mercury, was used by natives to create hieroglyphs. It wasn’t until the mid to late 1800s that large quantities of the material get processed.

Due to the mines running dry earlier than expected, and an overall lack of funding, the mining operations were cut short and the town around it fell into a state of disrepair. Miners left and took their families with them.

By 1940, the town was vacant. There are some original structures that still stand to this day. There are plenty of little stores and outdoor activities you can do if you’re nearby.

16. Thurmond, West Virginia

The ghost town of Thurmond is nestled away in the hills of West Virginia and as of 2010 only had 5 people living there. Captain W.D Thurmond of the confederate army was awarded a hunk of land for completing a series of surveying jobs for the army. He settled on the land in 1873, and by 1888 Thurmond was a town of it’s own. There were two hotels, a bank, and even a red light district in Thurmond. The town was built right around the railway and was only accessible via train up until 1921.

In 1930 the Dun Glen hotel burned to the ground, and marked the decline of the town. Over the years less people stopped by, or settled down in the region and the slow burn of Thurmond began. Much of the area hasn’t changed since the early 1900s. It is free to explore and currently owned by the Thurmond Historic District. The best time to visit is fall, when all the leaves are changing.

17. Bulowville, Florida

The swampy town of Bulowville was first carved out of the Flordia coastline in 1831. But this wasn’t a ‘town’ full of citizens. It was more of a plantation full of slaves. A merchant by the name of Charles Burlow used slave labor to clear 2200 acres of land to plant rice, cotton, and cane sugar crops. This was no small operation, and required the use of 197 men, women and children to complete. These slaves lived in 47 cabins that were build in a half circle around Burlow’s estate. There was also a community hall where the slaves sung songs, and passed on hidden messages to each other.

In 1836 tensions and violence between the Seminole tribes and white settlers peaked at an all time high. Florida was on cusp of the Second Seminole War. Burlow disagreed with the decision to move the natives west of the Mississippi, so he did what any reasonable person would and fired a cannon at the state militia commanders home. He was arrested for his actions, but released shortly after. Due to the hostility of the natives in the area, Burlow along with most other white settlers decided to abandon their estates and flee north.

As Burlow fled north the slaves escaped and the Seminole tribes burned the entire plantation and his estate to the ground. Now all that remains are the charred ruins of Burlow’s sugar mill and a few wells. The plantation and cleared land has been retaken by nature and is almost unrecognizable to what it was over 100 years ago.

18. Bombay Beach, California

Bombay Beach was once a thriving community and summer getaway spot for Californians. It’s now a shell of what it was in it’s glory days and has less than 300 residents. Bombay Beach in the 50s and 60s was an oasis where you could swim during the day, and party into the night. But all that changed when the Salton Sea suddenly turned sour. (say that three times fast!)

Since the Salton ‘Sea’ isn’t really a sea at all, but a massive lake there is no where for the water to go. Overtime agricultural runoff started to poison the water and increase it’s salinity dramatically. Soon the beaches were filled with the foul stench of rotting fish that permeated the resorts and surrounding areas. People who lived in the area quickly left, and the resort was left abandoned.

Squatters and artists now claim the hollow and vacant structures along the coast of Bombay Beach. If you visit there’s a ton of art and interesting places to explore. I just wouldn’t go for a swim…

19. Oatman, Arizona

Oatman is a magical place, and truly one of my favorite stops along the infamous route 66. It’s filled with donkeys, abandoned mines, and ghost town relics. What more could you ask more? Oatman was formed after two lucky prospectors stumbled upon $10 million dollars worth of gold in the area in 1915. The name Oatman was chosen to commemorate Olive Oatman, a girl who was kidnapped by natives in 1851. The story goes that she was sold into slavery, but then eventually adopted by another tribe. They tattooed her face, and took her in as her own. Anyway.. For more than ten years Oatman was one of the largest producers of gold in the American West. The town was ravaged by a fire in 1921 but still continued produce and process gold ore.

In 1924 the mines were ordered to shutdown in order to help produce other metals for the war. By the time Oatman ceased mining operations, it had produced over $200 million dollars worth of gold in todays rates. Oatman struggled to stay prosperous during this time. Luckily the town was able to cater to people passing through route 66 and build a reputation as a tourist stop. If you’re traveling route 66 or find yourself passing near Oatman I would highly advise stopping by.

Other Ghost Towns In The USA

Believe it or not, there are hundreds of ghost towns in the USA. Not all of them have buildings left to explore, but you never know what you’ll find. If you’re looking for ghost towns near you be sure to check out Wiki’s list of ghost towns.

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Ghost towns and haunted places are a curious attraction for travelers. Maybe it's gazing at the remnants of a once-thriving community that has been left to the elements, or the fascination that we have with disturbing or unexplained events of the past. Whatever your reason for seeking out these eerie places, wander through these 10 haunted towns in the U.S.—if you dare!

Virginia City and Nevada City, Montana

You won’t find a more realistic experience of what life was like in the gun-slinging Old West than in the twin cities of Virginia City and Nevada City , Montana. These towns were the one-time homes of famous characters of the west like Calamity Jane. Virginia City has resisted change over the past 100 years and still has hundreds of old buildings still standing. A mile down the road on Alder Gulch, you’ll find Nevada City— boom town gone bust thanks to the Gold Rush. Take the train between the two cities, and you’ll get a chance to see how early settlers struggled to survive and witness reenactments of historical events through living history shows.

Salem, Massachusetts

Salem always has been, and probably always will be, synonymous with spooky. This small town in Massachusetts was the scene of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, one of the more ghoulish events in American history. During the height of a sorceress-spotting frenzy of sorts, 19 women were accused of witchcraft and hanged, and another five died in jail. Today, Salem hosts tours and events year-round that retell the story these infamous trials, but October brings it all to a climax with tons of Halloween-themed activities and festivals. Head to the Witch House, home to the judge of the trials, to hear a series of ghost stories that are guaranteed to chill your spine.

Bodie, California

California is full of boom-and-bust ghost towns from the Gold Rush, but Bodie stands out because it's so well-preserved. The town is named after William Bodie, who discovered gold in 1859, which led to the town quickly filling with prospectors in search of riches. The initial strike led to nothing, and Bodie was soon abandoned. This ghost town has been eerily untouched for the past 150 years. Bodie stands as a National Historic Landmark, keeping its wild-west atmosphere without being too cheesy. Shacks still stand with tables set, hoping that their long-gone residents will someday return.

Goldfield, Arizona

There’s gold in them thar’ hills—or there once was. In the late 1800s, Goldfield, Arizona was swarming with miners in search of striking it rich. But the euphoria was short-lived, and by 1898 all the gold was gone. Over the next few decades, settlers moved in and renamed the town Youngsberg, but in 1926, the town was abandoned once again. Good news—the town lives on! In 1988, Goldfield took the route of many other ghost towns and became a tourist attraction . There are many new attractions like a zip line, a reptile exhibit, and horseback rides, but visitors can still take a peek back in time to its glory days at the museum, saloon, and shops.

Fall River, Massachusetts

On an early August day in 1892, the bodies of Andrew and Abby Borden were discovered battered beyond recognition in their Fall River home. The prime suspect was their youngest daughter, Lizzie. America was captivated as one of the country’s first crime dramas unfolded in the media. Even with allegations that Lizzie had the motive for the murder, a skeptical public believed her professed innocence, and she was ultimately acquitted. The Borden home is now a museum and bed-and-breakfast, where guests can see frightening photos of the crime scene and sleep in one of its supposedly-haunted rooms.

Sleepy Hollow, New York

Most of us have probably read Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . But for this small New York town, it’s forever etched into timeless folklore. The tale of schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his chilling meeting with the Headless Horseman still lives today in Sleepy Hollow . Visit in October, and you’ll be greeted with activities and storytelling events that are guaranteed to send tingles down your spine. During the fall, chilly temperatures and pumpkins on every doorstep set a wonderfully spooky scene for a visit. If you're headed back to your hotel late at night, and by chance hear the approaching sound of hooves—don’t turn around!

Kennecott, Alaska

Like tons of other mines in the west, Kennecott also came and went in just a few short years. It wasn’t gold or silver that made Kennecott famous, though — it was copper. In 1938, after 20 years of producing millions of dollars of the precious metal, the veins ran dry and Kennecott was too far from civilization to survive. The town once had it all, and residents saw a life of luxury, but alas, all that’s left in Kennecott are the original mill buildings. Today, the complex is a National Historic Landmark run by the National Park Service. Take a ghost town walking tour of the abandoned copper mining complex, and you’ll be surprised at just how massive this mine once was.

Calico, California

Calico Ghost Town is a one-time mining town that’s been around since 1881. It saw the largest silver strike in California and at one time had 500 mines open. It went bust in the 1890s when silver lost nearly all its value. In the 1950s, it was purchased and restored by Walter Knott (of Knott’s Berry Farm) who breathed new life into this ghost town. Today it’s a well-known theme park complete with fake shootouts, gold panning, and mining tours. You can also learn about the history of mining in the west, hit up the shops, and camp in the desert to watch for ghosts.

St. Elmo, Colorado

If you venture to this one-time mining town and whistle-stop in central Colorado, you may hear stories from few locals still around that the original residents of St. Elmo left on the last train out—and never came back. The town saw its heydays in the late 1800s, with hotels, dance halls, and a school, but the city faded into oblivion after the railroad closed in the 1930s. What is left is an eerie reminder of what the town once was. Make a visit to St. Elmo and wander the empty streets, shop in the antique-filled General Store, and pay homage to the ghosts of St. Elmo’s past.

Alton, Illinois

How did this small community in the Midwest earn the title as “America's Most Haunted Small Town”? It could be because of its sordid past of murder, war, death, and destruction dating back to the Civil War. Whatever the reason, many explorers have investigated and questioned the unexplained happenings and psychic phenomena that happen all around Alton. Sites that are noted to be extremely haunted include the infamous McPike Mansion, the First Unitarian Church, and the Milton School. This eerie town and its hauntings have even been featured on the Travel Channel and Syfy. It’s not uncommon to see groups of ghost hunting travelers walking through this spooky Mississippi River town in search of spirits, specters, and spooks. You can join in the fun and experience haunted Alton for yourself!

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These Are 10 Of The Most Remote Ghost Towns In The USA To Visit

The United States has plenty of excellent and remote ghost towns, and they are ideal attractions for an adventurous road trip.

Times change, and the many ghost towns dotting the United States are a reflection of that. In the Appalachian mountains, many communities died out as the coal mines were abandoned, while in the West many towns were abandoned after the gold or silver ran out. Other communities were abandoned due to urbanization and other circumstances.

Today there are plenty of ghost towns to discover all over the country. Some of the ghost towns are protected and impressive, while others have largely disappeared, and there is little more than the cemeteries left. Here are the most remarkable ghost towns in the United States that are very remote.

10 Bodie, California: One Of The Best Preserved Ghost Towns In The US

Bodie is one of the most famous ghost towns in the United States and is protected as a state park of California . It is located in the high desert in a remote part of the state right on the state line with Nevada. While many of the buildings have been lost to fires and time, the collection of buildings at Bodie is very impressive, and visitors really feel like they are in the Wild West.

9 Aurora, Nevada: A Town Lost To History

Just over the mountains from Bodie in Nevada is the ghost town of Aurora. Aurora is remarkable as it was once one of the largest towns in Nevada, with a population of around 15,000, and it was visited by Mark Twain. Today, there is little left of the town except for the cemetery. Aurora stands in stark contrast to its well-preserved neighbor, Bodie.

Related: Aurora: One Of Nevada's True Great Ghost Boomtowns (& It's Near Bodie)

8 Bannack, Montana: A Well-Preserved Wild West Town

Head up to Montana, and one of the best ghost towns to explore is the Old West town of Bannack. The buildings are protected and well-maintained. Come during Halloween and see the ghost town once again come alive as the locals dress up in Halloween costumes in the town.

7 Berlin: Where Ichthyosaurs & Ghost Towns Come Together

Remote in the deserts of Nevada is the forgotten ghost town of Berlin, which is among the best ghost towns in the US to visit. Like many old abandoned mining towns, not much is left of the town, although some buildings remain. What is special about this ghost town is that one of its main attractions is the fossils of Ichthyosaurs - ancient marine reptiles from the times of the dinosaurs.

Related: The State Park Where Ghost Town Meets Dinosaur Fossils

6 St Thomas: The Mormon Town Claimed By Lake Mead

St. Thomas was founded as a Mormon ghost town that was initially abandoned as a result of a tax dispute. After it was found, the town was actually in a different state than previously thought. Later, new settlers moved in, but they too were compelled to leave due to the rising waters of Lake Mead after the construction of the Hoover Dam. Today, St. Thomas reemerges when the waters are low .

5 Thurmond: A Coal Mining Ghost Town Of West Virginia

West Virginia is full of old coal mining ghost towns, but what makes Thurmond special is that it is owned by the National Park Service and used as their base for the New Gorge National Park (America's newest national park). Today, visitors and see the old train depot and learn about what the coal mining years of the 1800s were like remote in the Appalachians.

4 Monowi: Population - One

Monowi is famous as a ghost town in Nebraska as it is an incorporated village with a population of one. The sole remaining resident of Monowi is the elderly woman, Elsie Eiler, who keeps the town running by electing herself, paying taxes to the town, issuing herself a liquor license, etc. She continues to operate a bar for anyone who would like to visit.

3 Chaco: See Ancient Great Ancestral Pueblo Houses

When most people think of ghost towns in the United States, they think of European settlements. But the lands of what is now the United States are full of ghost towns from the peoples who went before. One of the best examples is the Great Houses of the Chaco Valley . These were the largest houses in the United States for hundreds of years and remain well-preserved today.

2 Vulture City: Arizona's Eeriest Ghost Town

Vulture City is one of the best ghost towns to explore in the Southwest. It is a privately owned ghost town and a great place to learn about the days of the Wild West of the region. Its story sounds like an Old West novel filled with Apache raids, stagecoach robberies, lawlessness, and more.

Related: Tour Vulture City, Arizona's Eeriest Ghost Town

1 Scull Shoals: A Town Reclaimed By Forests

It can be more interesting when one must hike to visit a ghost town. Unlike the ghost towns of the Western deserts, the ghost towns of the East Coast tend to be reclaimed by forests. Scull Shoals in the state of Georgia is an Appalachian ghost town lost in the forest that hikers need to hike to in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

We Found the 35 Absolute Spookiest Ghost Tours in the U.S.

From Los Angeles to Salem, Massachusetts.

While scary movies and spooky decorations are great ways to celebrate Halloween at home, there's something thrilling about getting close to the paranormal. The best ghost tours in the United States—and there are a lot of them—take you to the sites of actual historical events. Fact is somehow even scarier than fiction in these haunted tours. Whether you're strolling under the live oaks in Savannah, Georgia, or being guided through New Orleans' French Quarter, you'll find yourself in the very places where real-life scary stories unfolded. Plus, a ghost tour can be a great way to discover more about your town's history and get your friends together to enjoy the fall weather—especially if it includes a pub crawl.

The southeast and northeast may be known for their haunted history, but they're not the only parts of the United States that are rich in haunted history. In fact, ghosts are known to roam out west, and Texas actually is considered the most haunted state . However, California is a close runner-up, which isn't surprising considering that it's home to the Winchester Mystery House and many legendary (and allegedly haunted) Old Hollywood landmarks . You can find ghostly historians in all 50 states, be they Civil War soldiers, lost cowboys, or victims of the Salem Witch Trials.

If you've never gone on a ghost tour, and aren't even sure if you believe in ghosts, we've got you covered. Read on for the 35 best ghost tours in the United States to get you in the Halloween spirit.

Looking for even more spooky inspiration? Listen to our haunted house podcast, Dark House , on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you get your podcasts.

Gangsters & Ghosts Tour - New York, New York

Travel back in time to the heyday of gangs and gangsters with this New York City walking tour. It cuts through all the famous gang neighborhoods such as the Five Points as seen in Gangs of New York , Chinatown, the "once" gangster-ridden Little Italy, and the haunted old mansions of the West Village, ending at Washington Square Park.

The Ghosts of Newport - Newport, Rhode Island

Fun and friendly for kids of all ages, this lantern-lit seasonal ghost tour wanders the harbor telling stories of sunken ships, Gilded Age ghosts, and tavern brawls that didn't end well. You can buy tickets from May through Christmas to hear haunting tales before, during, or after Halloween.

Tour Charleston - Charleston, South Carolina

Each night is different during this 90-minute walking tour that traverses downtown Charleston and the Unitarian Church Graveyard. Pulling from the book The Ghosts of Charleston , the tour guides switch up stories so that even repeat guests will be spooked.

Mysteries of Hawaii - Honolulu, Hawaii

This spooky walking tour is packed with historical facts, urban myths, and ghost stories—all in a tropical setting. According to host and owner Lopaka Kapanui, what he takes you on are more like "experiences" than "tours": He identifies as a medium, which just about guarantees some ghostly encounters along the way.

Listen to " The Kasha House of Kaimuki (Honolulu, Hawaii) ," an episode of our haunted house podcast, Dark House , to hear an exclusive interview with Kapanui.

Walking Ghost Tours of St. Augustine - St. Augustine, Florida

According to Trip Advisor reviews and ratings, this is easily the best ghost tour offered in St. Augustine, Florida (and arguably the entire state!). You'll learn about the city's history as well as local legends surrounding the paranormal activity that takes place there.

Santa Fe, Ghost and History Tours - Santa Fe, New Mexico

This tour takes place at the plaza, which has been the center of Santa Fe for centuries and centuries and centuries—and which makes it the ideal ghost-hunting destination. You'll walk through the downtown with a guide who'll teach you all about the city's past and present and offer paranormal musings.

Haunted San Diego Ghost Tours - San Diego, California

There are plenty of old haunts in San Diego, and this tour will take you to all the best ones. "I consider myself somewhat of a skeptic, but I did experience a few things that couldn't quite be explained," one Yelp review reads. "I had a few videos that had what looked like moving light spots, but there were no flashlights or headlights that could have caused it. No matter what you believe, this was such a wonderful, informative, and spooky experience!"

French Quarter Phantoms - New Orleans, Louisiana

French Quarter Phantom Tours offers a ton of guided journeys for whatever you're into, be it true crime, ghosts, vampires, or cemeteries. Thanks to the unique architecture and long, twisted history, New Orleans is a paranormal mecca.

New Orleans Ghost Adventures Tour - New Orleans, Louisiana

Here's another popular New Orleans ghost tour with great reviews if the former is all booked up. "This is a two-hour walking tour through the streets of New Orleans where you stop at certain buildings and hear stories," one Yelp reviewer said. "It's a great welcome to the city." Pro tip: Book the 8 p.m. tour for maximum spookiness.

Bewitched After Dark Walking Tours - Salem, Massachusetts

This Massachusetts walking tour takes you where the witch trials of 1692 and 1693 actually went down, from the jail where the accused witches were imprisoned to the site where they were hanged. "I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone looking for a more historical and informational tour and not one that is gimmicky or cheesy," one Yelp review reads. It's even better if you go during the fall!

Genteel & Bard Savannah History & Ghost Tours - Savannah, Georgia

This ghost tour of Savannah is the perfect blend of creepy history and fun paranormal stories. According to one Yelp reviewer, there's a lot of walking involved, so wear some comfy shoes.

Sorrel Weed House - Savannah, Georgia

If you're not into walking all over a city, a tour of the haunted Sorrel Weed House is perfect for you. You'll hear an in-depth account of its history and the mysterious things that went on in it.

Salem Black Cat Tours - Salem, Massachusetts

For something a bit lighter and more family friendly, Black Cat tours is a good bet. There are a ton of ghost and witch tours in Salem, but it's very highly rated on Yelp. "It's easy to get overwhelmed with the number of tours Salem has to offer, but if you were to do just one this should be it," one reviewer said.

Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours - Denver, Colorado

According to its website, the Dark Side of Denver Ghost Tours combines storytelling and research to create a spooky walking tour of Denver. You'll be able to explore haunted sites, hear some scary stories, and learn even more about the city's history.

Seaside Shadows - Mystic, Connecticut

The founder of Seaside Shadows actually grew up in a haunted house in Connecticut that was investigated by the famous ghost hunters Lorraine and Ed Warren, the real-life inspiration for The Conjuring movies . Hear the spooky stories of Connecticut and tales of paranormal activity from storyteller guides who've experienced it themselves.

Spooked In Seattle Ghost Tours - Seattle, Washington

Spooked In Seattle offers lots of different ways to experience the city's haunted hot spots: walking tours, haunted pub tours, bus tours, and even ghost hunts. "We've done countless ghost tours, but this has to be one of the most entertaining, informing, and—yes—spooky," one Yelp review reads.

Sisters Grimm Ghost Tours - San Antonio, Texas

This San Antonio company offers two types of tours: a regular ghost tour and one that comes with a dinner and a ghost tour. Yes, the Alamo is on the itinerary, but there's lots more to see. San Antonio is a pretty paranormal-packed place, so you'll want to book this tour if you're headed to the Lone Star state.

San Francisco Ghost Hunt Walking Tour - San Francisco, California

The Ghost Hunt Walking tour is a much-loved spooky season staple for tourists and locals alike. One San Franciscan even commented, "I have gone on the Ghost Hunt twice, and the next time I've got a friend in from out of town I'll happily go for a third time."

Madame Morbid's Trolley Tours - Brooklyn, New York

Arguably the best thing about this New York City ghost tour is that it includes sitting in a chic spooky trolley the entire time. You'll hear tales from the borough and cruise its historic streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Navy Yard.

Hollywood's Haunted Tours - Los Angeles, California

This tour puts a spin on your average Hollywood tour—by making it haunted, of course. If you get too spooked, the tour also stops at a bar for a quick bite or a drink (to calm the nerves, of course).

Kate McGregor is House Beautiful’s SEO Editor. She has covered everything from curated decor round-ups and shopping guides, to glimpses into the home lives of inspiring creatives, for publications such as ELLE Decor, Domino, and Architectural Digest’s Clever. 

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Does YOUR State Have The Most Ghost Towns?

Stuck in time

Rhode Island: 1

It makes sense that the tiniest state in the US (Rhode Island's area is just 1,214 square miles/3,144sq km) has the smallest number of ghost towns – and it's a far cry from the gloriously intact shells of those in the West. The scant remnants of Hanton City are swaddled by a forest near the northern town of Smithfield. Little is known about this Colonial-era settlement, but the remains include cellar holes, stone walls and wells.

Connecticut: 4

Bucolic New England is not known for its ghost towns. In Connecticut, the bones of just four abandoned settlements are scattered across the Constitution State. They include Johnsonville Village, a once-booming mill town populated in the mid-1800s and now privately owned by a church group. Pictured is the elegant Emory Johnson Homestead in the abandoned village. 

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Another New England bolthole with a handful of abandoned spots, The Pine Tree state has a total of five ghost towns. The most famous of all is the eerie Perkins Township on Swan Island (pictured), some six miles (10km) off the Maine coast. Perkins began life in the mid-1700s, built on industries including fishing and ice harvesting. But by the 1930s, a faltering economy and concerns about the pollution in the nearby river meant residents had abandoned the town. 

Vermont is better known for quaint ski resorts than rugged ghost towns, but there are still five dotted about the state. Among them is Glastenbury, which was washed away by a flood in 1898, still haunted by ghost stories. There's also the mining town of Tyson Furnace, which folded when its stores of iron ore ran dry. Beyond the towns proper, travelers will also spot cracked barns (like the one pictured), isolated resorts and deserted train stations.

Delaware: 6

The diminutive East Coast state of Delaware has few more ghost towns than its New England counterparts. The skeletons of six historic towns can be found across the state, with the most striking ruins including that of the Bancroft Mill complex (pictured), a once-thriving center for textiles on the Brandywine Creek that closed in the 1960s. Beyond the deserted mills, Delaware is home to Glenville, a 20th-century housing development swallowed by a flood in 2003, where a cluster of isolated buildings remain. 

These are the eeriest ghost towns in America

New Hampshire: 8

New Hampshire is another state with just a handful of ghost towns. Among them is the White Mountains town of Zealand, which was once a logging hub – eventually the depletion of timber in the area caused the thrumming town to dwindle. Aside from the actual ghost towns, the most fascinating and photogenic abandoned place in New Hampshire is Madame Sherri's Castle (pictured), the ruin of a once glittering estate that belonged to an eccentric socialite. 

America's eeriest abandoned castles

Massachusetts: 11

Perhaps the most famous ghost town in all of New England is Massachusetts' Dogtown. The settlement sprang up during the American Revolutionary War and again during the War of 1812, when people in the region were forced inland to try to avoid attack. But as the threat of conflict lowered and industry on the coast flourished, residents moved away from Dogtown and returned to the water. Today all that remains is a series of hulking boulders, carved with inspirational words – unemployed stonecutters were commissioned by an affluent entrepreneur named Roger Babson for the project, following the town's abandonment in the 1800s.

New Jersey: 11

New Jersey is better known for vacation hotspots like Cape May and Atlantic City than dusty old ghost towns. But Batsto Village, in the state's South Central Pinelands, is one that's worth visiting. It sprang up in the mid-1700s around the Batsto Iron Works and included various mills, an elegant mansion (pictured), workers' cottages and a general store. When the ironworks fell into decline, the town had a brief stint as a center for glassmaking, though that business experienced a downturn too. The last house actually wasn't vacated until 1989 and now the abandoned village is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

South Carolina: 11

Think of the sultry Southern state of South Carolina and creaking ghost towns probably don't spring to mind. Still, there are a smattering, including historic remnants at the Colonial Dorchester State Historic Site. The town of Dorchester, down on the Ashley River, got its start in 1697, but was abandoned at the onset of the American Revolutionary War. There are still haunting remains, including what's left of a hulking brick bell tower of St. George's Church and a fortress crafted out of oyster shells.

The world forgot about these amazing historic places

Tennessee: 12

While there are 12 ghost towns scattered across Tennessee, the most curious among them is wedged deep into the Smoky Mountains. At one time, Elkmont was a thriving logging camp, serving as a base for the Little River Lumber Company (established at the turn of the 20th century). A railroad was also built in the early 1900s, leading to the area becoming a popular vacation spot for the most affluent folks in the region – a clubhouse and hotel were eventually built. However, when the Smoky Mountain National Park was proposed, Elkmont's logging and vacation businesses were ultimately suspended and homes were sold off to the National Park Service. The abandoned buildings that remain are protected as a Historic District. 

Kentucky: 13

Venture across the breadth of the Bluegrass State and you will find 13 crumbling ghost towns in various degrees of ruin. The town most worth discovering is Barthell, a one-time coal town that mushroomed at the beginning of the 20th century. The settlement's history is marred by various tragedies, including a mining accident which killed six men. It eventually declined and was deserted in the mid-1900s. Today it's possible to tour what remains – preserved structures include a barber shop, company store and doctor's office. 

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New York: 14

The cracked remains of 14 ghost towns lie deserted in the Empire State. The most noteworthy is Tahawus, in the northeast – another mining town gone bust. Abandoned houses line trails that route through the verdant Upper Adirondacks, with the star attraction being the deserted MacNaughton Cottage. This was the house that then-Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was staying in when he learned the news that President William McKinley had been shot. Roosevelt ultimately assumed the presidency upon McKinley's death. 

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Maryland: 15

There are few bonafide ghost towns in Maryland and greenery-choked Daniels (pictured) is among the most intact. It began as a lone textile mill in 1810 and – such was the mill's success – became a buzzing industrial settlement by the 20th century. All manner of shops and residences existed, alongside a school and a railroad station. However, when the mill closed in the 1960s, the workers and residents left, and a tropical storm in the 1970s damaged much of what remained. Now, a melange of crumbling stone buildings are still hidden in the woods. 

Georgia: 16

The coastal state of Georgia has some 16 abandoned settlements, whose ruins include everything from blink-and-you'll-miss-it foundations to entire preserved structures. Among the most intact is Auraria, whose name in Latin derives from the word for 'golden' – as its moniker might suggest, the town sprang up during the Georgia gold rush in the 1830s, when prospectors flocked to ancestral Cherokee lands in the hope of finding a fortune. A collection of run-down buildings remain today. 

North Carolina: 16

Henry River Mill Village, one of North Carolina's 16 ghost towns, is one of the most haunting places in the South. A hub for textile production, the now-abandoned village bloomed from 1905 and consisted of some 35 workers' residences, a dam and the mill building. However, as milling competitors overseas gained ground, the state's textile industry went into decline, while a ravaging fire caused by a lightning strike in the 1970s brought the village's lonely fate even closer. Still, though, the resolute remaining residents would not leave their homes until the 1990s – now the district is best known for its role as District 12 in The Hunger Games  franchise. 

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Louisiana: 17

Little remains of most of Louisiana's ghost towns, but the decaying ruins of Cheniere Caminada, around two hours south of New Orleans, are a reminder of human might and resolve. The small fishing town was swallowed by a disastrous hurricane in 1893, which killed hundreds of people and almost entirely destroyed the settlement. Some residents chose to stay behind and rebuild the fated town though, sadly, their efforts were in vain. Cheniere Caminada remains a chilling ghost town today. 

Virginia: 19

Almost 20 haunting ghost towns are sprinkled across Virginia. Though very little remains of Matildaville (pictured), it was once a hive of activity. The town grew up during the construction of the Patowmack Canal, serving as a home for laborers and the main headquarters of the Patowmack Company. But when the company folded, the town did too (construction of the canal was taken over by the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, who ultimately also abandoned the project in 1830). Today a patchwork of stone ruins are the only reminders of the former town.

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Arkansas: 20

From former tourist resorts with bathhouses and hotels to once-blossoming industrial hubs, Arkansas has its share of interesting ghost towns. Make time for a trip to Rush, a haunting site that now sits on the National Register of Historic Places and is protected as part of the Buffalo National River site. The town first emerged in the 1880s, when zinc ore was struck upon along Rush Creek – however, the mining operation declined and residents had leaked out by the 1960s. Today, curious travelers will find rocky foundations, moldering homesteads and decaying log cabins.

Abandoned resorts and decaying sugar mills are reminders of Hawaii's past. The some 21 ghost towns offer a slice of history too. Venture to the island of Lanai, specifically the remote ghost town of Keomoku, a former fishing and ranching settlement that was propped up by the Maunalei Sugar Company. Homes, shops and a railroad swelled around the mill, but it eventually closed after a plague swept through the area in the early 1900s. By the middle of the century, the town was abandoned. 

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Missouri: 21

Of the 21 ghost towns that can be found scattered across Missouri, Red Oak II (pictured), in the state's southwest, is the most fascinating. You'll find it along the fabled Route 66. It owes its existence to a man named Lowell Davis, an artist who left his home in Dallas to return to his rural Missouri roots. However, when he arrived in his home town of Red Oak, he found it deserted – a veritable ghost town. A bemused Davis set about moving the structures from the original Red Oak (and others from nearby towns that had suffered a similar fate) to his own farm, dubbing the site Red Oak II. Today it exists as a kind of pseudo-ghost town, complete with a blacksmith shop and general store.

West Virginia: 21

West Virginia has a long history of coal mining and a slew of abandoned mining towns to go with it, including a cluster in the New River Gorge (an area protected as the USA's newest national park). Amongst them is Nuttallburg (pictured), where rugged hiking trails lead to a series of historic foundations and creaking mining buildings. The complex was first established in 1870, then shuttered in the 1950s. 

North Dakota: 23

Mostly historic gold-mining settlements, ghost towns are dotted across the northwestern state of Idaho. They include Leesburg (pictured), which was first settled in the 1860s, when the precious metal was discovered – the town thrived, soon mushrooming to some 2,000 residents. However, it faced a decline that same decade as reserves quickly dwindled. Some mining continued in the years that followed, but all operations were shut down by the 1940s. Now a creepy string of deserted wooden buildings remain. 

Of the 26 ghost towns that exist across Iowa, there's something especially haunting about remote Buckhorn. The old milk co-operative squats just off Highway 64 and comprises a creaking old creamery building (pictured), an eerie white church and a cemetery. It's thought that the town was abandoned when swathes of property were bought up by a commercial dairy in the mid-20th century.

There are 26 ghost towns spread out across Ohio, telling tales of the state's mining and railroad history. Ghost stories also surround Moonville, an old railroad town thought to have been established in the 1850s, where a creepy railroad tunnel remains. Another stirring former railroad settlement exists near Findlay, in the state's northwest. Pictured here is the molding and deserted railway building, which sits alongside an old store and rusted cars. 

Mississippi: 27

Mississippi has 27 eerie ghost towns, some of them spread out in the mighty Mississippi Delta, swaddled by greenery. Fitting this description is Rodney (pictured), two miles (3.2km) from the mighty waterway, in the southwest of the state. It's thought that the town built up in the 1820s, but went into decline after the Civil War, when the Mississippi River slowly changed course. Two raging fires sounded the final death knell. The Rodney History and Preservation Society now takes care of the remaining buildings, which include a striking red-brick Presbyterian Church.

Nebraska: 31

It's not surprising that Alaska has more than 30 ghost towns. The stark conditions of the Last Frontier mean that, throughout time, its residents must have been hardy to survive. Today the most intact ghost town is Kennecott (or Kennicott), a former copper-mining camp that grew up in the early 20th century. Residents flooded out when the copper reserves were depleted and the settlement was abandoned by the late 1930s. Today visitors can take ranger-led tours or explore the striking old mining buildings solo. 

Wyoming: 33

Wyoming's healthy dose of ghost towns speaks to its Old West history – gold, silver and lead have all been mined in this state throughout the centuries, and formerly industrious towns are scattered across its sweeping plains. One of the most impressively preserved is South Pass City, which sprang up in the 1860s following the discovery of gold ore. When the industry dwindled, the town was deserted and its buildings were totally abandoned by the 1930s. Now treasures including the city mercantile, the saloon and the jail remain: their exteriors can be seen on a walking tour. There are even plans to open up the mine for tours in future. 

New Mexico: 39

The sunbaked, desert-laced state of New Mexico has its fair share of ghost towns, many of them scattered along historic Route 66. Highlights include Glenrio, which straddles the border with Texas and was once served by a busy railroad, plus Shakespeare (pictured), an old silver-mining town with an outlaw history. It's thought that both of the outlaws Sandy King and 'Russian Bill' Tattenbaum were captured and put to death in this now-abandoned settlement. 

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Indiana: 42

Alabama: 55

Alabama has more chilling ghost towns than any other Southern state. Among the state's 55 ghost towns are the decaying ruins of Old Cahawba, which was once Alabama's capital. However, in 1826, the capital was moved to Tuscaloosa and, later, Confederate soldiers used the town as a prison site. Ultimately, the once mighty town was abandoned, though its chilling, Spanish-moss-covered ruins remain for modern visitors.

Minnesota: 55

The Midwestern state of Minnesota has more than 50 eerie ghost towns, ranging from emptied settlements on the banks of Lake Superior to deserted boltholes scattered in the woods. Close to the Iowa border is Forestville, which was once an important stagecoach stop. In the 1860s, it had around 150 residents, however, inhabitants leaked out when an anticipated railroad was never routed through the town after all. The eerie buildings have now been deserted for more than 100 years, although the town is open for visits every summer.

The Oregon gold rush began in the 1850s, though many of the state's rowdy prospector towns folded as quickly as they began. That's certainly true of aptly-named Golden, which bloomed in the mid-1800s and was totally abandoned in the 1920s, when gold reserves finally ran dry. Golden was of a different ilk to many a mining town, however. In the place of buzzing saloons and bawdy brothels was a pair of churches. Today a deserted church remains, alongside a school and a general store. 

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Illinois: 82

If all you know about Illinois is that it's the home of big, buzzy, Blues-filled Chicago, then the fact that the state has some 82 ghost towns might come as a surprise. The ghost town of Cairo (pictured) has a prime position on the Mississippi River and was once a busy port and railroad stop. However, a history of fierce racial tensions (a young Black soldier was reportedly murdered while on leave here in 1967) and a sharp economic downtown in the 20th century led to the town's ultimate abandonment. 

Colorado: 99

Mining history is in Colorado's bones. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there are almost 100 ghost towns sprinkled across the Centennial State. One of the best spots to visit is St Elmo, which was founded in the 1880s after gold and silver was found in the area. It's thought that there were around 2,000 people here during St Elmo's zenith, with a busy railroad pouring further prospectors into town. However, industry dwindled and, so the story goes, St Elmo's inhabitants boarded the last train out of town and never looked back, leaving the settlement entirely deserted from 1922.

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Pennsylvania: 105

Pennsylvania is the first state to top 100, with crumbling ghost towns running the gamut from long-deserted mining settlements to a village abandoned due to the construction of a nuclear power plant. Perhaps the most curious of all is Centralia, where a coal mine fire has been burning since 1962. Multiple attempts to extinguish the blaze have failed and most inhabitants were moved out by the Eighties. While many buildings in the dangerous town have been torn down, the striking blue-domed church (pictured) remains. 

Montana: 106

A whopping 106 rickety ghost towns exist in Montana, one of the largest states in the USA, with a strong mining heritage to boot. The most picturesque of all is Bannack, which began life in the 1860s, when prospector John White struck gold. Although the value of gold declined, the town's beauty did not; now, visitors come to explore the 60 impressively preserved structures, which include a purportedly haunted historic courthouse. There are ghost tours in the fall too. 

Nevada: 106

The Silver State matches Montana when it comes to ghost towns, with 106 scattered across Nevada's vast, desert-stitched landscape. You'll find so-called 'living ghost towns' like Paradise Valley, where a small population still lives outside the deserted downtown core, and once-lawless mining settlements such as Techatticup. Photogenic Rhyolite (pictured) should be on the list too: it was once a mining town of more than 5,000, but now its deserted train station and bank building are the preserve of tourists and filmmakers (the town is a readymade movie set). 

Washington: 116

This sprawling Pacific Northwest state is best known for its natural wonders – think electric blue glaciers and sky-scraping peaks – but, as it goes, it has a mighty share of ghost towns too. A scenic hike will lead you to one of the state's finest: Monte Cristo, which was built up in the 1890s around a mining site. Various factors sealed the town's fate, however: the vital railroad was flooded and the mines faced various funding issues. Operations folded by 1907 and today a series of decrepit structures remain. 

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Michigan: 128

Michigan's 128 ghost towns range from lakeside outposts turned vital bird habitats (Vermilion) to forgotten lumber towns left to rot (Shelldrake). Little evidence remains for many, but Fayette (pictured), in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is one of the most impressively intact. The town burgeoned from 1867 when a charcoal pig iron operation began – when the iron industry declined, Fayette enjoyed a brief stint as a resort, but that had also diminished by the mid-1900s. Now its hollow remains exist as part of Fayette Historic State Park.

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Arizona: 131

Rusted out cars, creaking mining buildings and long-left-isolated cabins can be found across the length and breadth of Arizona. A fine example is Vulture City, which grew up as a gold-mining camp in the 1860s. Around 5,000 people lived in the town at its peak, but an emergency measure that closed all non-essential mines during the Second World War sounded the death knell for the town. Now the site is remarkably well-preserved and you can discover restored buildings including a post office and a dining hall. 

Some 136 abandoned settlements are tucked amidst the breathtaking red rocks of the Beehive State, evidence of Mormon pioneer settlements and former railroad and mining boomtowns. One of the most fascinating is Grafton, situated immediately south of Zion National Park. Mormon settlers established the town in the 1850s, though the original settlement was quickly washed away by a flood. It was reestablished in the 1860s, and the remaining deserted homes (left behind when inhabitants moved to other areas) date to that era. 

Wisconsin: 155

Though the Great Lakes state of Wisconsin has more than 150 ghost towns, many are barely intact, with a few scattered buildings or foundations. Among them is Dover, where a historic marker and a cemetery are the lone reminders of this former town. Around 700 settlers once called the place home, having been moved here by the British Temperance and Emigration Society. At its mid-1900s peak the town had everything from a wagon shop to a hotel. However, when the town was overlooked by the railroad operators, residents moved to nearby Mazomanie instead.

Oklahoma: 236

The Sooner State has more than 200 ghost towns, mostly the result of settlements built up after land runs and abandoned as quickly as they were built. Offering a slightly different story is Picher, in the far northeast of the state, which has earned the unfortunate reputation as 'the most toxic town in America'. Some 20,000 people once lived in the former mining boomtown, but dangerous levels of lead pollution meant the settlement was all but deserted by the 2000s. 

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South Dakota: 238

The northwestern state of South Dakota has more than 200 ghost towns, mostly knitted into the region's rugged Black Hills. They exist in varying states of decay and Ardmore, in the far southwest, is particularly creepy. The town – which now unfolds in a patchwork of decaying cars and decrepit houses – was founded in the 1880s and was a stop along the New Burlington Railroad. A series of devastating droughts spelled downturn for the town, which was ultimately abandoned by the railroad. Residents fled and the town was left deserted. 

Florida: 257

Imagine the Sunshine State and Mickey and Minnie might be the first thing that comes to mind. Nevertheless, Florida is much more than those dazzling Disney parks and, surprisingly, it has more than 250 ghost towns. Travelers will find everything from haunting forts (Fort Dade) to old Danish settlements (White City), and once-buzzing villages like Eldora. The latter built up during the 1870s and was a hub for affluent citrus farmers before becoming a winter resort. It was eventually deserted as tourism here declined. Now you can see sights such as the historic Eldora State House (pictured). 

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Kansas: 308

California: 346

The giant state of California is home to golden beaches, fine wine country, world-renowned ski resorts and the vast Mojave Desert – and it also plays host to almost 350 ghost towns, mostly the result of the fabled California gold rush in the 19th century. Possibly the most famous ghost town in the entire US is Bodie, a haunting abandoned spot in the Eastern Sierra. The town boomed from 1877 to 1882 and supported some 10,000 residents. Now all that's left is a string of around 200 creaking buildings which can be explored on self-guided tours. 

Unsurprisingly, given Texas' sheer size (its area is second only to that of Alaska), the Lone Star State has more ghost towns than anywhere else in the US, according to Geotab . The celebrity spot is Terlingua, a stirring abandoned settlement close to the Mexico border. It developed at the end of the 19th century, when miners came to the area to extract cinnabar, a kind of mercury ore. However, residents leaked from the town during the Second World War, plus prices for cinnabar rapidly declined, so the town was quickly left to rot. Fading buildings and moldering cars are now all that remain.   

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How the Hamas attack on Israel unfolded

JERUSALEM, Oct 7 (Reuters) - A surprise attack by Hamas on Israel, which combined gunmen breaching security barriers with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza, was launched at dawn on Saturday during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah.

The attack came 50 years and a day after Egyptian and Syrian forces launched an assault during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in an effort to retrieve territory Israel had taken during a brief conflict in 1967.

This is how it took place:

COVERING ROCKET BARRAGE

At about 6.30 a.m. (0430 GMT) Palestinian Islamist group Hamas fired a huge barrage of rockets across southern Israel, with sirens heard as far away as Tel Aviv and Beersheba.

Hamas said it had fired 5,000 rockets in a first barrage. Israel's military said 2,500 rockets were fired.

Smoke billowed over residential Israeli areas and people sheltered behind buildings as sirens sounded overhead. At least one woman was reported killed by the rockets.

DAWN INFILTRATION

The barrage served as cover for an unprecedented multi-pronged infiltration of fighters, with the Israeli military saying at 7.40 a.m. (0540 GMT) that Palestinian gunmen had crossed into Israel.

Most fighters crossed through breaches in land security barriers separating Gaza and Israel. But at least one was filmed crossing on a powered parachute while a motorboat was filmed heading to Zikim, an Israeli coastal town and military base.

Videos issued by Hamas showed fighters breaching the security fences, with the dim light and low sun suggesting it was at around the time of the rocket barrage.

One video showed at least six motorbikes with fighters crossing through a hole in a metal security barrier.

A photograph released by Hamas showed a bulldozer tearing down a section of security fence.

FIGHTING AT ISRAELI MILITARY BASES

Israel's military said at 10 a.m. that Palestinian fighters had penetrated at least three military installations around the frontier - the Erez border crossing, the Zikim base and the Gaza division headquarters at Reim. It said fighting at Erez and Zikim continued.

Hamas videos showed fighters running towards a burning building near a high concrete wall with a watchtower and fighters apparently overrunning part of an Israeli military facility and shooting from behind a wall.

[1/3] A view of a junction shows the aftermath of a mass-infiltration by Hamas gunmen from the Gaza Strip, in the Sderot area, southern Israel, October 7. REUTERS/Ammar Awad Acquire Licensing Rights

Several captured Israeli military vehicles were later pictured being driven into Gaza and paraded there.

BORDER TOWN RAIDS

Fighters raided the Israeli border town of Sderot and were reported to be in another border community, Be'eri, and the town of Ofakim 30km (20 miles) east of Gaza, according to Israeli media citing phone calls from residents.

A video verified by Reuters showed several gunmen riding the back of a white pickup truck moving through Sderot.

Many residents of southern Israeli towns have fortified areas in their homes that function as bomb shelters and on Saturday they were using them as panic rooms.

Israel's military ordered residents to shelter inside, saying on the radio "we will reach you".

By mid morning Israel's police chief Yaacov Shabtai said forces were engaging gunmen in 21 locations and at 1.30 p.m. the military said troops were still working to clear communities that had been overrun by gunmen.

A Reuters photographer saw bodies on the streets of Sderot. Israeli news media have reported at least 100 Israelis killed and 800 wounded.

Hamas videos and unverified images circulating on social media showed dead civilians, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said Hamas gunmen had gone house-to-house killing civilians.

TAKING CAPTIVES

Israeli media has reported that gunmen have seized hostages in Ofakim. Islamic Jihad said it was holding several Israeli soldiers captive and Hamas social media accounts showed footage of appearing to show captives being taken alive into Gaza.

One video showed three young men in vests, shorts and slippers being marched through a security installation with Hebrew writing on the wall. Other videos showed female captives.

Another showed fighters dragging at least two Israeli soldiers from a military vehicle.

ISRAELI STRIKES

At 9.45 a.m. blasts were heard in central Gaza and Gaza city and at 10.00 a.m. Israel's military spokesperson said the airforce was carrying out strikes in Gaza. Medics in Gaza said dozens of people were killed in the strikes.

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Reporting by Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Angus McDowall; Editing by Ros Russell

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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