Ghost Towns You Can Actually Visit

There’s a special hush that settles over a ghost town. Its not just silence, its history holding its breath. Wooden sidewalks creak underfoot, doors hang slightly ajar, and the wind whistles through empty window frames like a ghostly flute. Visiting a ghost town isn’t like strolling through a museum or a park. It’s stepping into a paused moment in time, where the bustle of miners, shopkeepers, and schoolchildren faded long ago.

The United States is peppered with these forgotten gems... remnants of gold rushes, mining booms, railroad dreams, and once-bustling desert oases. Some are tourist-ready with boardwalks and guided tours. Others are rugged and remote, where the only company might be a jackrabbit or a stray dust devil. Either way, ghost towns offer a tangible brush with the past and the thrill of knowing you’re standing where life once thrived and suddenly… didn’t.

If you’ve ever wondered where to see the bones of America’s old dreams, here’s your road map to ten ghost towns you can actually visit. Charge your camera, fill your tank, and maybe keep an eye out for spectral hitchhikers.

1. Bodie, California – The Crown Jewel of Ghost Towns

Bodie is the heavyweight champion of American ghost towns. Perched high in the Sierra Nevada near the Nevada border, this once-booming gold rush town had nearly 10,000 residents in the late 1800s. Saloons, gambling halls, and a red-light district thrived in its wild heyday.

Today, Bodie exists in what park rangers call “arrested decay.” That means the buildings are maintained in a perfect state of dusty disrepair. Peer through broken windows and you’ll see school desks, dishes, and pianos, all frozen as if the townsfolk just stepped out for lunch a century ago.

Traveler Tip: Bodie is a California State Historic Park, and the 13-mile dirt road can be rough, so bring a good vehicle and water. Also, don’t pocket any souvenirs unless you want the infamous Bodie Curse. Legend has it, misfortune follows anyone who steals from the town.

2. Rhyolite, Nevada – Skeletons in the Desert

A short drive from Death Valley, Rhyolite is the poster child of “blink and it’s gone” boomtowns. In 1905, gold fever exploded here, and investors poured millions into mines and infrastructure. The town boasted a stock exchange, a school for 250 kids, and even electricity; a rarity for the desert back then.

By 1916, the gold was gone, the bank closed, and Rhyolite crumbled. Today, the ruins are cinematic: a three-story bank with missing walls, a jail, and the famous Bottle House, built entirely from glass bottles by a thrifty miner.

Traveler Tip: Visit at sunset for an otherworldly glow. The ghostly silhouettes against the mountains will make you feel like you’ve walked onto the set of an old western… with a slight horror twist.

3. St. Elmo, Colorado – Where Chipmunks Are the Locals

Tucked into the Sawatch Range, St. Elmo is one of Colorado’s most photogenic ghost towns. Founded in 1880 as a gold and silver mining hub, it once thrived with hotels, saloons, and a telegraph office. When the railroad shut down in the 1920s, the town was abandoned.

Today, you can stroll along its perfectly preserved main street, with wooden storefronts and a general store that operates in the summer. The real stars here? Chipmunks. Dozens of them scurry through the streets, delighting visitors and stealing snacks like tiny furry bandits.

Traveler Tip: In winter, the road can be tricky. Summer and early fall are the best for access, and the changing aspens give the town a storybook feel.

4. Custer, Idaho – Mining Life Frozen in Place

Deep in the Salmon-Challis National Forest lies Custer, a gold-mining town that once housed over 600 residents. Unlike some ghost towns that are just scattered ruins, Custer feels like a movie set where everyone went home for the day.

You can explore original buildings, peek into homes with period furniture, and even visit the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge, a hulking reminder of the region’s feverish mining activity.

Traveler Tip: Combine your visit with a scenic drive on the Yankee Fork Gold Dredge tour loop—it’s a time warp into the 1800s with jaw-dropping mountain views.

5. Terlingua, Texas – The Desert’s Quirky Ghost

Terlingua is not your typical ghost town. Yes, it’s got crumbling adobe buildings, an old cemetery with wooden crosses, and the sunbaked ruins of its mercury mining days. But in true Texan fashion, it’s also… fun.

Artists, adventurers, and chili enthusiasts (yes, really) have partially repopulated Terlingua, turning it into a quirky mix of the living and the dead. There’s a famous annual Chili Cook-Off that brings the desert roaring back to life each year.

Traveler Tip: Grab a cold drink at the Starlight Theatre, a former cinema-turned-restaurant where you can dine under the bones of history.

6. Grafton, Utah – Straight Out of a Western Movie

If Grafton looks familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen it on the big screen. This picturesque ghost town, just outside Zion National Park, was famously featured in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” during the bicycle scene.

Founded in 1859, Grafton battled floods, harsh winters, and isolation before its last residents gave up in the 1940s. Today, several restored homes and a haunting cemetery remain, surrounded by red cliffs and cottonwood trees.

Traveler Tip: Pair your visit with a Zion trip... but don’t expect snack stands or facilities here. Bring water and a camera.

7. Garnet, Montana – Hidden in the Rockies

Montana is full of mining ghosts, but Garnet feels like the real deal. Hidden deep in the Garnet Mountain Range, it sprang to life in the 1890s with saloons, hotels, and dance halls echoing with the clink of gold dust.

Today, it’s a seasonally staffed historic site, with walking trails and cabins that look ready to welcome 19th-century prospectors back any minute. In winter, it’s only accessible by snowmobile or cross-country ski, making it a true adventure for the intrepid.

Traveler Tip: Visit in late summer to avoid snow and get full access to the trails without the deep freeze.

8. Calico, California – Silver, Sun, and Stagecoaches

Calico is the Disneyland of ghost towns, and we mean that in the best way. Founded in 1881 during the silver boom, it went bust by the 1890s but was later restored as a tourist attraction by Walter Knott (of Knott’s Berry Farm fame).

Visitors can pan for silver, ride a little train, explore the old mine, and grab a sarsaparilla in an old-timey saloon. Purists might scoff at the tourist touches, but it’s a fantastic family-friendly intro to ghost towns.

Traveler Tip: Aim for the cooler months... summer heat there can fry eggs on your tailgate.

9. Kennecott, Alaska – The Edge of Civilization

For true adventurers, Kennecott is the holy grail. This abandoned copper mining town in Wrangell–St. Elias National Park is so remote that getting there feels like an expedition. The towering red mill clings to the mountainside like a ladder to nowhere, and rusted equipment lies scattered across the tundra.

Kennecott boomed in the early 1900s and died by 1938. Today, it’s a National Historic Landmark, and guided tours let you explore the immense, creaky mill buildings.

Traveler Tip: You’ll need to plan carefully... this trip requires a long gravel road drive or a small plane, and services are minimal. But the payoff? Breathtaking wilderness and a true end-of-the-road feeling.

10. Thurmond, West Virginia – The Railroad That Stopped

Tucked along the New River Gorge, Thurmond is a ghost town born from coal and railroads. In the early 1900s, this tiny town was a bustling stop for steam locomotives and rowdy railroaders.

Today, the train depot is restored, but the brick hotels and empty storefronts stand in quiet testament to a bygone era. Amtrak trains still rumble through, but few passengers ever get off.

Traveler Tip: It’s now part of New River Gorge National Park, making it a perfect side trip for hikers and rafters exploring the gorge.

Walking With History (and Maybe Ghosts)

There’s something humbling about ghost towns. They’re reminders that even booming cities can vanish, leaving only wind, wood, and whispers behind. Walking through an abandoned street where laughter once echoed and lanterns once glowed is a strange mix of awe and melancholy.

So whether you’re chasing golden-hour photos, old west history, or maybe just the thrill of feeling watched by someone who isn’t there. Ghost towns are America’s most hauntingly beautiful road trip stops.

Just remember: take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and keep an ear open for that rocking chair creaking in the wind.