10 Spookiest Abandoned Towns in America You Can Still Visit

America’s ghost towns are more than mere relics of history; When time passes and stories begin to turn to legend, these creepy places remain as points where the past clings to a physical entity – be it a weathered brick, rusty rail, or a creaky wooden board.

Like a story frozen in time, these forgotten ghost towns have been abandoned to the elements. Their very rooms have been reclaimed by nature and echo with the whispers of long-gone inhabitants.

Centralia, Pennsylvania

Centralia is an eerily haunting location. Known as the real-life inspiration for the horror video game and movie “Silent Hill”, it is one of the most famous ghost towns in America. It was a thriving mining town before a coal mine fire ignited beneath the surface in 1962 and it was evacuated. Those fires are still burning today and there are surreal scenes of steam rushing upwards from cracks in the ground. With very few people now willing to live there, Centralia has become one of the most intriguing ghost towns you can still visit in the US today.

Bodie, California

Perched somewhere in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Bodie is one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the country. In the late 1800s, it boomed during the gold rush, but it fizzled out quickly after the mines dried up. Today it’s a state historic park with more than 100 structures standing. Bodie is believed to be an unparalleled window into California’s gold rush era. Local legend warns that anything taken from Bodie, even a pebble, brings bad luck.

Glenrio, Texas/New Mexico

Glenrio was a Route 66 stop, straddling the Texas-New Mexico border. In the 1970s, when the interstate bypassed the town, its businesses withered away leaving behind a shell of a community. Walking through Glenrio is like going through an old photo album of roadside Americana. You’ll find empty gas stations, and motels that still have old faded signage — a sad reminder of the glory days this town once saw.

Cahawba, Alabama

Cahawba was Alabama’s first state capital and a thriving town until it was abandoned after the Civil War. All that’s left behind is a ghost town of ruins, cemeteries, and a terrifying reputation of regular hauntings and paranormal activities.

Rhyolite, Nevada

Somewhat similar in history to Bodie, In the early 1900s, Rhyolite experienced a short-lived gold rush boom, but by 1920 it was a ghost town. Located close to Death Valley, this lonely town hosts forgotten locations, dilapidated structures, old buildings, a long-crashed bank, and the quite recognizable ‘Bottle House,’ constructed wholly of bottles. According to recent reports from the Nevada State Museum, Rhyolite still attracts thousands of tourists with its mysterious past.

Terlingua, Texas

Once a thriving mining community during its time in the rugged Big Bend area called Terlingua, today it’s a ghost town with a twist. Although many buildings are crumbling, they cling to an intriguing half-life. There’s an annual chili cook and visitors can tour Adobe ruins, explore the cemetery, and visit the nearby Big Bend National Park.

Jerome, Arizona

Jerome was nicknamed the “Wickedest Town in the West”. It was a copper mining hub that went from 15,000 people to 50 after the mines closed in the 1950s. Today, it’s a tourist-friendly ghost town with an artsy vibe. The eerie Jerome Grand Hotel used to be a hospital and holds stories of ghostly apparitions and unexplained noises to keep you from sleeping well.

Thurmond, West Virginia

Thurmond was once a booming coal town, now it’s nearly deserted with only five residents reported in the last census. The town’s train depot, which is as well preserved as one would expect of a depot, the abandoned buildings, and its eerily quiet streets make it look like the town is trapped in the past.

Kennecott, Alaska

This abandoned copper mining town located deep in the remote wilderness of Alaska, feels like the edge of the earth. Kennecott was a busy operation in its heyday but was deserted in the 1930s. Today, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park visitors can tour old mill buildings and descend glaciers nearby. Abandoned buildings and desolate geography enhance Kennecott’s isolation and its haunting effect.

St. Elmo, Colorado

St. Elmo is one of Colorado’s best-preserved ghost towns tucked away in the Rockies. It was a lively mining community until early in the 20th century when it became abandoned. One can explore old buildings like the general store and saloon and take in the lonely aura of this forgotten town. There is also a popular legend about this place. Some say the town is haunted by the ghost of longtime resident Annabelle Stark, who never wanted to leave.

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