The Coolest Ghost Towns In America

You can't actually visit Westworld, but these are the next best things.

By Sienna Fantozzi

If you're looking for somewhere to travel this fall, consider a spot that combines history with some eerie, paranormal vibes. It is the Halloween season, after all. These abandoned ghost towns are the coolest — and also the creepiest — in America. Here's hoping you make it back alive.


1

Bodie, California

Often said to be the best ghost town in the West, the former mining town in the Sierra Nevadas feels frozen in time. Visitors can stroll the deserted streets, peek in the windows of the church, schoolhouse, barbershop, and saloon, and scope out the several old relics that still remain in tact today.

2

St. Elmo, Colorado

If you're looking for paranormal activity, this boasts the most of any ghost town in the state of Colorado. The gold and silver mining town was founded in 1880 and was abandoned when the mining industry began to decline in 1922.

3

Rhyolite, Nevada

Like many ghost towns, Rhyolite was born in a gold rush. At it's peak, it had three train lines, three newspapers, three swimming pools, three hospitals, and 53 saloons. One of the most unique buildings that still stands today is the Kelly bottle house, built completely out of medicine, beer, and whisky bottles.

4

Calico, California

The deserted mining town is located in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert. You can go on a railroad trip around the hill, visit the old silver mine, or even experience some paranormal activity on a ghost tour.

5

Thurmond, West Virginia

Five residents still call this nearly-abandoned train town home, and a few of the original buildings, including the abandoned C&O Coaling Tower and Sand House, the three-story Goldman-Kincaid and Mankin-Cox Buildings, the old National Bank of Thurmond, and several homes, still stand.

6

Terlingua, Texas

The mining town near the Rio Grande was completely abandoned by 1940, but today, many artists and eccentrics call it home. People live in cars, caves, and even teepees, most without water or electricity.