Etholen

Texas ghost towns run the full arc: cattle railheads, cotton towns the boll weevil broke, and oil booms that went bust.

Etholen is a ghost town in Hudspeth County, Texas, United States, allegedly located four miles west of Sierra Blanca. Different sources claim different things about when the town was founded, but particularly it was during the 1880s. Etholen never grew to more than a small railroad station on the Southern Pacific Railroad, as the population was fewer than 25 by the mid-20th century. Etholen was removed from maps in the 1960s.

The on-the-ground condition of Etholen is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Etholen is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Etholen is roughly 31.2256, -105.4244 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.