Lookout

West Virginia's ghost towns are coal company towns, owned outright by the mine and abandoned the same way.

Mt. Lookout is a small unincorporated community in Nicholas County, West Virginia, United States, 10 miles (16 km) south of Summersville. Mount Lookout is located at 38°10′00″N 80°54′42″W (38.1667776, -80.9117644). It lies 1,965 feet (599 m) above sea level. Mount Lookout's name is descriptive of the elevated town site. Mount Lookout has a post office with the ZIP Code 26678. Post Office Box service is available as well as highway contract street delivery. As of 2016, there is (1) delivery route serving the community Mount Lookout has (1) elementary school, Mt.

The on-the-ground condition of Lookout 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 Lookout 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 Lookout is roughly 38.1667, -80.9117 — 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.