Shafter Lake

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

Shafter Lake is a ghost town in Andrews County, Texas, United States, located four miles west of U.S. Route 385 on the shores of a large salt playa named Shafter Lake. It became a ghost town after the town lost an election for county seat of Andrews County.

The on-the-ground condition of Shafter Lake 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 Shafter Lake 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 Shafter Lake is roughly 32.4044, -102.6661 — 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.