Ghost Towns to Visit This Halloween
Every town below is in our directory of 4,644 ghost towns, with its status and access taken from our own listings. The eerie part is real: empty streets and verified history. We haven't invented a single haunting, legend, or death for this list — and where a town isn't open to visitors, we say so.
1. Bodie, CaliforniaMono County, California
Our listing, in full: “The flagship California ghost town; about 200 buildings preserved in arrested decay.”
Start here if you want the full streetscape: a state-park town held in arrested decay, with the buildings and streets left much as they were. Go in daylight, stay on the marked routes, and leave every artifact exactly where it lies.
2. Bannack, MontanaBeaverhead County, Montana
Our listing, in full: “Montana's first territorial capital; 60+ buildings.”
Another state-park survivor, with dozens of buildings still standing along its main street. Park rules apply — look and photograph, but don't take so much as a nail home.
3. Moonville, OhioVinton County, Ohio
Our listing, in full: “Iron furnace town; haunted tunnel.”
This is the one entry whose own listing leans into the season: our directory describes Moonville as an iron furnace town with a haunted tunnel. What remains above ground is foundations, and the site is publicly accessible — bring a flashlight for the tunnel mouth and watch your footing.
4. Ballarat, CaliforniaInyo County, California
Our listing, in full: “Supply town for the Panamint mines; adobe ruins and a store shell.”
A supply town for the Panamint mines, now partial ruins with public access. Adobe walls and a store shell are what you'll find — photogenic, fragile, and best appreciated from a respectful distance.
5. Belmont, NevadaNye County, Nevada
Our listing, in full: “Former county seat; courthouse and Monitor-Belmont mill.”
6. Amboy, CaliforniaSan Bernardino County, California — roadside only
Our listing, in full: “Route 66 stop with the iconic Roy's Motel sign; mostly abandoned.”
A roadside stop only: our directory lists Amboy's access as private, so take in the iconic Roy's Motel sign from the road and keep driving Route 66. Don't cross fences or wander the abandoned buildings — this one is a drive-by, not an exploration.
7. Centralia, PennsylvaniaColumbia County, Pennsylvania — read about it, don't visit
Our listing, in full: “Coal mine fire burning since 1962; most buildings gone.”
Read about this one — do not visit. Our directory lists Centralia as demolished with restricted access: most buildings are gone, and a coal mine fire has been burning beneath it since 1962. It's the eeriest story on this list precisely because there is almost nothing left to see.
Plan your own route
Planning a Halloween road trip of your own? Use the ghost towns near me finder to see which ghost towns are actually near you, or browse the state hubs to build a route state by state. Wherever you end up: take only photographs, and leave every ruin standing for the next visitor.