Ghost towns are a unique attraction that America does better than perhaps anywhere else in the world. While some people like them as they provide a window into the past, others appreciate the haunting feeling that such a desolate and dilapidated location can provide.
Due to a combination of its vast size and the fact that the United States is relatively young when compared to places throughout Europe, there are fantastic ghost towns dotted all over the country.
However, due to the unique history and style of the wild west, as well as the dry climate of the region helping to preserve buildings and artefacts, the ghost towns in the western United States tend to stand out more than others.
Nowhere is this truer than in the southwest states of Arizona and California, which between them have an incredible collection of ghost towns, many of which are in reasonable driving distance from one another.
With that in mind, we have decided to compile a list of the very best ghost towns in California and Arizona, to help people plan a perfect trip into the past, no matter whether they want to see just one or plan a road trip through all of them.
The Best Ghost Towns In California
Silver City Ghost Town
The Silver City Ghost Town is an old west town that has been immaculately preserved, making it an ideal place to get a better idea of what 19th century California would have looked like.
From the various buildings, complete with their historic artefacts, to guided tours and even a small gift shop selling supplies and souvenirs, this is a ghost town that will leave a lasting impression on most.
3829 Lake Isabella Boulevard, Bodfish, 93205
Masonic Mining Camp/Chemung Mine
The Chemung Mine is a wonderfully preserved gold mine that gives people the opportunity to get a little taste of the California Gold Rush, while the nearby Masonic Mining Camp features a small mining cabin that demonstrates just how poor and isolated these miners really were while hoping to strike it rich.
Bridgeport, 93517
Cerro Gordo Ghost Town
The Cerro Gordo Ghost Town features a collection of historic buildings that are slowly being restored, giving you a chance to see both what the town would once have looked like, and just what a toll the elements and time truly take on a town.
The current owners of the town even regularly give visitors history lessons to help you truly immerse yourself in the location, while a gift shop gives you a chance to buy souvenirs to help you remember your visit.
Cerro Gordo Road, Keeler, 93530
Old Chinese Camp Town
Old Chinese Camp Town features the remains of one of the 1850s mining towns in California that were largely operated by Chinese miners. This provides a great chance for you to experience a slightly different sort of ghost town, especially as numerous plaques dotted throughout the town help to give you an in depth guide to the town’s history.
The town includes everything from a perfectly preserved church and cemetery that boast a traditional western aesthetic, to a general store which still sells refreshments, making it a truly unique, exciting and enjoyable place to visit.
10001 – 10015 Main Street, Chinese Camp, 95309
Bodie State Historic Park
Bodie State Historic Park is comfortably one of the very best ghost towns in the entire nation. An immaculately preserved gold and silver mining town in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, it is perhaps the best place to visit in order to learn about the boom period of the California gold rush.
With guided and self-guided tours available, you have plenty of choice when it comes to how you want to experience attractions like a stamp mill, a stunning church, and even a museum that helps you really dig into the history of both the town and the industry it is known for.
CA-270, Bridgeport, 93517
Leadfield Ghost Town
The Leadfield Ghost Town is set on the remains of yet another historic mining town. With a clearly visible mine shaft entrance, multiple surrounding buildings that you are able to enter, and petroglyphs and historic markers which provide information on the history of the town, it can be considered a hidden gem of a ghost town, especially as it is a location which has not yet been overrun by tourists.
Leadfield Road, Death Valley National Park
Ballarat Ghost Town
Ballarat Ghost Town is a small ghost town that lies on the outskirts of Death Valley National Park, and features just a few dilapidated buildings, as well as a collection of broken down, historic cars. Perhaps the real selling points of the town though, are the fact that it still has one remaining resident who is usually available to provide insights into the history of the town.
There is then also a general store which is still in operation, making for a great opportunity to use a working toilet or purchase essential supplies and Ballarat souvenirs in the middle of the desert.
Ballarat Road, Trona, 93592
Panamint City
Located just a short drive from the previous town, Panamint City lies in the Panamint mountains and was a booming copper and silver mining town that sprung into existence in 1872.
However, a flash flood almost completely destroyed the town in 1876, and there hasn’t even been a functional road into it since a second flood in 1983. While the 7 and a half mile hike required to reach Panamint City will put many people off, as will its dilapidated condition, the lack of any other people and isolated feeling that it offers may be exactly what some people are looking for from a ghost town.
Surprise Canyon Road, Death Valley National Park,
Drawbridge
Drawbridge is a historic settlement in south San Francisco Bay, just a short way off of the Pacific Coast Highway, which boasts a number of enticing features and structures, including a railroad Station. Unfortunately, the reason for its abandonment in 1979 was the fact that the town gradually started sinking into the surrounding marshland.
Said area has since been designated a wildlife refuge. This means it is not currently legal to visit the town, so anyone who wants to do more than just see it from a distance needs to be aware that they do so at their own risk.
Drawbridge, Fremont, 94538
Goffs CA
Goffs CA is a small ghost town featuring a collection of dilapidated buildings that includes a diner, school, and houses, and even a selection of broken down vehicles such as old buses.
A new museum also provides a perfect opportunity to learn a little bit about the town’s history, and a still active level crossing can really help you understand first hand what the town may have been like during the height of the railroad.
119246 Goffs Road, Essex, 92332
Calico Ghost Town
Calico Ghost Town is an old west mining town in the southern California mountains that is perhaps the most impressive ghost town in the entire United States, as well as one of the most visited.
Located just off of the historic Route 66, on the main route between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, it has been expertly restored to give people a real chance to see exactly how a wild west town would have looked.
With buildings such as a jail, town hall, and blacksmiths shop to explore, a mine you can tour, a saloon where you can enjoy a traditional sarsaparilla, and a gift shop where you can purchase souvenirs and locally produced, handcrafted products, it is a ghost town experience unlike anywhere else in the world.
36600 Ghost Town Road, Yermo, 92398
The Best Ghost Towns In Arizona
Vulture City Ghost Town
Vulture City sits just northwest of Phoenix and was built around the old Vulture Mine. Established in 1863, it is the largest mine ever discovered in Arizona, and the surrounding city boomed until the early 1940s, when it was abandoned due to the mine drying up.
It features a collection of both dilapidated and restored buildings and structures, creating a perfect destination for fans of all types of ghost towns.
With its structures including a collection of stone and abode buildings like saloons, gas stations, hotels, brothels, homes, offices, store houses, homes, and mess halls, it provides a true glimpse into life in the old west, while the 2 hour guided walking tour of the mine itself is always an exciting experience.
36610 355th Avenue, Wickenburg, Arizona, 85390
Gold King Ghost Town & Mine
Located between Coconino and Prescott national forests, Gold King Ghost Town & Mine features the remains of a historic gold mine, as well as a selection of dilapidated buildings, broken down classic cars and trucks, statues, and artefacts dating back more than 100 years.
Given that it receives much lower footfall than most ghost towns of this calibre, it is a great option for people who want to explore without too many other people around, especially as it also features a gift shop selling souvenirs and supplies.
Perkinsville Road, Jerome, Arizona, 86331
Hackberry
Hackberry is a small, unincorporated former mining town on Route 66 that was founded in 1874. Mostly abandoned since 1919, it boasts a number of historic cars, garages, gas stations, and fuel pumps, as well as a functioning general store, music hall, motel, and 1920s coal kiln.
While still having some permanent residents may put some people off, it is an absolute can’t miss for ghost town fans who also have an affinity for Route 66.
Hackberry, Arizona, 86411
Fairbank
Founded in 1881, Fairbank was at one point the closest rail station to Tombstone, one of the biggest and most famous towns in the old west, as well as the closest stagecoach station to Bisbee, another booming town of the era. This helped it become a vibrant hub just based on its transport connections alone.
It went into decline over a period of 50 years as all of the surrounding mines began to dry up, and has been a total ghost town since the 1970s. Boasting the dilapidated remains of a general store, saloon, post office, hotel, schoolhouse, stable, outhouse, houses, and railroad bridges and platforms, it is a truly fantastic place to explore.
Fairbank, Arizona, 85616
Oatman
Oatman was a booming town for almost 50 years from the early to mid-1900s, due to over $10 million worth of gold being discovered there. Located just off of Route 66, it features historic buildings and parts of mines to help you explore its past, as well as panoramic views of Route 66 to enjoy.
A unique selling point it has over most ghost towns is the fact that wild burros roam the town, and horse and cart rides are sometimes offered, making it feel far more alive than most. There is then even a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs to remember the experience.
Oatman, Arizona, 86433
Chloride
Chloride was founded in 1863 as a silver mining camp, and it is the oldest continually lived in mining town in Arizona and maintains its oldest constantly operated post office.
Much of the town unfortunately burned down in a fire in the 1920s, so you can’t see exactly how it would have looked in its heyday. Despite that though, a collection of mines, buildings like a playhouse and jail, and murals made from brightly coloured painted boulders still make it a fantastic place to experience.
Chloride, Arizona, 86431
Swansea
Swansea is a small ghost town from the early 1900s that sits right on the California border. While many of its structures have been damaged by vandals or the weather, the adobe buildings, cemeteries, mine shafts, homes, foundations, and even vintage cars that remain still make it a very fun place to visit.
Swansea, Arizona, 85325
Agua Caliente
Founded in 1744 near the hot springs it is named after, at its peak Agua Caliente was a booming ranch and resort. Having closed due to the springs drying up, most of the area is fairly overgrown and uncared for.
However, with an impressive selection of remaining structures that include a hotel, store, caretaker’s quarters, a stone house and more, spread out over quite a large area, it is one of the best ghost towns around for people seeking a real adventure.
Agua Caliente, Arizona, 85333
Two Guns
Set just off of Route 66, on the edge of the Navajo Nation, Two Guns features the remnants of a service station, campground, trading post, zoo, and cottages. While far smaller than most of the other towns on this list, it is still well worth a visit, especially if you factor in nearby attractions like Canyon Diablo Bridge and Apache Death Cave.
Two Guns, Arizona, 86047
Goldfield Ghost Town & Mine
Goldfield Ghost Town & Mine sits about ten miles east of Scottsdale. Founded in the 1890s and abandoned 30 years later, it is not a total ghost town, as some people have moved back and gradually either restored or preserved its historic buildings.
In addition to seeing the town itself, you can even tour the old gold mines, engage in activities like horse riding, gold panning, shooting, and ziplining, explore the museums and gift shops, and drink at a historic saloon. This makes it a ghost town that will have something for virtually everyone to enjoy.
4650 North Mammoth Mine Road, Apache Junction, Arizona, 85119
Seneca Lake
Unlike the other entries on this list, Seneca Lake is actually an abandoned 1970s summer camp, rather than a town. Definitely a destination that has seen better days, it is still a unique place to explore in a stunning setting, and an absolute can’t miss for fans of the Friday The 13th franchise.
Seneca Lake, Arizona, 85550
Ruby
Originally called the Montana Camp, Ruby was established in 1877 as a mining town that produced huge quantities of a number of metals.
Despite that, it is most famous for being the site of the infamous Ruby Murders and the manhunt that followed them in the 1920s.
One of the best preserved ghost towns in Arizona, you can explore numerous buildings including a jail, school, mine building filled with machinery and workings, and houses, most of which are almost completely intact, making it a truly can’t miss opportunity for ghost town aficionados.
Ruby, Arizona, 85621
Kentucky Camp
Kentucky Camp was a short-lived mining camp from the early 1900s which has been listed on the U.S. National Register Of Historic Places since 1995.
With the United States Forest Service maintaining its buildings, it is one of the best opportunities in the nation to see perfectly preserved structures and artefacts and learn about the history of the region.
Kentucky Camp, Sonoita, Arizona, 85637
Nothing
Unlike most ghost towns, Nothing is not a town from the distant past, as it was only founded in 1977 and abandoned in 2005, and never had a booming population, with its peak being just 4 people.
However, with sites like a convenience store, gas station, and small number of other dilapidated buildings, it makes for a quick, easy, and unique opportunity to experience just off of the highway.
Nothing, Arizona, 85360
Castle Dome Landing
Castle Dome Landing was an 1860s mining and railroad camp that predates the state of Arizona itself. Its unique feature is that it boasted a port to enable steamboats on the Colorado River to transport the lead that it produced. A vital location throughout both world wars, it was abandoned in 1978 and the port submerged beneath its waters.
Today, a large portion of the town has been converted into a living museum that features over 50 restored buildings, most of which are complete with mannequins and artefacts. This enables it to truly tell the story of one of America’s most important yet under the radar locations.
Castle Dome Landing, Arizona, 85365
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