11 Abandoned Ghost Towns in the U.S. You Can Still Visit

The rapid expansion west helped U.S. towns blossom all over the United States. Be it for their fertile land or stellar trading, tiny townships once boomed across the nation — until one day, they didn’t. Abandoned because of illness, collapsing industry, or merely because their once lively citizens moved on, these communities became known as “ghost towns.” 

Perfectly (or near perfectly) preserved relics of our past can be found around the nation. As The New York Times reported, some 3,800 ghost towns exist in America, mostly abandoned between the 19th and 20th centuries for greener pastures and big city dreams. However, just because no one lives there doesn’t mean you can’t visit.

Here are 11 ghost towns in the U.S. you can still experience today.

Silver City, Bodfish California 

Saving Silver City, located in California’s Kern River Valley, was a major labor of love. According to Sierra Nevada Geotourism, the 20-plus buildings that remain preserved to this day are thanks to the efforts of Dave and Arvilla Mills, who painstakingly worked to move the structures to a safe location as they were slated for demolition in the 1960s. Through their hard work, visitors today can see the buildings used in the mining camps around the area, as well as settler housing and even an old jail. The town now operates as a museum and is open seven days a week. 

St. Elmo, Colorado

Founded in 1880, St. Elmo was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. Some 2,000 people eventually moved here looking for their little piece of prosperity, but by the early 20th century, the mines ran dry. So, the townspeople “rode the last train out of town and never came back,” according to its website. You can see their almost perfectly preserved homes and storefronts by visiting the community during the summer months. 

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