Best Ghost Town Road Trips: 10 Epic Routes Across America Multi-day itineraries for exploring clusters of abandoned places - with maps, mileage, and must-see stops ## Why Road Trip to Ghost Towns? Ghost towns rarely exist in isolation. Mining booms, railroad routes, and geographic features created clusters of abandoned settlements across the American West. A road trip lets you experience multiple sites while enjoying spectacular scenery between stops. ## Trip Planning Essentials Before hitting the road: | Item | Recommendation | |------|----------------| | Vehicle | High-clearance SUV or truck preferred | | Season | Spring and fall for most routes | | Fuel | Fill up in towns - remote stations are rare | | Supplies | Water, food, first aid, spare tire | | Navigation | Download offline maps (cell coverage spotty) | | Camping gear | Some routes are far from hotels | --- ## Route 1: California Gold Country Classic Duration: 3-4 days Distance: ~250 miles Best Season: April-November Base: Sacramento or Placerville ### The Route 1. Placerville - Gateway to Gold Country 2. Coloma - Where gold was first discovered (Marshall Gold Discovery State Park) 3. Downieville - Remote mountain mining town 4. Alleghany - Active mining still happens here 5. Columbia State Historic Park - Living history museum 6. Chinese Camp - Remnants of Chinese immigrant miners' community 7. Hornitos - Authentic ruins, Joaquin Murrieta legend 8. Bodie - California's crown jewel ghost town ### Highlights - Marshall Gold Discovery State Park - Scenic Highway 49 winding through Sierra foothills - Bodie's 170+ preserved structures --- ## Route 2: Nevada's Loneliest Road Duration: 4-5 days Distance: ~380 miles Best Season: May-October Base: Reno or Las Vegas ### The Route 1. Rhyolite - Bottle House and Goldwell sculptures 2. Bullfrog - Mining district near Rhyolite 3. Goldfield - Still semi-inhabited, great hotels 4. Tonopah - Historic mining center (overnight stay recommended) 5. Belmont - Courthouse and mill ruins 6. Austin - Historic Pony Express town 7. Berlin - Intact ghost town with ichthyosaur fossils 8. Virginia City - The Comstock Lode's greatest city ### Highlights - Extraterrestrial Highway nearby - Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park - Tonopah's famous Clown Motel --- ## Route 3: Colorado's Mining Triangle Duration: 3-4 days Distance: ~150 miles (all high-altitude) Best Season: July-September only (snow!) Base: Durango or Silverton ### The Route 1. Silverton - Still alive, historic downtown 2. Animas Forks - Iconic 12,000 ft ghost town 3. Eureka - Mill ruins in spectacular alpine setting 4. Howardsville - Mining camp remnants 5. Ophir - Precarious mountain mining site 6. Telluride (optional) - Former mining town, now ski resort ### Highlights - Million Dollar Highway scenic drive - Durango & Silverton Railroad - Alpine wildflower season (July) ### [WARNING] Warning Many Colorado ghost towns require 4x4 vehicles and are inaccessible until mid-summer. Roads can wash out. Check conditions locally. --- ## Route 4: Arizona Copper Country Duration: 3 days Distance: ~200 miles Best Season: October-April (avoid summer heat) Base: Phoenix or Tucson ### The Route 1. Jerome - America's largest ghost town (now artsy) 2. Clarkdale - Verde Canyon Railroad departure point 3. Vulture City - Private ghost town with tours 4. Wickenburg - Historic mining center 5. Oatman - Wild burros roam the streets 6. Tombstone - "The Town Too Tough to Die" 7. Bisbee - Former copper town, now hip destination ### Highlights - Jerome's vertiginous hillside setting - Gunfight reenactments at the O.K. Corral - Bisbee's Queen Mine Tour --- ## Route 5: Montana's Ghost Town Trail Duration: 4-5 days Distance: ~300 miles Best Season: June-September Base: Butte or Helena ### The Route 1. Butte - America's richest hill (still has population) 2. Anaconda - Smelter stack visible for miles 3. Granite - High-altitude silver town 4. Phillipsburg - Sapphire mining, candy store 5. Garnet - Excellently preserved ghost town 6. Bannack - Montana's first territorial capital 7. Virginia City - Montana's other famous ghost town 8. Nevada City - Open-air museum of buildings ### Highlights - Bannack Days festival (July) - Ghost hunting at Garnet (reportedly very active) - Sapphire panning in Phillipsburg --- ## Route 6: Texas Hill Country Ruins Duration: 2-3 days Distance: ~180 miles Best Season: March-May, October-November Base: Austin or San Antonio ### The Route 1. Luckenbach - Tiny, famous for music scene 2. Gruene - Historic district, live music 3. Indianola - Hurricane-destroyed port town 4. Shafter - Remote mining town (permits required) 5. Terlingua - Near Big Bend, chili cookoff fame ### Highlights - Live music at Gruene Hall - Big Bend National Park nearby - Famous Terlingua chili cookoff (November) --- ## Route 7: Pacific Northwest Logging & Mining Duration: 3-4 days Distance: ~250 miles Best Season: June-October Base: Seattle or Portland ### The Route 1. Roslyn, WA - Northern Exposure filming location 2. Liberty, WA - Gold mining ghost town 3. Shaniko, OR - "Ghost Town of Oregon" 4. Boyd, OR - Railroad ghost town 5. Golden, OR - Former mining camp church remains ### Highlights - Cascade Range scenery - Historic Route 97 - Semi-arid Oregon high desert --- ## Route 8: New Mexico's Turquoise Trail Duration: 2-3 days Distance: ~120 miles Best Season: Year-round (high desert) Base: Albuquerque or Santa Fe ### The Route 1. Golden - Church ruins 2. Madrid - Artist colony in former coal town 3. Cerrillos - Turquoise mining history 4. Mogollon - Remote mountain ghost town 5. Shakespeare - Private ghost town near Lordsburg (tours only) 6. Lake Valley - Once world's largest silver deposits ### Highlights - Madrid's quirky art scene - Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway - Incredible New Mexico light for photographers --- ## Route 9: Alaska's Gold Rush Trail Duration: 5-7 days Distance: ~400+ miles Best Season: June-August only Base: Anchorage or Fairbanks ### The Route 1. Kennecott - Massive copper mine ruins (Wrangell-St. Elias NP) 2. McCarthy - Gateway town to Kennecott 3. Chitina - Historic railroad town 4. Talkeetna - Not a ghost town, but essential stop 5. Independence Mine - Hatcher Pass mining ruins 6. Chatanika - Gold dredge and camp remnants ### Highlights - Kennecott's red mill buildings against glaciers - Bush plane flights available for remote sites - Northern lights possible in late August ### [WARNING] Note Alaska requires more planning. Roads are rough, services are sparse, and weather is unpredictable. --- ## Route 10: Utah's Silver Belt Duration: 2-3 days Distance: ~200 miles Best Season: May-October Base: Salt Lake City ### The Route 1. Park City - Former mining town, now ski resort 2. Eureka - Once called "richest city in Utah" 3. Mercur - Ruins of massive gold operation 4. Ophir - Well-preserved canyon town 5. Frisco - Beehive kilns and smelter ruins 6. Grafton - Near Zion, famous from Butch Cassidy ### Highlights - Grafton's scenic cemetery - Frisco's 5-story beehive charcoal kilns - Easy combo with Zion or Bryce Canyon --- ## Road Trip Pro Tips 1. Start early - Gates at state parks open at dawn, crowds arrive later 2. Pack lunch - Restaurant options are limited in remote areas 3. Carry cash - Some entrance fees are cash-only 4. Document your route - GPS tracks help when roads aren't marked 5. Be flexible - Weather and road conditions change plans ## What to Pack Beyond the basics: - Tow strap - You might need to rescue (or be rescued) - Shovel - Mud and sand happen - Paper maps - Backup for when technology fails - Camping gear - Opens up more options - Camera with extra batteries - No charging stations --- Last Updated: December 2024 Have a favorite ghost town road trip? Share your route with us!