Ghost Towns in Texas
43 documented ghost towns
Explore on Map
History
Explore the ghost towns of Texas.
All Ghost Towns
Albany
Albany hosts the 'Fort Griffin Fandangle,' Texas's longest-running outdoor musical since 1938. The Old Jail Art Center displays notable Western art. N...
Barstow
Barstow flourished using irrigation from the Pecos River, growing grapes and melons. In 1904, a dam broke, salinating the soil and ruining the farms. ...
Belcherville
Belcherville was a thriving farming community in North Texas. The town had two churches, a school, cotton gins, and general stores. When highways bypa...
Boquillas
Boquillas was a mining town at the Rio Grande crossing to Mexico. The American side is now in Big Bend NP. You can legally cross by rowboat to the Mex...
Brackett
Brackett grew up around Fort Clark, a cavalry post. When the fort closed, the town shrank dramatically but survives as a living ghost town....
Calvert
Calvert was once the largest inland cotton shipper west of the Mississippi. Victorian buildings lined Main Street, and 7,000 people called it home. Wh...
Catarina
Catarina exploded during the 1920s oil boom to 5,000 people. When wells ran dry and the Depression hit, the town collapsed to a few dozen....
Fayette
Fayette was an important town during the Texas Republic. The county was named for it. But when the railroad went to La Grange, Fayette's reason to exi...
Fort Davis
Fort Davis was a key military post protecting travelers and mail routes. Buffalo Soldiers (African American cavalry) served here. The fort is the best...
Fort Griffin
Fort Griffin's civilian town 'The Flat' was legendary for lawlessness - Wyatt Earp's wife came from here. Now a state historic site with ruins and lon...
Fort Leaton
Fort Leaton was built by Ben Leaton, a scalp hunter and trader. The massive adobe fortress was a trading post for Apache, Comanche, and Mexican trader...
Fort McKavett
Fort McKavett was established to protect settlers from Comanche raids. It's now Texas's best-restored frontier fort with 25 buildings. Buffalo Soldier...
Glenrio
Glenrio straddled the Texas-New Mexico border on Route 66. The town had a unique setup - Texas was dry, so the bar was in New Mexico; New Mexico banne...
Grapetown
German settlers founded Grapetown to grow grapes and make wine. The town had a school, store, and dance hall. As Fredericksburg grew, Grapetown faded....
Gruene
Gruene (pronounced 'green') was a prosperous cotton town founded by German immigrants. The Great Depression and boll weevil infestation nearly killed ...
Helena
Helena was the county seat until losing a bitter 'courthouse war' with Karnes City. The courthouse was even stolen at night. Only cemetery and foundat...
Hueco Tanks
Hueco Tanks served as a Butterfield Overland Mail stage stop in 1858-59. The rock basins (huecos) held precious water. Over 3,000 pictographs from cul...
Indian Hot Springs
Indian Hot Springs is one of Texas's most remote access points on the Rio Grande. According to legend, Geronimo and other Apache leaders bathed here. ...
Indianola
Indianola was Texas's second-largest port, gateway for German immigrants and the famous camel experiment. An 1875 hurricane killed 300 and destroyed m...
Lajitas
Lajitas was a trading post and mining supply town that became a near-ghost. It's now been developed into a luxury golf resort but retains some histori...
Langtry
Langtry was home to Judge Roy Bean, the famous frontier justice who held court in his saloon. The Jersey Lilly saloon is preserved as a state historic...
Langtry
Langtry is famous as the courtroom of Judge Roy Bean, 'The Law West of the Pecos.' Bean held court in his saloon, 'The Jersey Lilly,' named for actres...
Lobo
Lobo was a railroad stop that faded when the highway bypassed it. In 2001, it was purchased for $5.00. The ruins have been used in commercials and fil...
Luckenbach
Luckenbach was a small German-Texas settlement that almost disappeared. Hondo Crouch bought the town in 1970 and turned it into a music venue. Waylon ...
Marathon
Marathon is the northern gateway to Big Bend National Park. The town was a railroad stop named by a sea captain who thought the landscape resembled Ma...
Marfa
Marfa was dying until Donald Judd brought minimalist art. Now it's a hip art destination—but the Marfa Lights remain unexplained. Glowing orbs have ap...
Palo Duro
Palo Duro Canyon is 120 miles long and 800 feet deep. In 1874, the US Army defeated the Comanches here. Charles Goodnight established the first Panhan...
Palo Pinto
Palo Pinto has been the county seat since 1856 but has only 411 residents. It's one of Texas's smallest county seats. The courthouse still operates. N...
Palo Pinto
Palo Pinto was the county seat of Palo Pinto County—until the railroad went to Mineral Wells instead. The county seat moved; the town didn't. About 40...
Pecos
Pecos claims to be the site of the world's first organized rodeo on July 4, 1883. Trave Windham won the first steer-roping contest. The town thrived o...
Presidio San Sabá
Presidio San Sabá is Texas's oldest presidio ruins. The Spanish built it in 1757 to protect Mission Santa Cruz de San Sabá. After Comanche attacks and...
Presidio
Presidio has been continuously inhabited since 1683, making it one of America's oldest settlements. The population has declined from 8,000 to about 4,...
Roma
Roma is a Spanish colonial town founded in 1765 on the Rio Grande. The historic plaza and stone buildings were used as a filming location for 'Viva Za...
Sanderson
Sanderson was a Southern Pacific Railroad town known as the 'Cactus Capital of Texas.' At peak, 2,500 people lived here. Today, about 800 residents re...
Shafter
Shafter was Texas's largest silver mining operation. The town is now privately owned and slowly being restored as a residential community....
Sherwood
Sherwood was the original seat of Irion County. When the railroad bypassed it for Mertzon in 1911, the county seat followed. The magnificent 1901 ston...
Study Butte
Study Butte (pronounced 'Stew-dee Bute') was a mercury mining town near Terlingua. Named for Will Study, its founder. Part of the larger Terlingua min...
Tascosa
Tascosa was a lawless cattle town on the Canadian River. Billy the Kid visited often. The town died when the railroad chose a different route. The sit...
Terlingua
Terlingua was Texas's largest mercury producer. After mercury crashed, it nearly died. The annual Terlingua Chili Cook-off revived it as a quirky tour...
Thurber
Thurber was Texas's largest coal company town with 10,000 residents. When coal declined, Texas Pacific Coal sold off every building. A smokestack and ...
Toyah
Toyah was a bustling division point on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. When the division point moved to Monahans in 1929, the town began to die. Floods ...
Toyah
Toyah was a Texas & Pacific Railroad town and cattle shipping center. At peak, it was Reeves County seat and a rowdy cowboy town. Now just a handful o...
Valentine
Valentine was a railroad town named for it was established on February 14. Every year, thousands of people send Valentine's Day cards here to be re-ma...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ghost towns are in Texas?
We have documented 43 ghost towns in Texas. These range from completely abandoned mining camps to semi-inhabited historic settlements.
Are ghost towns in Texas safe to visit?
Most ghost towns are safe to explore, but exercise caution. Watch for unstable structures, mine shafts, and wildlife. Some are on private property - always check access rules before visiting.
What should I bring when visiting ghost towns?
Bring water, snacks, sun protection, sturdy shoes, a flashlight, and a first aid kit. Many ghost towns are in remote areas without cell service, so download offline maps.
Can I take artifacts from ghost towns?
No. Removing artifacts, bottles, or debris is illegal and destroys historical sites. Take only photos and leave only footprints.
What's the best time to visit ghost towns in Texas?
Spring and fall offer the best weather for exploring. Summer can be extremely hot in desert locations, while winter may make roads impassable.