a ghost town tour

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America's 15 coolest ghost towns to visit.

From Kentucky to California, the U.S. is filled with eerie abandoned cities.

(Courtesy of Travel South Dakota) |

Take a step back in time while visiting these historic – and slightly spooky – ghost towns.

(Courtesy of Scott Peterson) |

St. Elmo, Colorado

(Courtesy of Visit Montana) |

Nevada City, Montana

Spokane, South Dakota

(Sydney Martinez | Courtesy of Travel Nevada)

Goodsprings, Nevada

(Getty Images) |

Goldfield, Arizona

Blue Heron, Kentucky

South Pass City, Wyoming

Independence, Colorado

Calico, California

(Courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism) |

Frisco, Utah

White Oaks, New Mexico

(Courtesy of Aspen Historical Society) |

Ashcroft, Colorado

(Courtesy of The Arizona Office of Tourism) |

Ruby, Arizona

Bodie, California

Grafton, Utah

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A List of Ghost Towns & Tours Southern Arizona

Feel free to send us a note and tell us about a Ghost Town in your area. Read our stories below about some of the ghost towns we have found. Click on a hotspot in the map below or scroll down and browse a list. Explore on your own or take a tour. It has been reported that some ghost towns are currently restricted due to vandalism.

Fairbank has an on-site docent most days when the Schoolhouse is open. The Friends of San Pedro River occasionally give tours of Charleston and Millville, as well as the old Clanton Ranch, Contention and the Charleston Cemetery, (hard to find). We have included Tombstone, Jerome, and Pearce even though some of them have made a successful comeback. Fun towns to visit and explore for the history.

We are definitely fans of the cemeteries in ghost towns and any city with a significant history to offer. You can see our post on interesting cemeteries here. Far from being macabre, they tend to speak to us and tell us a story.

Click on a spot below to bring up an excerpt of our story of the ghost town.

Ghost Towns and Tales of Southern Arizona

Ghost tours of southern arizona, please browse our content below:, a visit to the cochise hotel, cochise az, sally reichardt’s jerome anniversary adventure, fall vacation: jerome & the grand hotel, kentucky camp az: a ghost town with accommodations, arizona ghost towns: a book review, route 66 & the burros of oatman, az, ghost town of klondyke az & the power family saga, wickenburg & vulture city: a visit, ghost towns & cemeteries in southern arizona, one hundred sixty acres of dirt: a book review.

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• Ghost Town Trail: Pearce To Courtland To Gleeson!
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It was a Sunday in mid-September when Ms. Karen and I left our home in the Tucson Mountains to travel to the Cochise Hotel to visit with the proprietor, Phil Gessert. We arrived at noon and Phil was sitting on the front porch waiting for us. The Cochise Hotel is … Continue reading

(Ms. Karen and I sometimes invite knowledgeable others to post on our website. Friend Sally Reichardt lives in the beautiful rolling hills of Sonoita and when she and her husband, Bryce, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary recently, they did so in Jerome. The following is her account of that memorable … Continue reading

Following our train excursion on the Verde Canyon Railroad in Clarkdale, Arizona (featured in last week’s newsletter), we headed up the hill to the old mining town of Jerome. Ms. Karen’s brother Paul, and his wife, Linda, followed us in their car toting their electric bicycles on the rear. We, … Continue reading

More than a hundred years ago, Kentucky Camp was the headquarters for the Santa Rita Water & Mining Company, which was formed to extract placer deposits from the Greaterville Mining District in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains 9 miles NW of Sonoita.

We obtained this book from Arizona Highways’ Online Shop. The book’s full title is; ‘Arizona Ghost Towns: 50 of the State’s Best Places to Get a Glimpse of the Old West” by author Noah Austin. Published in 2020, it is a treasure trove of information about the territory’s early mining … Continue reading

A burro at our car window on Route 66 near Oatman.

We were in Wickenburg for the weekend in May 2021 with Neighbors Ron and Elaine. On Sunday morning we got up early to take the 2 and a half-hour drive up to Oatman, Az, one of the items on my bucket list. We connected to I-40 near Kingman and got off at old Route 66 and continued heading west. Soon, the road became switchbacks with signs indicating “Slow” and also “Burros in the Road Ahead”. For the uninitiated, “burro” is Spanish for “donkey”.

Ms.Karen feeding an Oatman burro.

Sure enough, around a steep corner was a gang of burros waiting for a passing car to give them something to eat. Ms. Karen opened the passenger side window and a burro stuck his head inside the car. We didn’t have any burro food, so she patted his snout and we proceeded on our way.

Oatman burro.

When we arrived in Oatman 10 very narrow, windy miles later, the street was crowded with people touring this old town, visiting open shops and feeding the ubiquitous burros. The burros are holdovers from mining days when the mines were shut down and the miners let their beasts of burden loose into the surrounding desert. While they seem tame enough, they are still wild animals.

Olive Oatman

The name Oatman was chosen in honor of Olive Oatman, a young Illinois girl who was captured and enslaved by Indians, probably from the Tolkepayas tribe, during her pioneer family’s massacre going on their journey westward in 1851. She was later sold or traded to the Mojaves, who adopted her and tattooed her face in the custom of the tribe. She was released in 1856 at Fort Yuma to her brother, who had survived the massacre of the Oatman family.

In 1863, prospector Johnny Moss discovered gold in the Black Mountains and staked several claims, one named the Moss and another after Olive Oatman, whose story was well known. For the next half-century, mining waxed and waned in the remote district until new technology, reduced transportation costs, and new gold discoveries brought prosperity to Oatman in the early 20th century. The opening of the Tom Reed mine, followed by the discovery of a rich ore body in the nearby United Eastern Mining Company’s property in 1915, brought one of the desert’s last gold rushes. The boom of 1915–17 gave Oatman all the characters and characteristics of any gold rush boom town. For about a decade, the mines of Oatman were among the largest gold producers in the American West.

Elaine petting burro.

The district had produced US$40,000,000 (equivalent to $703,801,000 in 2020) in gold by 1941, when the remainder of the town’s gold mining operations were ordered shut down by the government as part of the country’s war effort, because other metals were needed.

Ms. Karen and Ron at the Oatman jail.

In 1921, a fire burned down many of Oatman’s smaller buildings, but spared the Oatman Hotel built in 1902. It remains the oldest two-story adobe structure in Mohave County and is a Mohave County historical landmark. One of the hotel’s major attractions is a room designated as the suite where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard supposedly spent their honeymoon after their 1939 wedding in Kingman AZ. The notion that the couple actually stayed here is in doubt.

Oatman Hotel est. 1902.

The hotel isn’t open for overnight guests but it has a good restaurant and we took lunch there on their back patio. It was crowded but the food was good and so was the service.

Oatman Saloon.

Oatman was fortunate to be located on busy Route 66 as it catered to travelers driving between Kingman, Arizona, and Needles, California. Yet even that advantage was short-lived because the town was completely bypassed in 1953 when Route 66 was realigned between Kingman and Needles. By the 1960s, Oatman was all but abandoned after the completion of I-40. Today, however, at least on the weekends, Oatman is a busy place. If you go, watch out for burros on the road.

Klondyke is a near-ghost town in western Graham County. In the second decade of the 21st century, the only roads out there are still unpaved. The Klondyke cemetery is just southeast of town. There you will find the graves of the Thomas Jefferson “Jeff” Power and his family. Few know the sad story of these […]

Neighbors Elaine and Ron went with Ms. Karen and me to Wickenburg one weekend in late May 2021. To avoid Phoenix traffic we drove from Tucson through Gila Bend then north on Hwy 85 to Hwy 60. Before reaching Wickenburg, we came to Vulture City, the site of an old … Continue reading

Updated 2021-05-12. We love to wander around old cemeteries, a good excuse for a road trip. Cemeteries give us a sense of history, a sense of place. Many memories are hidden there, many stories to be told. Isn’t the cliche, “If only the dead could talk?” Sometimes, they do. Old cemeteries … Continue reading

Several months ago, Marsha Arzberger asked me to take a look at her soon-to-be-published book, One Hundred Sixty Acres of Dirt, and comment upon it. I did so, and what I wrote has been published in that book. Back then, I wrote: One Hundred Sixty Acres of Dirt is the … Continue reading

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Ghost Town Tours

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Ghost Town Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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16 eerie ghost towns in America you can actually visit

You might actually see a spirit at these long-forgotten, abandoned ghost towns in America

America is home to hundreds of ghost towns and abandoned settlements. While they’re dotted across the county, they are ubiquitous in regions like California, Nevada and Colorado that experienced the boom and then bust of industries like mining.

Visiting ghost towns in America is a chance to step back in time, taking in life as it once was. Picture tumbleweeds rolling down Main Street, once-bustling stores now sitting in eerie silence, and faded signs that hint at lives lived long ago. You can wander through old homes, buildings and streets to get a snapshot of the past, taking in stories of pioneers, prospectors, and dreamers. Like the name suggests, you may even spot a ghost along the way.

If you're interested in a glimpse into the past, we've rounded up the most fascinating ghost towns in the US to discover America’s hidden history. If spooky travel is your thing, don’t forget to visit the scariest real-life haunted houses , take yourself on a ghost tour or pay your respects at the most hauntingly beautiful graveyards .

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Ghost towns in America

1.  Centralia, PA

An underground mine fire gone seriously wrong led to this modern ghost town northwest of Philadelphia. In 1962, a fire accidentally spread to the town's old, underground mines, creating sinkholes that spewed smoke and toxic fumes across the community. In 1983, most of the town was evacuated, and in 1992, its real estate was claimed under eminent domain and condemned by the state (delivering the final blow, the ZIP code was officially recalled in 2002). Even though Centralia's fire is still burning today—and expected to burn for another 250 years—four residents still live in the doomed town as of 2020 (sounds like they’re playing with fire, if you ask us). Only five homes remain standing in this town. 

2.  Custer, ID

The population of this gold mining town, located deep inside Idaho's Challis National Forest, peaked in 1896. Home to a massive stamp mill, it had eight saloons and a tiny Chinatown complete with laundry services, a shoe store, and a joss house (a Chinese place of worship). But just 15 years after its boom, Custer's mills shut down and its residents had no choice but to leave their remote mountain home; by 1911, just two families remained. However, most of the town still stands, and in 1981 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Its buildings are open seasonally for visitors and the original school now serves as a museum.

3.  Bodie, CA

This Gold Rush-era town near Yosemite has stood eerily untouched for almost 100 years. Although it already showed signs of decline with dwindling numbers at the start of the 20th century, a series of fires forced the remaining residents to flee the town, leaving it almost exactly as it was in the early 1900s. Dinner tables are still set, shops are still stocked with supplies, and the schoolhouse still has lessons on the chalkboard. Be warned: bad luck is said to befall anyone who steals anything from the site while visiting. 

4.  Kennecott, AK

This preserved-in-time copper mining town is located at the end of a 60-mile-long dirt road in the middle of Alaska's Wrangell–St. Elias National Park (the largest national park in the USA). In its heyday, from around 1910 to 1940, Kennecott processed nearly $200,000,000 worth of copper. By 1938, however, the mine was empty and the Kennecott Copper Corporation abruptly abandoned the operation, leaving everything behind. Today, with St. Elias Alpine Guides, you can take a two-hour guided tour (the only official way to get into the town with its 14-story mill). Make sure also to visit the Root and Kennecott glaciers, too.

5.  Rhyolite, NV

This ghost town near Death Valley National Park was once a bustling ore mining community. In 1904, gold was found within its quartz (rhyolite is a silica-rich volcanic rock that contains quartz, hence the town name), and the game was on with 2,000 claims in a 30-mile area. Soon, Rhyolite boasted a hospital, an opera house, and a stock exchange. In 1906, Charles M. Schwab spent several million on its Montgomery Shoshone mine. Unfortunately, following the 1907 financial panic, businesses were shuttered and residents began to move out. In 1916, light and power were turned off, and the town went ghost. Today, Rhyolite is perhaps best recognized as the set for ScarJo's 2005 sci-fi thriller The Island .

6.  Cahawba, AL

Cahawba was the state's first capital from 1820 to 1825, situated at the junction of two rivers. After the war, the legislature was moved to Selma and the town lost business and population—and periodic flooding wreaked havoc. Today, it's visitable as Old Cahawba Archeological Park, which honors the history of the Native American presence there and the years when many freedmen and women lived there. You can see abandoned streets, cemeteries and building ruins—just make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the ghostly 'orb' that's been known to appear in the garden maze at the home of C.C. Pegues.

7.  Glenrio, NM/TX

Straddling the border between New Mexico and Texas, Glenrio was an action-packed stop on Route 66 for decades. From the 1940s until the 1960s, the tiny town's gas stations, diners, bars and motels were packed with road-trippers passing through the Southwest. But when I-40 was built in the 1970s, drivers no longer stopped in Glenrio, and the town fell into disrepair. Not all is lost, however: the Glenrio Historic District includes 17 abandoned buildings.

8.  St Elmo, CO

Like many ghost towns in the US, St. Elmo (originally called Forrest City) was once a thriving gold and silver mining community. When the gold and silver ran out and disease stalked the town, the population dwindled. The nail in the coffin ended the train service to Chalk Creek Canyon in the '20s. Surprisingly, a general store and Ghost Town Guest House are still operating, which means visitors can spend the night in this ghost town even if the scene is a little  unlively .

9.  Nelson, NV

Early Spanish settlers found silver in Nelson (then Eldorado) in the 1700s. It took another hundred years for other prospectors—many of them Civil War deserters—to find gold, creating the largest booms Nevada had ever seen. All hell broke loose when they did: disputes over the Techatticup Mine, the town's most notorious site, frequently led to murder. Nelson's mines remained active through the 1940s. An infamous 1974 flash flood destroyed the town of Nelson's Landing, five miles away. Nelson's buildings remain today—the ghost town is now a popular location for photo, film, and music video shoots.

10.  Bannack, MT

Paranormal enthusiasts may already know about this desolate former mining town in Montana—it’s featured in the Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures . The Gold Rush-era city was known in its time for being a little rough (holdups, robberies, and murders were well documented on the route to nearby Virginia City) and the sheriff of Bannack was a rumored outlaw. The town was abandoned by the 1950s, but more than 50 of its original 1800s structures still stand and can be explored now that it's a state park.

11.  Santa Claus, AZ

Sure, the middle of the Mojave Desert isn’t the first place you’d look for jolly old Saint Nick—and yet that didn’t stop this now-abandoned town in Arizona from dedicating itself to all things Christmas. Realtor Nina Talbot founded the town in 1937 to attract buyers to the desert, and while Santa Claus was popular with tourists for a bit, all the Christmas spirit wasn't enough to convince enough folks to move in. The decline of Route 66 sounded a death knell for the playing of Jingle Bells. You can still see rundown red-and-white buildings and forlorn tinsel for yourself (it’s not maintained, but you’re free to visit).

12.  Thurmond, WV

In the early 1900s, the railroad kept this West Virginia town humming as a thriving depot for coal. Thurmond had it all as a major stop on the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway—hotels, banks, a post office, and more. Sadly, the Great Depression, followed by the invention of the diesel train in the 1950s, ended Thurmond's prosperity. Today, the National Park Service has restored the depot, and the town is on the National Register of Historic Places; you can take a self-guided tour of the now quiet town. Reach it by driving seven miles down a narrow, winding road.

13.  Calico, CA

Calico once thrived with its busy silver mines, beginning auspiciously in 1881. But in the mid-1890s silver lost its value and the inhabitants skedaddled. Walter Knott purchased some of Calico’s buildings to disassemble and move them to Knott’s Berry Farm amusement park near Disneyland. He returned to buy and restore Calico itself, which he later deeded back to the county; it’s now a county regional park that’s an accurate-looking ghost town if not wholly literal. There were once 500 mines here and now you can tour the Maggie Mine and 30 structures—shops, saloons, schoolhouse—and stay in a tent, bunkhouse or cabin overnight. In late October, watch for the “Ghost Haunt” weekend events.

14.  Goldfield, NV

This was your authentic Gold Rush mining camp, established in 1902, which was once the largest city in Nevada. The mines went bust and a flash flood spelled the town’s decline ten years before a fire put things to a conclusive end. Yet, about 250 people still live here among the remnants of the town with saloons, slanting homes, deserted hotel and shacks. It’s worth a visit to poke around this “living ghost town;” we especially recommend the said-to-be-haunted Mozart Tavern, where locals treat visitors with special kindness. Paranormal ghost tours take place here regularly, and the Goldfield Days in August temporarily fill the town back up to its boomtown population.

15.  Goldfield, AZ

There’s more than one Goldfield Ghost Town in the U.S., and this one in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains may provide less of that quiet contemplation of ruin and abandon than a ghost town usually provides; things are hopping here and the latest addition is a zipline. But there are tours of a legitimate century-old mine, a narrow gauge railroad, a walking ghost tour at night, seasonal historic gunfights over the contents of a Wells Fargo box, the typical gold-panning, and the not -typical chance to talk with a ‘floozy’ at Lu Lu’s Bordello. Bring the kids?

16.  Castle Dome, AZ

This place is enormous, with 80 buildings and 300 mines (not all are safe to enter). It represents a salvaging of the once-booming mid-1800s settlement (only seven buildings are original), with reconstructions harking to the gold and silver mining claims enacted here. The tales here are impressive, with an 1863 mine owner attacked by 180 Apaches and left in an arroyo to be half-eaten by coyotes, and the wild chain of events that followed, including an opium overdose, a stagecoach robbery and a fellow being shot trying to stop a lynching. There’s much more: an $800 million fluorescent minerals wall and a doomsday cult that wintered here, but we’ll just say it’s worth the visit.

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Visiting Cerro Gordo Ghost Town in the Inyo Mountains in California

Table of Contents

The Cerro Gordo Ghost Town is one of the best-preserved ghost towns I ever visited. I have been to other so-called “ghost towns” but they were more like a tourist trap. Cerro Gordo which means “fat hill” in Spanish was a bustling silver mine. The mine was established in 1867 and was the first major silver strike in Owens Valley.

Today the town is privately owned by a group of investors but still open for tourists. Ultimately the owners plan to transform the ghost town into a retreat center for conferences, workshop events, and film shoots.

Cerro Gordo is located 200 miles north of Los Angeles and 200 miles west of Las Vegas. The closest town, Lone Pine, is about 22 miles away. In Lone Pine, you can find hotels, restaurants, and stores if you are in need of these on your journey. From Lone Pine, you will travel east on State Route 136 until you meet the turn off to Cerro Gordo St in Keeler. The town sits in the Inyo Mountains near Death Valley National Park.

The drive from the intersection of Cerro Gordo Road and CA-136 to the ghost town is just under 8 miles. Cerro Gordo Road is a County-maintained dirt/gravel road. A 4WD-vehicle is recommended for the drive up to Cerro Gordo. In reality, you can do it in a 2WD car, but you should have some ground clearance.

On your way up to Cerro Gordo, you will gain over 4300 ft (1310 m) in elevation. The town is located at an elevation of approximately 8000 ft (2440 m) above sea level. You could suffer slight altitude sickness, so be aware.

Drive slowly ad the gravel here has some sharp edges and can damage your tires, which is the last thing you want to experience on your trip. Also, keep an eye on your transmission temperature. On your way down you should put your transmission into a low gear. That way the engine will assist you in breaking on your way down. This will save your brakes from high wear. It will take you about 30 minutes to get up or down.

The road starts out wide and flat but you will pass some very narrow spots and also drive very close to the side of the hill. There is two-way traffic on the road, be prepared to stop. There are plenty of turnouts to let opposite traffic pass. Here some photos from the drive to Cerro Gordo Ghost Town.

Once at the ghost town, park around the church or at the turnout just before that. Don’t park on the road as it is a public road and there are people traveling through here. Once there, make sure you check in with the caretaker. There is usually always a caretaker on site. Just look around. He lives in the first house you see on your right while driving into the town.

There is a fee to tour the ghost town. It’s private property and you have to pay the fee either for a self-guided tour or a tour given by the caretaker.

Cerro Gordo Ghost Town Tour

I recommend you make reservations in advance. As I just found out about the place as I was in the area, I tried my luck and drove up there and encountered the caretaker checking in another group just before me. They only accept cash when you pay on location. Advanced reservations can be made on the homepage of the Ghost Town . However, the website shows a price of $15 at the checkout page , but $10 on the regular homepage . I got charged $10 which I paid cash on site.

The Cerro Gordo Mining Town website shows that the guided tours take place at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Jonathan, the part-time caretaker giving my tour, told me that you can just come up and they are welcome to accommodate you.

Opening Hours

The town is open to be visited all year long. Remember that there is no snow removal in the winter. Hours are during the daytime and are as follows.

Standard Time

Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Daylight Savings Time

Monday – Sunday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

You want to make sure, you get off the mountain before it gets dark. It’s just for safety.

Guided Tour

I joined a guided tour by the part-time caretaker Jonathan. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the town and all the artifacts around the place. He guided us through most of the different buildings in the ghost town. He told us about what buildings got upgraded from its original state. Some of them needed to have some work done for safety reasons. If you look closely you will find some satellite dishes up here on some of the buildings. Also, the large cell tower on the hill next door is a little bit disruptive in photos.

During the tour, you get to know all the facts about the mine past and current. Our guide, Jonathan was very knowledgeable and gave us in-depth information about how the mine was first founded, operated, and so on.

You won’t be able to get into the mine shafts themselves. There are 25 miles of tunnels in the mountain and many of them are unsafe, including the entry to the tunnel system. I got told, that you can request a special tour to get to the entrance and up to the tower, but you won’t be allowed inside the mines for safety reasons.

The old store got transformed into an exhibit hall for all kinds of artifacts from the mine’s time period. Our tour guide explained some of the objects found there, which I would have never guessed what they were supposed to be. Jonathan showed us how the silver came out of the mountain and in what it was transformed before it got loaded on a mule train heading down the mountain. You can buy Cerro Gordo Ingots in the old store as a souvenir or on their website .

In case you are a geocacher, there is a nice cache up at the ghost town. Easy to find, but wait until the muggles pass. Probably after the tour or in between. There are multiple other caches on the way up, might worth checking out as well.

Cerro Gordo (Fat HILL) Ghost Town

Photo Gallery

Below you find a gallery with all my pictures of Cerro Gordo Ghost Town. You can click the “Load more photos” button at the bottom of the gallery or just click on the album name to open Flickr.

Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.

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Arizona's Ghost Town Getaways

You needn't travel far in Arizona before coming across a ghost town or two. Try these quirky towns for the perfect spooky—or just plain perfect—day trip.

Arizona's 19th-century mining boom gave rise to several towns that bustled with near-instantaneous commerce (and, in some cases, debauchery), but whose rapid growth ended abruptly when precious metals were depleted or sheer bad luck caused residents to move on. Today, many of these outposts are little more than abandoned buildings. Yet others have taken on new life, drawing artists and free spirits who embrace their town's haunted past and welcome outsiders in search of spooky tales and Old West lore. In a state full of ghost towns, you have your pick from the famous (Bisbee) to the infamous (Tombstone). Below is a list of some of Arizona's most distinctive ghost towns, each with its own quirks and curiosities. But mind your step as you explore these towns' haunted hulls, or you might end up a permanent resident.

Globe-Miami (about 90 miles east of Phoenix)

Not all ghost towns are unpopulated, as the very-much-alive residents of Globe and Miami can attest to. But as mining operations have slowed in the area, the towns—known collectively as Globe-Miami —are luring guests in by drawing the ghosts out. By day, shop for antiques downtown or browse original art at the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts . Nighttime belongs to the ghosts. In Globe, volunteers host monthly ghost tours of the 1910 Gila County Sheriff's Office & Jail , which has seen its share of death, frequently the result of vigilante and mob justice. In nearby Miami, the Bullion Plaza School once served as the segregated school for the town's Mexican-American children. Closed in 1994 due to structural issues, it's slowly being restored, and portions have turned into a history museum with displays that rival larger institutions.

Stay: A former turn-of-the-century boarding house for miners and merchants, the Chrysocolla Inn B&B offers modern-day travelers a peaceful place to stay only two blocks away from downtown Globe. Guests can choose from six rooms, named after gems and minerals such as turquoise and amethyst (with matching color schemes), and relax among the Inn's two garden patios.

Gleeson (SE of Tucson, 16 miles east of Tombstone)

Once home to a turquoise mine favorited by Tiffany and Co. in the mid-1880s, all that remains of Gleeson today are some private ranches, a nearly collapsed general store, and an old jail. The jail was restored and operates as a museum with local artifacts and lore, open on the first Saturday of each month or by appointment. Travelers to Gleeson take note: It's one of several stops along southern Arizona's Ghost-Town Loop Tour that also includes Fairbank, Tombstone, and St. David. Visit www.gleesonarizona.com for more information. Stay: Tombstone Monument Ranch captures the look and feel of an Old West town … but with much nicer bedding and amenities. Guest rooms are designed to look like old storefronts - perfect for those wishing to live out their "Westworld" dreams, minus the robots.

Gold King Mine and Ghost Town (29 miles west of Sedona)

Formerly the town of Haynes, Arizona, the Gold King Mine is part museum, part mining camp. A $5 admission gets you into the site, which also includes a display of vintage cars, trucks and abandoned mining equipment. Self-guided tours take you through exhibits such as a 1914 sawmill, a mineshaft and an array of old buildings that once served as the dentist's office, school, and garage. Kids are welcome, and families can take part in a blacksmithing demonstration or try their hand at gold and gem panning. Stay: Gold King Mine may not be haunted, but ghost seekers can take their chances with a night at the Jerome Grand Hotel , just 45 minutes west of Sedona. The hotel began life in 1927 as the town's hospital, and two different psychics claimed to have felt the ghost of the "head nurse" lingering about.

Chloride (23 miles NW of Kingman and Route 66)

Ghosts likely outnumber residents in this western Arizona town of 350 - give or take. Considered the oldest continuously inhabited mining town in the state, Chloride is home to cattle ranches, brightly painted cliff murals, dark skies and a hand-built ghost town within a town: Cyanide Springs.

Stay: Get the full roadside hotel experience at Shep Miner's Inn , a historic 1800 adobe inn originally designed for passengers on the Butterfield Stage Line. Furnishings are sparse, but guests compliment the inn's charm, comfort, friendly staff and hearty meals provided by the attached restaurant, Yesterday's.

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About the Author

Arizona Office of Tourism

These articles are brought to you by the staff of the Arizona Office of Tourism, and occasionally local tourism organizations around the state.

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Kolmanskuppe

Ghost town tours.

Kolmanskuppe owes its existence to the one jewel that is as precious as it is timeless: the Diamond.

In the year 1908 the first diamond was found, leading to a frantic diamond rush as thousands of fortune seekers converged in the desert to seek its wealth. This is how the little town of Kolmanskuppe developed. Today this once vibrant town lies at the mercy of the Namib Desert, threatening to engulf the grand buildings.

Here amongst the windswept houses of Kolmanskuppe lies the key to a past long gone, the remains of an era where diamonds sparkled and sustained life along the coast of Namibia.

Let us enchant you with some magical tales of intriguing history in the heart of the forbidden territory.

Tours & Prices

Explore, discover and experience Kolmanskuppe with our directional map for ease of reference

Tavern & Curios

The Tavern at Kolmanskop is situated in the Champagne Bar of the Casino Building.

View a gallery of images and videos of the Kolmanskuppe Ghost Town and surrounding area

Do you have any questions, or need assistance with making a booking?

Beautiful History

Wonderful architecture, the town tavern.

Kirwin Ghost Town Tour

Quick Details

• User Ages: All ages
• Hour Glass Duration: Full-day
• Clock Start Times: Morning

Enjoy a Private Tour of the Ghost Town of Kirwin

The ghost town of Kirwin, Wyoming is located 34 miles southwest of Meeteetse, Wyoming at the head of the Wood River. Low-quality gold and silver were discovered in this area in 1885 and prospectors began staking their claims. In 1897, the first ore was transported out of the area and the town began to grow. Discover its fascinating history when you join us on an all-inclusive tour, departing daily at 9:00 a.m. and returning at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Kirwin’s population was about 200 people and included a sawmill, boarding houses, a hotel, two stores, a post office, several cabins, stables, and sheds. In February of 1907, a huge avalanche swept through Kirwin and killed three people. After the roads were cleared that spring, everybody abandoned the site – leaving many of their belongings behind. Many of the buildings and equipment are still there today. The U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming State Preservation Office are working together to stabilize and restore the site for future visitors.

Private tour price includes payment into the park, snacks, beverages, a deli-style lunch (sandwiches on homemade bread, fresh fruit, fresh veggies, potato chips, and a homemade brownie).

What to Bring

• Feel free to bring your own camera and binoculars
• Comfortable clothing (it could get chilly depending on the time of year)

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• Hour Glass 2 hours
• User Ages 2+

Shoshone 7 mile Whitewater Rafting Trip

Enjoy some family fun with a guided whitewater rafting trip along 7 stunning miles of the famous Shoshone River. Get ready for a roller coaster ride through the rapids!

• Clock Morning
• Hour Glass 12 hours
• User All ages

Yellowstone Tours – Lower Loop

Experience the stunning  lower loop of Yellowstone with this amazing adventure that will take you to all of the must-see attractions within one day!

Moscow Metro Tour

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Description

Moscow metro private tours.

• 2-hour tour $87:  10 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with hotel pick-up and drop-off
• 3-hour tour $137:  20 Must-See Moscow Metro stations with Russian lunch in beautifully-decorated Metro Diner + hotel pick-up and drop off. 
• Metro pass is included in the price of both tours.

Highlight of Metro Tour

• Visit 10 must-see stations of Moscow metro on 2-hr tour and 20 Metro stations on 3-hr tour, including grand Komsomolskaya station with its distinctive Baroque décor, aristocratic Mayakovskaya station with Soviet mosaics, legendary Revolution Square station with 72 bronze sculptures and more!
• Explore Museum of Moscow Metro and learn a ton of technical and historical facts;
• Listen to the secrets about the Metro-2, a secret line supposedly used by the government and KGB;
• Experience a selection of most striking features of Moscow Metro hidden from most tourists and even locals;
• Discover the underground treasure of Russian Soviet past – from mosaics to bronzes, paintings, marble arches, stained glass and even paleontological elements;
• Learn fun stories and myths about Coffee Ring, Zodiac signs of Moscow Metro and more;
• Admire Soviet-era architecture of pre- and post- World War II perious;
• Enjoy panoramic views of Sparrow Hills from Luzhniki Metro Bridge – MetroMost, the only station of Moscow Metro located over water and the highest station above ground level;
• If lucky, catch a unique «Aquarelle Train» – a wheeled picture gallery, brightly painted with images of peony, chrysanthemums, daisies, sunflowers and each car unit is unique;
• Become an expert at navigating the legendary Moscow Metro system;
• Have fun time with a very friendly local;
• + Atmospheric Metro lunch in Moscow’s the only Metro Diner (included in a 3-hr tour)

Hotel Pick-up

Metro stations:.

Komsomolskaya

Novoslobodskaya

Prospekt Mira

Belorusskaya

Mayakovskaya

Novokuznetskaya

Revolution Square

Sparrow Hills

+ for 3-hour tour

Victory Park

Slavic Boulevard

Vystavochnaya

Dostoevskaya

Elektrozavodskaya

Partizanskaya

Museum of Moscow Metro

• Drop-off  at your hotel, Novodevichy Convent, Sparrow Hills or any place you wish
• + Russian lunch  in Metro Diner with artistic metro-style interior for 3-hour tour

Fun facts from our Moscow Metro Tours:

From the very first days of its existence, the Moscow Metro was the object of civil defense, used as a bomb shelter, and designed as a defense for a possible attack on the Soviet Union.

At a depth of 50 to 120 meters lies the second, the coded system of Metro-2 of Moscow subway, which is equipped with everything you need, from food storage to the nuclear button.

According to some sources, the total length of Metro-2 reaches over 150 kilometers.

The Museum was opened on Sportivnaya metro station on November 6, 1967. It features the most interesting models of trains and stations.

Coffee Ring

The first scheme of Moscow Metro looked like a bunch of separate lines. Listen to a myth about Joseph Stalin and the main brown line of Moscow Metro.

Zodiac Metro

According to some astrologers, each of the 12 stops of the Moscow Ring Line corresponds to a particular sign of the zodiac and divides the city into astrological sector.

Astrologers believe that being in a particular zadiac sector of Moscow for a long time, you attract certain energy and events into your life.

Paleontological finds 

Red marble walls of some of the Metro stations hide in themselves petrified inhabitants of ancient seas. Try and find some!

• Every day each car in  Moscow metro passes  more than 600 km, which is the distance from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
• Moscow subway system is the  5th in the intensity  of use (after the subways of Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai).
• The interval in the movement of trains in rush hour is  90 seconds .

What you get:

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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• Preplanned tours
• Daytrips out of Moscow
• Themed tours
• Customized tours
• St. Petersburg

Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

Get 10% off your day tour (9am - 3pm) with promo code: daytrip10

ABOUT GHOST TOWN TOURS, LLC

Ghost Town Tours is  Jerome, AZ’ s only locally owned and operated tour company. We are a mission driven company which sets standards for our employees to provide the best possible tour-experience for those visiting Jerome. We truly enjoy presenting Jerome and sharing her history and many mysteries.

We Pride ourselves on:

• Educating Jerome’s guests through fun & entertaining experiences
• Supporting our employees health and happiness
• Conducting tours with respect for the current and previous residents and businesses of Jerome
• Offering volunteerism and community outreach to maintain Jerome as one of the “ Coolest Small Towns in America!”

We look forward to meeting you and showing you some of the secrets of Jerome!