Bring the Past to Life: Visiting America’s Ghost Towns

With less
crowds and off-peak discounts at many campgrounds and RV parks, the winter
months are the perfect time to explore America.

This month,
head out to one of the country’s many surviving ghost towns to get a
fascinating glimpse into what life was like in another era. As you stroll
along dusty streets and wooden boardwalks, you can peek into vintage
buildings and imagine a time when these now-quiet towns once bustled with
those seeking their
fortunes.

Arizona

Goldfield Ghost Town
in Apache Junction

Set against the stunning backdrop of
the Superstition Mountains, the Goldfield Ghost Town dates back to 1893 when
high-grade gold ore was found in the area. It began a new life in 1984 when
ghost town enthusiast Bob Schoose and his wife Lou Ann purchased the site of
the Goldfield Mill and rebuilt the old town. Today, Goldfield Ghost Town is a
multi-faceted attraction that offers mine tours, gunfight reenactments, a
museum, gold panning and much more. It’s also the site of the Mammoth
Steakhouse and Saloon that has a stagecoach from the legendary town of
Tombstone on display.

• Find
  a nearby
  campground.

California

Bodie
State Historic Park in Bodie

To see an authentic ghost
town that was part of the California Gold Rush, head to Bodie State Historic
Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and approximately 75
miles southeast of Lake Tahoe. This former boom town was once home to nearly
10,000 people. A small part of the town survives, and has been preserved in a
state of “arrested decay,” with its buildings’ interiors left as they
were and still stocked with goods. According to the California Department of
Parks and Recreation, “today, this once-thriving mining camp is visited by
tourists, howling winds and an occasional
ghost.”

• Find
  a nearby campground.

Colorado

St.
Elmo Ghost Town in St. Elmo

The pursuit of gold and silver
is what once brought nearly 2,000 people to St. Elmo. The town is set in the
San Isabel National Forest approximately 100 miles west of Colorado Springs
and dates back to 1880. At one time, there were over 150 patented mine claims
in this area, and St. Elmo served as a hub for supplies arriving via the
Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, but the tracks were abandoned in
1922. It is said that St. Elmo’s population rode the last train out of town
and never came back. The St. Elmo General Store is now the site of an antique
shop.

• Find
  a nearby
  campground.

Montana

Garnet
Ghost Town in Granite County

Gold miners and their families
flocked to Garnet in the 1890s, and by 1898, around 1,000 people called the
town home. Back then, Kelly’s Saloon was a popular gathering place, as was
the Miners Union Hall that doubled as the town’s dance hall. Two dozen
buildings still remain, and guided tours are available whenever Bureau of
Land Management staff members are on site.

• Find
  a nearby
  campground.

Texas

Terlingua
Ghost Town in Terlingua

Described as being located “just a
few exits past the end of the world,” Terlingua’s ghost town includes the
ruins of the Chisos Mining Company which was once a quicksilver mercury
mining operation, as well as a frontier graveyard that dates back to 1902.
The historic Starlight Theatre, which at one time served as the town’s movie
palace, is now a restaurant and saloon, and the town is the home of the
Terlingua International Championship Chili Cookoff which is held the first
Saturday of November.

• Find
  a nearby campground.