Arizona’s history is etched with cowboy tales and Wild West lore. While many of the dusty streets have since been paved over, there are still legends and ghosts that refuse to die. And they continue to live on in some of the coolest ghost towns in Arizona!
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7 of the Coolest Ghost Towns in Arizona
Table of Contents
1. Tombstone
Arizona is known for its many boomtowns. When mining was at its peak, boomtowns dotted the Arizona landscape.
As the mines began to close, these boomtowns were abandoned almost just as quickly as they popped up. As a result, there are nearly 300 ghost towns that remain in Arizona.
While many have fallen into desolation, several ghost towns have been restored and are now lively tourist destinations. One of which is the legendary town of Tombstone, an 1880s silver mining boomtown.
With over 400,000 tourists visiting each year, Tombstone continues to live up to its nickname, “The Town Too Tough to Die”.
Tombstone was once the epitome of the Wild West, with outlaws ruling the streets and Geronimo and his Apache warriors ruling the surrounding mountains.
Hollywood helped to make Tombstone a tourist destination when it brought the infamous gunfight at O.K. Corral to the big screen in the 1993 movie Tombstone.
Today, Tombstone is a collection of original and restored buildings. Visitors can see a re-enactment of the gunfight at O.K. Corral, stop by the infamous Bird Cage Theater on Allen Street, grab a bite to eat at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, and visit the Boothill Graveyard.
To learn more about Tombstone’s dark history, book a walking ghost tour geared for adults, or a more family-friendly walking ghost tour.
You can even stay at the nearby Tombstone Monument Ranch. This fun dude ranch looks like a miniature replica of the real town of Tombstome and includes meals and horseback rides!
For more information about visiting Tombstone, see our guide 11 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Trip to Tombstone Arizona.
2. Jerome
During its heyday, Jerome was one of the largest copper mines in the west and was nicknamed ‘The Billion Dollar Copper Camp’. It was also one of the richest cities in the US with a thriving population of around 15,000.
Today, Jerome is the largest ghost town in America and is home to a mere 450 residents.
One thing that sets Jerome apart from other ghost towns is that it is a living ghost town.
Many restaurants and hotels have been restored and run profitable businesses, yet several buildings have been preserved in their state of ruin.
Not only was Jerome considered one of the richest cities, but it was also considered the ‘Wickedest Town in the West’.
This mountainside perch was filled with brothels, saloons, gambling, boozing, brawling, gun fights, and everything in between.
The Jerome Historical Society has placed plaques on various buildings that tell about the history of the building and interesting stories about the town.
And trust me, there is no shortage of interesting stories about the town.
When visiting Jerome, be sure to grab a drink at the Spirit Room Bar, sample some homemade fudge at OJ’s Copper Country Fudge, see the Sliding Jail, visit Jerome State Historic Park, and eat a burger at the Haunted Hamburger.
If you’re brave enough, you can even spend the night at the haunted Jerome Grand Hotel or Connor Hotel!
If you want to delve deeper into the history of Jerome and enjoy a more immersive experience, I would recommend taking a walking history tour or a ghost shuttle tour.
For more information about visiting Jerome, click the link for our First Time Guide to Jerome Ghost Town!
3. Goldfield Ghost Town
The town of Goldfield was founded in 1893 when gold was first discovered in the Superstition Mountains.
Goldfield quickly grew and the main street was soon lined with saloons, a boarding house, a blacksmith shop, a brewery, a butcher shop, a general store, and a schoolhouse.
However, after only five years the mine veins faulted and the town was abandoned while the miners went in search of gold elsewhere.
Goldfield got a second chance at life in the early 1920s during an attempt to reopen the mines.
Over the years, miners and treasure seekers have also drawn to the area in search of the elusive “Lost Dutchman Mine”.
The city finally boarded up its doors for good in 1926. It then sat vacant until the 1980s when the town was reconstructed as a tourist attraction.
Today, the buildings you see at Goldfield Ghost Town are only replicas of an 1890s gold mining town, but the history of the area is still authentic.
While the structures are not originals, it is still fun to step back in time to see what life would have been like back then.
Visitors today can enjoy a meal at the Mammoth Steakhouse & Saloon, tour an underground mine, ride the Scenic Narrow Gauge Railroad, see a gunfight re-enactment, aim for targets at the shooting gallery, ride a zipline over the desert, and so much more!
Goldfield Ghost Town is the first stop along the scenic Apache Trail, one of the most scenic drives in Arizona. See our guide to Driving the Apache Trail for more information and recommendations.
4. Chloride
Chloride is another example of a living ghost town. In 1920, Chloride had a population of around 2,000 people.
Today, Chloride has a population of less than 400, but the citizens have taken pride in preserving the history of this old mining town.
Chloride was founded in 1862 when silver ore was discovered in the surrounding mountains.
During its peak, Chloride had over 75 mines including, silver, gold, lead, zinc, and turquoise mines.
A few landmarks that visitors can see today include the original local jail from 1860, the oldest continually-run post office in Arizona, and the oldest continually-run church in Arizona.
Cyanide Springs is also a fun little stop. It’s a replica of a miniature ghost town with an old saloon and other building fronts.
Stop in at the general store to pick up some local treats and admire the miniature scale model of the town.
The friendly cashiers are always willing to share any history or stories of the town if you ask!
If you have time, take the dirt road a little way up the mountain to discover some brightly-colored murals painted on boulders by a local artist.
Chloride is located about a half-hour outside Kingman on the way to Las Vegas. If you’re looking for more things to do in the area, check out our guide 7 Unique Things to Do in Kingman Arizona.
5. Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a unique ghost town. Unlike many of the other ghost towns in Arizona, this one did not begin as a mining town.
Instead, it was the brainchild of an LA real estate developer and her husband.
In 1937, they founded Santa Claus, Arizona in an attempt to attract buyers to the desert.
The Christmas Tree Inn was at the heart of Santa Claus and the surrounding land was parceled out and put up for sale.
For several years it was a thriving tourist attraction where it felt like Christmas every day of the year.
Kids could even visit Santa year-round and mail letters postmarked from Santa Claus.
However, by 1949 no one was buying up the surrounding land and the town slowly fell into disrepair.
Today, this Christmas-themed ghost town is a depressing collection of graffiti-covered buildings. You’ll find a few traces of chipped red and green paint and ghostly wisps of holiday cheer.
While there isn’t much left to see, it’s a quick roadside stop just off US-93 between Kingman and Henderson, NV.
It is also only a few miles from Chloride, so it’s easy to visit both ghost towns at the same time.
6. Bisbee
Bisbee is an old historic mining town filled with history, lurid tales, and even a few ghosts.
It is located only about 30 minutes from Tombstone so it’s easy to combine both in just one trip.
In 1877, Bisbee began as a small mining camp but quickly grew until it became known as the “Queen of the Copper Camps”.
Bisbee soon became one of the richest mineral sites in the world, producing gold, copper, silver, and zinc. At the height of production, Bisbee was responsible for producing almost 1/4 of the world’s copper.
It was home to over 20,000 residents and was the largest town in the Southwest between St. Louis and San Francisco!
The mines supported the town of Bisbee for almost 100 years before the resources were depleted. In 1975, the mines were shuttered for good.
Today, visitors can tour the Copper Queen Mine and visit the 1,000-foot-deep Lavender Pit. The Mining & Historical Museum is also worth a stop.
You’ll also want to stroll along Main Street where it feels as if everything is frozen in time.
A Guided E-bike Tour is a great way to see the town and learn the history from a local.
For a unique experience, you can even spend the night at the historic, and supposedly haunted, Copper Queen Hotel!
Over the years, Bisbee has become a mecca for artists and free-spirits. You’ll find colorful murals around the city and even an outdoor art museum that is hidden in an alleyway.
For more recommended things to do, see our Bisbee Travel Guide.
7. Two Guns
Two Guns is an obscure roadside stop along Route 66.
It’s a ghost town of sorts with the dilapidated remains of a trading post, gas station, and even a zoo!
It is also the grim site of the Apache Death Cave.
During the Route 66 boom, a shrewd businessman tried to capitalize on the gruesome attack in the cave. He marketed it as a tourist attraction and began selling real skulls from the cave.
This eerie ghost town is located just off I-40 between Flagstaff and Winslow on the rim of Canyon Diablo.
Supposedly, Billy the Kid even hid out in Canyon Diablo after he stole money in a train robbery. It is rumored that the money is still buried somewhere in the canyon.
Today, there is not much left of the once-thriving trading post and Route 66 tourist attraction. However, the weathered remains of the mountain lion enclosure are pretty cool!
You can also visit the nearby Canyon Diablo ghost town and see the remains of this old railroad town.
For more of the best Route 66 stops, see our guide 12 Must-see Stops on Route 66 in Arizona!
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A few more of the best ghost towns in Arizona
- Vulture City: Vulture City was once the site of Arizona’s most successful gold mine which led to the founding of Wickenburg. Guided tours are available on the weekends where you can visit sites such as the 300-year-old ironwood tree where 18 men were sentenced to hang to death.
- Swansea: The ghost town of Swansea is located near Parker. It was settled in 1909 as a small copper mining and smelting town. Due to the remote location, this ghost town is considered one of the creepiest ghost towns in Arizona.
- Nothing: Nothing is located on US-93 between Wickenburg and Wikieup. The term ghost “town” is used loosely, since all that remains is an abandoned gas station and a couple of signs. But it is worth a quick stop just to take a photo of the original sign to prove you saw Nothing in Arizona!
- Fairbank: Fairbank was once a bustling railroad town and the closest train depot to Tucson. Today, visitors can take a self-guided walking tour to see historic points of interest like the old school house.
- Oatman: One thing that makes Oatman unique is the wild burros that roam around the town. These donkeys are descendants of those brought in by the original miners who settled this town!
- Castle Dome: Castle Dome was once bigger than Yuma but is now a well-preserved ghost town. Visitors can tour over 50 restored buildings filled with artifacts.
- Ruby: Ruby is located near the Mexico border by Nogales. It is a privately owned ghost town, but visitors can tour the abandoned mining town for a fee. If you visit from May to September, you can even witness hundreds of Mexican free-tail bats emerging from the old mines at dawn and returning at dusk.
- Cochise: Cochise was once a busy railroad town. In the 1880s, trains along the Southern Pacific Railroad would stop here for coal and water. A handful of original buildings and an operating train track still remain
- Ghost town trail: The ghost town trail east of Tombstone takes you to the ghost towns of Gleeson, Courtland, and Pearce.
FAQ:
- Where are the best ghost towns in Arizona? Click on the link for a map of all of the best ghost towns in Arizona.
- How many ghost towns are in Arizona? There are approximately 300 ghost towns in Arizona. Many are the remains of old mining boomtowns or railroad towns.
- What is the scariest ghost town in Arizona? Jerome is arguably the most haunted ghost town in Arizona. It was once considered the ‘Wickedest Town in the West’ and many of the notorious residents never left!
- What is the most popular ghost town in Arizona to visit? Tombstone is the most popular ghost town in Arizona to visit. Nearly 450,000 tourists visit Tombstone each year.
- What ghost towns are near Tucson? The closest ghost towns to Tucson are Tombstone, Bisbee, Fairbank, Cochise, Courtland, Pearce, Gleeson, and Ruby.
- What ghost town is near Sedona? Jerome is the closest ghost town to Sedona. It is located about 35 minutes southwest of Sedona.
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