5 of the Best Ghost Towns to Visit on a Spooky Season RV Trip

Forget haunted houses filled with actors. Find real haunted vibes with an RV trip to visit some of the best ghost towns in America. From the high desert of California to the Black Hills of South Dakota, you’ll find abandoned buildings, deserted mining camps, weathered cemeteries, dusty roads, and plenty of Old West history. Whether you visit one or visit them all, these five destinations will make this year’s spooky season one to remember.

Why Should RV Travelers Visit Bodie, California?

Few American ghost towns make a first impression quite like Bodie State Historic Park. Once a thriving California mining camp, Bodie now preserves buildings in what the state of California calls “arrested decay.” Inside these buildings, you’ll find furniture, merchandise, and other reminders of the people who once called this town home.

It’s that preservation that makes Bodie so eerie. Instead of wandering through a recreated Old West attraction, you walk through an actual abandoned community with homes, a church, stores, a schoolhouse, and mining structures, all left exactly as the inhabitants left them. Fall adds another layer to the eerie atmosphere as the cooler temperatures and shorter days make the Eastern Sierra landscape feel even more remote.

Keep in mind that Bodie has no commercial services, including food or fuel, and camping isn’t allowed inside the park. You should also keep an eye on the weather since conditions can change quickly at this elevation.

Where to park your RV: Bridgeport Reservoir RV Park & Marina is a practical base for exploring the region. The campground offers full-hookup RV sites with 30- and 50-amp service, water, sewer, and Wi-Fi. The property also includes access to trails in the Bodie Hills.

What Makes Spokane, South Dakota, a Great Black Hills Ghost Town?

The Black Hills already feel like they’re made for an October road trip. Add in an abandoned mining town, and you have all the ingredients for a spooky-season adventure.

Gold miners established Spokane, South Dakota, around 1890. The settlement grew around mineral mining operations that produced not only gold, but also silver, lead, zinc, and copper. Eventually, the mine failed, residents left, and nature began reclaiming the community. Today, several remnants remain, including the mine, barn, watchman’s house, and school.

Unlike a restored tourist attraction, Spokane is one of America’s ghost towns to visit for quiet and the feeling that the surrounding forest could easily swallow all remaining evidence that the town was ever here. While visiting, be sure to respect private property, historic structures, posted restrictions, and any seasonal road closures.

Where to park your RV: Custer’s Gulch RV Park has more than 60 full-service sites, free Wi-Fi, and full hookups. It’s located near Custer State Park, making it a great home base for scenic drives, caves, and other Black Hills stops.

Why Visit Goodsprings, Nevada, During Spooky Season?

About 40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, Goodsprings trades neon lights for mining history and desert legends. The community took its name from cattleman Joseph Good, and mining drove its growth. By 1916, Goodsprings had a population of roughly 800, and the district produced lead, zinc, gold, silver, copper, and other minerals.

Unlike completely abandoned ghost towns, Goodsprings still has a few residents and businesses, including the Pioneer Saloon. Opened in 1913 and one of the oldest saloons in Nevada, it has walls made of pressed tin that still bear bullet holes from a 1915 card game dispute. The saloon also has a small memorial for actress Carole Lombard, who was killed when her plane crashed into nearby Potosi Mountain in 1942. It’s also been used as a filming location for Hollywood productions like Miss Congeniality and has appeared in several films and TV series, including The Twilight Zone.

Don’t let the Hollywood glamour stop you from adding Goodsprings to your list of ghost towns to visit this spooky season: its historic buildings, desert scenery, mining remnants, and decades of local lore all give it plenty of Old West ghost-town atmosphere.

Where to park your RV: Las Vegas KOA Journey makes a perfect base with full-hookup RV sites, 30- and 50-amp service, pull-through options, Wi-Fi, and sites that accommodate larger rigs.

What Can You Do at Goldfield Ghost Town in Arizona?

Next on our list of top ghost towns to visit is Goldfield Ghost Town near Apache Junction, Arizona. Goldfield boomed in the 1890s as gold mining attracted prospectors and businesses to the area. At its height, the town included saloons, a boarding house, a general store, a blacksmith, a brewery, a meat market, and a schoolhouse.

Today, the town has been restored as a tourist attraction where visitors can walk Main Street, tour the Mammoth Gold Mine, explore the museum, pan for gold, ride the state’s only narrow-gauge train, and watch Old West gunfight reenactments. It’s a great destination for a ghost-town atmosphere without having to head deep into the backcountry.

Where to park your RV: Lost Dutchman State Park puts you at the foot of the Superstition Mountains and close to Goldfield, so you can easily add hiking, desert sunsets, and impressive stargazing to your ghost-town itinerary.

Why Is Frisco, Utah, One of the Best Ghost Towns to Visit?

For a ghost town that looks ghostly, head to Frisco in western Utah. The discovery of silver turned the town into a booming mining community in the 1870s. It grew rapidly and was known as the wildest town in the Great Basin. During its heyday, Frisco had 23 saloons, murder was allegedly a daily affair, and drinking water had to be freighted in.

In 1885, Frisco’s fortunes changed when the Horn Silver Mine collapsed. Today, visitors can see scattered ruins and the town’s distinctive beehive-shaped charcoal kilns that look like they came straight out of Star Wars.

The location, ruins, cemetery, and surrounding desert all make Frisco an especially atmospheric stop in the fall. However, some of the surrounding property has no trespassing restrictions. Stay on legal access routes, obey posted signs, and avoid abandoned mines or unstable structures.

Where to park your RV: Beaver KOA Journey is open year-round and offers pull-through sites and full hookups.

How Should You Prepare an RV for a Ghost Town Road Trip?

Ghost towns earned their name for a reason: they sit miles away from major services. We recommend:

• Filling your fuel tank before entering remote areas.
• Downloading maps since cell service can be spotty.
• Carrying drinking water and emergency supplies.
• Inspecting RV and tow-vehicle tires before departure.
• Checking road conditions and closures.
• Watching the weather, especially at higher elevations.

Stay Protected When You Visit Ghost Towns with DuraFlap

The best ghost towns to visit aren’t right off the interstate, and that puts your RV or travel rig on dusty, rocky roads. DuraFlap keeps your rig protected from the dents and dings that can come from those roads. Our custom-made mud flaps provide the most protection for your motorhome, truck, SUV, or trailer. Each pair is made from a ⅜” polyethylene/rubber blend with anti-sail and anti-spray capabilities, and they won’t tear, peel, fade, or break. Order your set today and don’t get spooked by what lies on the road ahead.