Centralia, Pennsylvania<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"Centralia](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/centralia-pa-ryan-bakerink-1024x640.jpg\")
Centralia | Photo courtesy of Ryan Bakerink<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s not often you see city signs warning you to beware of the dangers of being swallowed by the ground. But that is exactly what you’ll see when you step into Centralia, Pennsylvania<\/a>, aka the city that has been on fire for more than half a century. This desolate, underground inferno was once a thriving mining city, but in May 1962, a fire was intentionally set to burn out a landfill. Little did they know, there was a labyrinth of underground coal mines connected to the landfill. The maze caught ablaze and has been burning ever since. Stroll the streets of this eerie ghost town and you’ll discover steam still smoldering from cracks in the ground.<\/p>\nBannack, Montana<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Banack-1024x768.jpg\")
Bannack | Photo: Jason Heidemann<\/p><\/div>\n
From gold to ghosts, Bannack<\/a> is one of the state’s best-preserved ghost towns. This town sprang up seemingly overnight during the Gold Rush, but as with many mining towns of the era, bust followed the boom. The last inhabitants left in 1970, leaving nearly 60 well-preserved buildings that have since become part of Bannack State Park. Adventurous wanderers can peruse the abandoned town or plan a visit in July, when a yearly historical reenactment called “Bannack Days” happens.<\/p>\nThurmond, West Virginia<\/strong><\/h2>\nDuring its 1930s prime, Thurmond<\/a> boasted a population of around 500. Now only five people remain. This coal country ghost town met its demise when America shifted from rails to roads, and diesel-fueled locomotives instead of ones run by steam. Sprinkle in the devastation of the Great Depression and a few catastrophic fires and you have the perfect recipe for disaster and desertion. Nowadays, you can visit the former train depot, that has been transformed into a museum, and drift down the New River Gorge National River on a fun rafting excursion.<\/p>\nBodie, California<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"Bodie,](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Bodie-1024x683.jpg\")
Bodie, CA<\/p><\/div>\n
Welcome to the Wild West where you’ll find one of America’s most historic and spookiest ghost towns. Located in the the Sierra Nevada mountains, Bodie<\/a> is a gold rush town turned derelict destination now frozen in time. There have been several spooky stories about this ghost town over the years; from the scorned woman of Cain’s Residence leering out the window to an older woman seen knitting at the Gregory house and the sounds of laughter from small children. Perhaps the creepiest of them all is the Bodie curse. It is believed that taking anything from Bodie, even something as small as a pebble on the ground, will result in the person being cursed until the item is returned.<\/p>\nGlenrio, Texas\/New Mexico
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nFrom the tumbleweeds blowing across this deserted town to the errant critter creeping across a forlorn dusty road, Glenrio<\/a> is like a scene straight out of a horror movie. This tiny town straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico was a popular road stop for travelers making their way along legendary Route 66. When Interstate 40 was built in the 1970s, drivers began bypassing Glenrio and now all that remains are a few deteriorating structures and a sign that reads \u201cFirst in Texas\u201d or \u201cLast in Texas,\u201d depending on the direction in which you\u2019re driving.<\/p>\nSt. Elmo, Colorado<\/strong><\/h2>\nStory has it that St. Elmo<\/a>‘s population rode out on the last train out of town and never returned. A visit to this former gold and silver mining town alludes to just that, as this well-preserved town looks more or less the same as it did in its boom days. There are 43 original buildings still standing, including a church and general store that is open during the summer months for tourists.<\/p>\nNevada City and Virginia City, Montana
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/Nevada-City-1024x768.jpg\")
Nevada City | Photo: Jason Heidemann<\/p><\/div>\n
Located just 90 miles northwest of Yellowstone National Park, perched high in the Rocky Mountains, Nevada City and nearby Virginia City<\/a> are both ghost towns that are still very much alive. Witness the life of the early settlers in the Gold Rush era through live reenactments or even pan for gold like the olden days. Hop aboard a train and take in the breathtaking scenery on a 20-minute ride between the two towns.<\/p>\nSalton Sea, California<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Centralia | Photo courtesy of Ryan Bakerink<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s not often you see city signs warning you to beware of the dangers of being swallowed by the ground. But that is exactly what you’ll see when you step into Centralia, Pennsylvania<\/a>, aka the city that has been on fire for more than half a century. This desolate, underground inferno was once a thriving mining city, but in May 1962, a fire was intentionally set to burn out a landfill. Little did they know, there was a labyrinth of underground coal mines connected to the landfill. The maze caught ablaze and has been burning ever since. Stroll the streets of this eerie ghost town and you’ll discover steam still smoldering from cracks in the ground.<\/p>\n Bannack | Photo: Jason Heidemann<\/p><\/div>\n From gold to ghosts, Bannack<\/a> is one of the state’s best-preserved ghost towns. This town sprang up seemingly overnight during the Gold Rush, but as with many mining towns of the era, bust followed the boom. The last inhabitants left in 1970, leaving nearly 60 well-preserved buildings that have since become part of Bannack State Park. Adventurous wanderers can peruse the abandoned town or plan a visit in July, when a yearly historical reenactment called “Bannack Days” happens.<\/p>\n During its 1930s prime, Thurmond<\/a> boasted a population of around 500. Now only five people remain. This coal country ghost town met its demise when America shifted from rails to roads, and diesel-fueled locomotives instead of ones run by steam. Sprinkle in the devastation of the Great Depression and a few catastrophic fires and you have the perfect recipe for disaster and desertion. Nowadays, you can visit the former train depot, that has been transformed into a museum, and drift down the New River Gorge National River on a fun rafting excursion.<\/p>\n Bodie, CA<\/p><\/div>\n Welcome to the Wild West where you’ll find one of America’s most historic and spookiest ghost towns. Located in the the Sierra Nevada mountains, Bodie<\/a> is a gold rush town turned derelict destination now frozen in time. There have been several spooky stories about this ghost town over the years; from the scorned woman of Cain’s Residence leering out the window to an older woman seen knitting at the Gregory house and the sounds of laughter from small children. Perhaps the creepiest of them all is the Bodie curse. It is believed that taking anything from Bodie, even something as small as a pebble on the ground, will result in the person being cursed until the item is returned.<\/p>\n From the tumbleweeds blowing across this deserted town to the errant critter creeping across a forlorn dusty road, Glenrio<\/a> is like a scene straight out of a horror movie. This tiny town straddling the border of Texas and New Mexico was a popular road stop for travelers making their way along legendary Route 66. When Interstate 40 was built in the 1970s, drivers began bypassing Glenrio and now all that remains are a few deteriorating structures and a sign that reads \u201cFirst in Texas\u201d or \u201cLast in Texas,\u201d depending on the direction in which you\u2019re driving.<\/p>\n Story has it that St. Elmo<\/a>‘s population rode out on the last train out of town and never returned. A visit to this former gold and silver mining town alludes to just that, as this well-preserved town looks more or less the same as it did in its boom days. There are 43 original buildings still standing, including a church and general store that is open during the summer months for tourists.<\/p>\n Nevada City | Photo: Jason Heidemann<\/p><\/div>\n Located just 90 miles northwest of Yellowstone National Park, perched high in the Rocky Mountains, Nevada City and nearby Virginia City<\/a> are both ghost towns that are still very much alive. Witness the life of the early settlers in the Gold Rush era through live reenactments or even pan for gold like the olden days. Hop aboard a train and take in the breathtaking scenery on a 20-minute ride between the two towns.<\/p>\nBannack, Montana<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Thurmond, West Virginia<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Bodie, California<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Glenrio, Texas\/New Mexico
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nSt. Elmo, Colorado<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Nevada City and Virginia City, Montana
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\nSalton Sea, California<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"Salton](\"https:\/\/www.travelocity.com\/inspire\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/salton-sea-ryan-bakerink-1024x640.jpg\")