You’ll find overnight accommodations at several Tennessee ghost towns, most particularly Elkmont in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where you can stay at nearby Reagan Resorts Inn just 5.2 miles from the abandoned 1800s logging settlement. Historic Rugby offers the Kingstone Lisle Inn, famous for its “Snoring Ghost,” while operational haunted hotels like Thomas House Hotel (established 1927), General Morgan Inn (1884), and Hale Springs Inn (Tennessee’s oldest, dating to 1824) provide authentic paranormal experiences with modern amenities. Discover what awaits during your spectral stay.
Key Takeaways
- Elkmont Ghost Town offers camping and nearby lodging like Reagan Resorts Inn, located 5.2 miles from the historic site.
- Thomas House Hotel, established in 1927, operates as a fully functional hotel with reported paranormal activity and overnight stays.
- General Morgan Inn provides 60 rooms in an 1884 Victorian building with reported hauntings and historic accommodations available.
- Hale Springs Inn, Tennessee’s oldest continually operating hotel since 1824, offers nine guest rooms with presidential suites and breakfast.
- Kingstone Lisle Inn at Historic Rugby organizes overnight paranormal investigations, though not typical lodging, for ghost hunters and researchers.
Elkmont Ghost Town – A Preserved Logging Settlement in the Smokies
Nestled eight miles from Gatlinburg in the heart of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Elkmont stands as Tennessee’s most accessible ghost town—a preserved slice of Appalachian history where weathered cabins and crumbling chimneys tell stories of both industrial ambition and gilded-age leisure.
You’ll discover forestry history dating to the late 1800s when the Little River Lumber Company established this settlement. By 1910, it transformed into “millionaires’ row”—an exclusive mountain retreat featuring the grand Wonderland Hotel and rustic vacation cottages. Colonel Townsend purchased the land and built a railroad to transport timber between the logging site and his sawmill in Tuckaleechee Cove.
After leases expired in 1992, preservation efforts saved 16 buildings from demolition through National Register protection. Today, you’re free to explore Daisy Town’s restored cabins, walk past stone walls along Jakes Creek Trail, and experience the Appalachian Clubhouse—all standing legacies to a bygone era of mountain escape. Modern visitors will find accommodations starting at $45 at nearby Reagan Resorts Inn, located just 5.2 miles from the ghost town.
Thomas House Hotel – Red Boiling Springs’ Most Haunted Lodging
While Elkmont offers ghostly ruins of a vanished community, Red Boiling Springs presents something more unsettling—a fully operational hotel where the departed allegedly refuse to check out.
At this historic hotel, guests check in willingly—but some spirits have never checked out at all.
The Thomas House Hotel’s haunted architecture dates to 1927, rising from the ashes of the original 1890 Cloyd Brothers establishment. This red brick structure has witnessed fires, cult occupation, and countless unexplained phenomena that’ve earned it Tennessee’s most paranormally active lodging reputation. The hotel’s original incarnation featured 18 rooms and a bathhouse designed to attract visitors seeking the therapeutic mineral springs. Architect Joseph H. Peters designed the current two-storey building that replaced the fire-destroyed weatherboard structure.
You’ll encounter ghostly legends throughout:
- Sarah, a young girl’s spirit, haunts the White Hallway and Room 37
- Mr. Cloyd wanders halls whistling, appearing as a shadowy figure on cameras
- Monthly Ghost Hunt Weekends offer overnight investigations with lights-out exploration
- Historic mineral springs resort setting adds atmospheric Southern Gothic charm
Call 615-699-3006 to book your paranormal adventure.
General Morgan Inn – Greeneville’s Victorian Haunted Landmark
Rising from Greeneville’s historic Main Street since 1884, the General Morgan Inn stands as Tennessee’s most architecturally distinguished haunted hotel—a four-story brick Victorian that’s witnessed everything from its namesake general’s violent death to decades of paranormal activity.
You’ll find this 60-room landmark built atop the Lane House, where Confederate General John Hunt Morgan was shot during a Union raid on September 4, 1864.
The Victorian architecture features marble belt courses and period details that transport you back to Tennessee’s tumultuous Civil War history.
After decades operating as Hotel Brumley, the inn closed in the 1980s before community efforts restored it in 1996.
The inn earned membership in National Trust Historic Hotels of America, recognizing its preservation and historic significance.
Staff and guests report encounters with forty resident ghosts, including Green Room Grace, who’s known for stealing spoons and rearranging paintings nightly.
Now you can explore its haunted corridors, dine in Brumley’s Restaurant where Morgan’s spirit reportedly lingers, and experience authentic Victorian hospitality just 90 minutes from Gatlinburg.
Hale Springs Inn – Presidential History Meets Paranormal Activity
Since 1824, the Hale Springs Inn has commanded downtown Rogersville’s Main Street as Tennessee’s oldest continuously operating hotel—a three-story Federal-style landmark where three U.S. presidents once slept and paranormal activity now rivals its distinguished guest registry.
You’ll discover historical architecture preserved through meticulous restoration, from original interior woodwork to the distinctive balcony where Andrew Jackson delivered political speeches. The inn’s celebrity visitors—Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson—each claimed rooms now bearing their names as presidential suites.
Your stay includes:
- Nine spacious guest rooms with private baths and full breakfast
- Original 1824 architectural elements blended with modern conveniences
- Civil War-era history from Union military occupation
- Access to the first-floor tavern where presidents once gathered
This community-preserved treasure survived military occupation, economic downturns, and near-abandonment. The inn provides clear directional signage throughout the property to guide guests between historic rooms, dining areas, and common spaces, ensuring you won’t miss any of the landmark’s notable features during your exploration.
Kingstone Lisle Inn – Home of Rugby’s Famous Snoring Ghost
You’ll find one of Rugby’s most intriguing haunts at Kingstone Lisle Inn, where Thomas Hughes built his retirement dream in the 1880s alongside his utopian community for displaced British aristocrats.
The founder himself allegedly remains, manifesting as “the Snoring Ghost” whose distinctive auditory presence echoes through the Victorian corridors where he once planned his idealistic settlement.
Historic Rugby now offers specialized lantern tours that guide you through the inn’s paranormal history, revealing both Hughes’ phantom and the melancholy woman in Victorian dress who still gazes from second-story windows.
At night, guests report hearing piano music, footsteps, and whispers in British accents that drift through the original Victorian building, creating an atmosphere that feels frozen in time. Similar to other Tennessee haunted sites, visitors often experience feelings of dread and encounter disembodied voices that seem to echo from the past.
Thomas Hughes’ Victorian Legacy
Deep in the Cumberland Plateau wilderness, British author Thomas Hughes envisioned something extraordinary—a utopian colony where England’s disinherited younger sons could build meaningful lives free from rigid class constraints. Founded in 1880, Rugby became his grand experiment in cooperative living, though Hughes himself never permanently resided here.
His Hughes legacy lives on through carefully preserved structures showcasing authentic Victorian architecture:
- Kingstone Lisle (1884), his intended retirement home, now welcomes visitors as a museum
- The 1882 Thomas Hughes Free Public Library stands as Tennessee’s oldest public library
- Christ Church Episcopal (1887) maintains its original character
- Pioneer Cottage, where Hughes stayed during his 1880 visits, offers rustic overnight accommodation
Today, Historic Rugby, Inc. protects these treasures, transforming Hughes’ utopian dream into Tennessee’s most atmospheric Victorian ghost town.
The Snoring Ghost Phenomenon
Among Rugby’s Victorian structures, Kingstone Lisle Inn harbors the colony’s most peculiar supernatural resident—founder Thomas Hughes himself, whose spirit allegedly makes its presence known through distinctive snoring sounds echoing through guest rooms. You’ll find this haunting notably tangible compared to distant cryptid sightings or vague folklore legends.
Hughes built this inn for his mother, and his attachment to the family residence apparently transcends death itself.
When you stay overnight, you might experience blankets mysteriously pulled from your bed while unexplained snoring resonates through the darkness. Multiple visitors report these consistent phenomena, earning Hughes his “Snoring Ghost” nickname.
The inn welcomes paranormal enthusiasts through organized tours and overnight stays, letting you investigate these documented disturbances firsthand. It’s Tennessee’s most interactive ghost encounter—where you’ll either witness genuine supernatural activity or enjoy exceptional Victorian accommodations.
Guided Tours and Access
The Kingstone Lisle Inn opens its doors to curious visitors through carefully organized guided tours that let you walk the same halls where Thomas Hughes’s snoring spirit supposedly roams. You’ll need to arrange access in advance, as this historic residence doesn’t operate as traditional overnight lodging.
Instead, you’re free to explore through structured programs that balance architectural preservation with your desire for paranormal investigation.
Your visit includes:
- Historical context about Thomas Hughes and the building’s original purpose as his mother’s residence
- Access to documented haunting locations where supernatural activity has been reported
- Insights into local folklore surrounding Rugby’s most famous ghostly resident
- Opportunities for investigation within this carefully maintained 19th-century structure
The experience caters specifically to ghost hunters and history enthusiasts seeking authentic supernatural encounters.
Chester Inn & Museum – Jonesborough’s Oldest Haunted Accommodation
You’ll find the Chester Inn standing proudly on Jonesborough’s Main Street, where it’s served as Tennessee’s frontier lodging since 1797. The three-story Federal-style building once welcomed Andrew Jackson and countless stagecoach travelers to what was hailed as “the finest Inn on the Western Frontier.”
Today’s visitors come not just for the meticulously restored Victorian rooms and museum exhibits, but for encounters with restless spirits who’ve reportedly never checked out of Tennessee’s oldest commercial building.
Historic Main Street Location
Standing at 116 West Main Street since 1797, Chester Inn commands the heart of Jonesborough’s historic commercial district along what was once the essential Great Stage Road. This three-story Federal-style structure represents Tennessee’s oldest commercial building.
Where frontier travelers once sought refuge in rooms lined with actual featherbeds—a luxury on the Western frontier.
You’ll discover layers of history through meticulous architectural restoration and historic preservation efforts:
- Original Federal design enhanced by an elaborate 1880s projecting porch
- Ten-bay facade with beaded weatherboard siding spanning multiple 19th-century expansions
- Victorian-era upstairs parlor showcasing the inn’s golden age
- Ground floor transformed into Chester Inn Museum chronicling regional history from 1779 forward
The State of Tennessee acquired this landmark in 1987, ensuring future generations can experience authentic frontier hospitality.
Paranormal Activity Reports
Beyond its documented role as Tennessee’s oldest commercial building, Chester Inn harbors something that transforms skeptics into believers—persistent paranormal activity that’s drawn professional investigators and curious visitors for years.
Spectral apparitions manifest as shadowy figures drifting through hallways, witnessed by multiple paranormal teams and public participants during investigations. You’ll hear footsteps echoing through empty corridors, doors opening without cause, and children’s laughter from vacant upper floors.
Unexplainable whispers call out names, while guests report feeling watched—never threatened, just observed. Even Andrew Jackson’s spirit allegedly returns here, connected to his extended stays during Tennessee’s early statehood.
S.R.S. Paranormal conducts public investigations where you’ll use professional equipment alongside experienced researchers, experiencing phenomena that’s converted countless skeptics into believers through firsthand encounters.
Planning Your Overnight Ghost Town Adventure in Tennessee
When you’re mapping out an overnight adventure to Tennessee’s ghost towns, Elkmont should anchor your itinerary. Drive US-411 from Gatlinburg to Sugarlands Visitor Center, then continue toward Cades Cove for seven miles until you spot the Elkmont Campground sign.
You’ll find the park’s largest ghost town settlement here, with 16 preserved cabins open for exploration.
Your adventure logistics:
- Park at the Elkmont Nature Trail lot and hike Jakes Creek Trail or Little River Trail to discover chimneys, stone walls, and foundations.
- Book nearby stays at Mountain Laurel Chalets or Lodge at Buckberry Creek, both 4.7 miles away.
- For immersive experiences, reserve Thomas House Hotel’s ghost hunt weekends with campfire stories and haunted folklore sessions.
- Verify current NPS trail conditions and cabin accessibility before departure.
What to Expect When Staying at Tennessee’s Haunted Historic Sites
Tennessee’s haunted historic inns transform your ghost town exploration from daylight discovery into something far more visceral. You’ll sleep where spirits allegedly roam—the Thomas House Hotel’s beds move on their own in rooms 17, 35, and 37, while Kingstone Lisle Inn’s “Snoring Ghost” pulls blankets from sleeping guests.
Stay overnight where paranormal activity doesn’t wait for tours—these historic inns deliver authentic supernatural encounters in your room.
Historical architecture surrounds you at the 1884 General Morgan Inn and 1824 Hale Springs Inn, where late-Victorian elegance meets unexplained phenomena.
Local legends come alive during overnight ghost hunt weekends, complete with all-night investigations and history presentations.
Expect phantom scents—perfume or peanut butter cookies—at Prospect Hill B&B, and mysterious whispers echoing through Elkmont’s preserved cabins.
You’re not just visiting these locations; you’re experiencing them authentically, unfiltered by tourist hours or daylight rationality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Children Allowed to Stay Overnight at These Haunted Locations?
You’ll find no explicit bans keeping young adventurers away—Thomas House Hotel, Read House, and Historic Eureka Inn welcome families seeking supernatural thrills. However, consider children’s safety carefully before booking haunted rooms with violent paranormal activity reports.
Do I Need Paranormal Investigation Experience to Visit These Sites?
You don’t need any paranormal investigation experience to visit these haunted Tennessee sites. They’re open to everyone seeking adventure. Some locations offer ghost hunting equipment and paranormal guides during overnight events, but prior expertise isn’t required.
What’s the Best Time of Year to Experience Paranormal Activity?
Fall through early winter offers peak paranormal experiences, especially around Halloween. Summer heat waves also intensify activity dramatically. You’ll find seasonal spirits more active during these periods, perfectly aligning with each location’s haunted history and atmospheric conditions.
Can I Request a Non-Haunted Room if I’m Easily Frightened?
Most lodgings don’t offer explicit non-haunted room preferences, but you can request quiet zones away from reported activity hotspots. Consider nearby standard hotels like Embassy Suites in Gatlinburg or Warriors Path State Park for guaranteed peaceful, spirit-free accommodations.
Are Pets Permitted at Any of Tennessee’s Haunted Historic Accommodations?
You’ll need to contact each property directly since pet policies aren’t publicly listed for haunted accommodations like Prospect Hill B&B or Thomas House Hotel. These historic Tennessee inns prioritize paranormal experiences over logistical details in their marketing materials.
References
- https://www.tnvacation.com/trip-inspiration/articles/ghost-towns-tennessee
- https://www.tn.gov/tourism/news/2022/10/3/experience-tennessees-ghost-stories-at-these-haunted-destinations.html
- https://www.appalachianghostwalks.com/east-tennessee-haunted-hotels-inns-bed-and-breakfasts.html
- https://www.tennesseehauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/hotels.aspx
- https://www.thomashousehotel.com
- https://www.pigeonforge.com/elkmont-ghost-town/
- https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/abandoned-ghost-town-smoky-mountains/
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/HotelsNear-g143031-d8426768-Elkmont_Ghost_Town-Great_Smoky_Mountains_National_Park_Tennessee.html
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB9scCPekDo
- https://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/smoky-mountains/about-elkmont-ghost-town/
