You can spend the night in several authentic Mountain West ghost towns, from St. Elmo’s historic Guest House with antique claw-foot tubs to Gold Point’s weathered miners’ cabins starting at $110. Montana’s Bannack State Park offers camping among 50 preserved structures, while Arizona’s Jerome Grand Hotel provides haunted stays in a 1926 former hospital. Colorado’s Dunton Hot Springs combines luxury with natural mineral springs behind original buildings. Book months ahead—these atmospheric accommodations fill quickly, especially from late spring through October, when you’ll discover the full range of immersive experiences awaiting among these preserved settlements.
Key Takeaways
- Bannack, Virginia City, and Nevada City in Montana offer camping beside authentic 1860s gold rush structures and historic cabins.
- St. Elmo’s Ghost Town Guest House provides three rooms with antique tubs and modern amenities in preserved 1880s buildings.
- Gold Point, Nevada features deluxe houses and standard cabins starting at $110 nightly with authentic miners’ quarters and saloon.
- Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona offers haunted stays in a 1926 Spanish Mission hospital with reported paranormal activity.
- Book months ahead for late spring through October; late May to early June offers optimal weather and fewer crowds.
Ghost Town Guest House, St. Elmo, Colorado
Tucked high in Colorado’s Sawatch Range, St. Elmo stands frozen in time at 10,000 feet. You’ll discover one of the state’s best-preserved ghost towns, where preservation efforts have maintained over 40 original structures from the 1880s mining boom.
Step back 140 years at 10,000 feet, where 40 authentically preserved structures showcase Colorado’s mining heritage in stunning mountain isolation.
The handcrafted Ghost Town Guest House blends seamlessly into this historic landscape—its peeled logs and saddle notches mirror authentic ghost town architecture so convincingly, you’d swear it’s 150 years old.
Built with reclaimed materials over ten years, this three-story bed and breakfast offers three rooms with antique claw-foot tubs and modern showers.
You’ll wake to chipmunks scurrying past weathered storefronts, walk dirt streets where 2,000 miners once sought fortune, and experience genuine frontier solitude without sacrificing comfort in this nationally-registered historic district. The town once served as a supply hub for nearby mines including the Mary Murphy, Gold Queen, and Boss Tweed. Hosts Sharon and Chuck enhance your stay with personalized storytelling, sharing tales of local life, celebrity encounters, and their own love story during evening gatherings.
Gold Point Ghost Town, Nevada
You’ll step into genuine miners’ cabins where prospectors once slept between shifts at the Great Western Mine, their weathered plank walls still bearing the marks of Nevada’s silver and gold rushes. Each restored structure places you inside Gold Point’s 150-year story—from the desperate tent city of Lime Point through the 800-resident boom of Hornsilver to the Depression-era gold strikes that gave the town its current name.
The creak of floorboards beneath your feet echoes with the footsteps of claim-jumpers, postmistress Ora Mae Wiley, and the miners who abandoned these buildings when WWII shut down operations in 1942. The town’s classic Old West saloon features an original 1909 Brunswick pool table alongside a remarkable 128-pound photo album containing over 8,000 images of Nevada mining camps. Visitors can explore two museums open on weekends, offering glimpses into the heritage that a handful of dedicated residents work to preserve.
Authentic Historic Cabin Lodging
At Gold Point Ghost Town in Nevada’s remote high desert, you can sleep in authentic miner cabins that have weathered over a century of boom, bust, and abandonment. These restored dwellings maintain their rustic exteriors while offering beautifully appointed interiors with modern climate control and satellite TV.
Historical preservation meets comfort as you choose between deluxe houses with full kitchens or standard cabins with shared facilities, starting at $110 nightly with breakfast included. All accommodations require a minimum 2-night stay, ensuring you have ample time to immerse yourself in the ghost town experience.
Guest experiences range from contemplative—star-filled skies untainted by light pollution—to unsettling, with numerous reports of ghostly encounters. The property features 5 historic cabins currently available for guests, with additional miners’ quarters undergoing restoration to expand lodging options.
You’ll support Nevada’s mining heritage restoration while enjoying the on-site saloon’s 1909 Brunswick pool table. Here, freedom means disconnecting from civilization’s grip while connecting to the raw, unvarnished spirit of the Old West.
Nevada Mining Heritage Experience
Since Las Vegas wallpaper hanger Herb Robbins first acquired Gold Point‘s crumbling structures in the 1980s, this authentic silver mining camp has transformed into Nevada’s most immersive ghost town experience.
You’ll walk streets where 125 dwellings once housed fortune-seekers, exploring original mining structures documented by over 8,000 photographs of Nevada’s mining heritage.
The meticulously restored Gold Point Saloon welcomes you with its 1909 Brunswick pool table and period-authentic bar—no velvet ropes or museum cases blocking your experience. Test your skills at table shuffleboard while soaking in the authentic saloon atmosphere.
Your cabin stay directly funds historic preservation efforts, ensuring these remnants of the 1860s silver boom survive for future adventurers. Weekend visitors might encounter Herb himself patrolling as Sheriff Stone, adding theatrical authenticity to the old west atmosphere.
Under Nevada’s pitch-black skies, you’re not observing history from behind glass—you’re living within its weathered wooden walls.
Jerome Grand Hotel: Arizona’s Haunted Hospital Stay
Perched on Cleopatra Hill at 5,200 feet elevation, the Jerome Grand Hotel dominates Arizona’s skyline as a massive concrete monument to the mining boom that once made this town thrive.
Built in 1926 as the United Verde Hospital, this 30,000-square-foot structure served miners until 1950, witnessing approximately 9,000 deaths within its fireproof walls.
You’ll ride the original 1926 Otis elevator through five levels of haunted architecture, where guests report phantom gurney wheels rolling through empty corridors.
The building sat abandoned for 44 years before Larry Altherr tackled preservation challenges in 1994, transforming surgical wards into guest rooms while maintaining Spanish Mission Style authenticity.
Altherr’s renovation excavated over 1,000 truckloads of material to create 70 parking spaces by 1996, addressing the steep hillside’s logistical challenges.
Your stay includes onsite dining and the possibility of encountering restless spirits from Jerome’s copper-mining past.
The hotel houses a rare 1928 green Rolls Royce Phantom that appears only during special parade events, adding vintage elegance to this historic property.
Dunton Hot Springs: Luxury Ghost Town Resort in Colorado
Deep in a remote alpine valley of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, Christoph Henkel’s vision transformed an 1885 mining camp into North America’s most exclusive ghost town experience. After seven years of meticulous restoration, Dunton Hot Springs now offers 13 hand-hewn log cabins where mountain history whispers through authentic structures.
You’ll discover luxury where miners once slept:
- Natural mineral springs ranging from 85-106°F bubble behind original buildings
- 24/7 saloon serving gourmet cuisine in century-old ambiance
- Remote wilderness access—one hour from civilization
Though ghost stories haunt abandoned Western towns, Dunton’s spirit lives in preserved authenticity merged with modern convenience.
All-inclusive rates cover everything from meals to spa treatments, while high-speed Wi-Fi connects you when needed. The former general store now houses guests, and River Camp extends capacity to 60 adventurers seeking ultimate mountain escape.
Bannack State Park: Montana’s Authentic Western Experience
When Montana’s first major gold strike rang out on July 28, 1862, fortune-seekers flooded into Bannack’s grasshopper-dotted gulches, swelling the population beyond 3,000 within a year.
Today, you’ll walk among 50 authentic structures lining Main Street, where preservation efforts have maintained this National Historic Landmark as the West’s most genuine ghost town.
Fifty original buildings stand frozen in time along Main Street, offering an unvarnished glimpse into authentic frontier life.
Set up camp at Vigilante or Road Agent campgrounds—24 sites total where you’ll sleep beneath Montana’s vast skies.
You’re free to explore mining history through self-guided tours, ride horseback along mountain trails, or cast your line into nearby streams.
Winter transforms the dredge pond into your ice-skating rink.
This isn’t a sanitized tourist trap—it’s raw frontier authenticity where you’ll experience pioneer living exactly as it was.
Virginia City and Nevada City: Montana’s Living Ghost Towns
Just 70 miles west of Bannack, where Alder Gulch carved through the Tobacco Root Mountains, spring 1863 brought Montana’s richest gold strike—and with it, twin boomtowns that refused to die.
You’ll wander streets where $30 million in gold dust once changed hands, where historical preservation transformed Victorian-era architecture into living museums. Over 10,000 miners once crowded these boardwalks; today, fewer than 140 residents guard their secrets.
Your authentic Old West experience includes:
- Gold panning in Nevada City’s original streams
- Brewery Follies comedy shows in century-old saloons
- Alder Gulch Shortline Railroad rides between towns
Stay at the Fairweather Inn, where haunted tales echo through antique-furnished rooms, or brave the Bonanza Inn’s chilling energy.
Even Boothill Cemetery reveals strange lights after dark—history here breathes differently.
What to Expect When Staying in a Ghost Town
Sleeping where miners once struck it rich means trading typical hotel conveniences for something far more memorable—authenticity wrapped in century-old walls. You’ll find claw-foot bathtubs, gas log stoves, and queen beds tucked into restored cabins where prospectors once collapsed after twelve-hour shifts.
Modern touches like WiFi and flat-screen TVs blend seamlessly with reclaimed timber and original architecture. Many ghost town stays operate off-grid using solar power, offering spectacular dark sky stargazing you won’t find elsewhere.
Historic saloons serve as gathering spots for local cuisine and cold drinks, just as they did 150 years ago. Your mornings begin with coffee and history videos detailing boom-and-bust tales, while outdoor activities beckon from every direction—trails wind through abandoned mines and weathered headframes waiting for exploration.
Planning Your Ghost Town Overnight Adventure
Because ghost town accommodations book months in advance, you’ll want to secure your reservation the moment you’ve chosen your destination.
St. Elmo’s three guest rooms and Gold Point’s historic cabins sell out rapidly during their limited seasons.
Your Essential Planning Checklist:
- Book Early – Reserve between spring’s end and October’s first weekend, when most Mountain West ghost towns operate
- Pack Smart – Bring layers for unpredictable mountain weather, sturdy boots for exploring ruins, and quality camera gear for ghost town photography
- Embrace the Experience – Research your destination’s ghost stories beforehand to enhance your adventure
Off-grid locations like Ten Bits Ranch mean you’ll disconnect from daily demands while enjoying modern comforts.
Whether you’re choosing Dunton Hot Springs’ luxury cabins or Gold Point’s authentic structures, advance planning guarantees you’ll capture that perfect balance of wilderness freedom and historical immersion.
Best Times to Visit Mountain West Ghost Towns
While Mountain West ghost towns welcome visitors year-round, timing your adventure dramatically shapes your experience. Late May through early June delivers ideal conditions—services open, crowds vanish after Memorial Day, and moderate temperatures let you explore weathered structures without summer’s intensity.
Post-Memorial Day through early June offers ghost town explorers the perfect trifecta: open amenities, empty trails, and comfortable weather for wandering abandoned ruins.
You’ll photograph Mount Rushmore unobstructed and wander Battle’s remote terrain before heat descends.
Fall transforms Colorado’s mountain settlements into golden-aspened sanctuaries, with September offering solitude among crumbling facades.
Winter adventurers brave snow-hindered access to high desert sites like Bodie, where preservation challenges intensify yet urban legends feel most authentic in frozen silence.
Avoid Sturgis Rally’s August chaos unless you crave motorcycle mayhem.
July’s Bannack Days resurrects frontier life through reenactments, connecting you viscerally to stories these abandoned streets still whisper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Ghost Town Accommodations Suitable for Families With Young Children?
Yes, you’ll find ghost town stays blend historical authenticity with modern safety considerations. Family suites, bunk rooms, and complimentary breakfasts await, while scenic chairlifts and nightly s’mores create unforgettable adventures your kids will cherish forever.
Do I Need a Four-Wheel Drive Vehicle to Reach These Locations?
Like choosing the right boots for a mountain trail, your vehicle needs match each ghost town’s terrain. Most locations don’t require off road vehicles—standard cars work fine—though vehicle recommendations suggest high-clearance for Dunton’s rugged approach.
What Cell Phone Reception Can I Expect at Mountain Ghost Towns?
Signal strength varies wildly between mountain ghost towns. You’ll find reception reliability depends on nearby peaks and towers. Silver City offers surprisingly good service, while most remote locations leave you blissfully disconnected from the digital world.
Are Pets Allowed at Ghost Town Lodging Facilities?
Yes, you’ll find many ghost town lodgings welcome your furry companions with pet policies requiring leashes and deposits ($100-200). Service animals typically have fewer restrictions, letting you explore these haunting Western landscapes together while preserving historic sites.
How Far in Advance Should I Book Ghost Town Accommodations?
Book ghost town accommodations 2-3 months ahead for peak seasons. You’ll secure your spot in authentic ghost town history while having time to research safety precautions for remote, off-grid locations where cell service and modern amenities vanish.
References
- https://touristish.com/ghost-town-guest-house/
- https://www.goldpointghosttown.com/HTML_Pages/THE_EXPERIENCE_and_Accommodations.htm
- https://www.tripadvisor.com/Articles-loOISRppph64-American_ghost_towns.html
- https://koa.com/blog/western-ghost-towns/
- https://www.duntondestinations.com/hot-springs/
- https://explorethearchive.com/western-ghost-towns
- https://gunslingergulch.com
- https://virginiacitymt.com/Experience-The-Old-West/index
- https://fwp.mt.gov/stateparks/bannack-state-park
- https://www.ghosttownguesthouse.com/historic-st-elmo
