Top ghost towns
Ghost TownCahaba
Ghost TownGantts Quarry
Ghost TownClaiborne
Ghost TownAigleville
Ghost TownBellefonte
Ghost TownBlakeley
Ghost TownFailetown
Ghost TownLouina
Ghost TownArcola
Ghost TownFort Crawford
Ghost TownPrairie Bluff
Ghost TownTurkey Town
All ghost towns (15)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cahaba | Dallas County | 32 m | Selmont-West Selmont | 3 |
| Gantts Quarry | Talladega County | — | Sylacauga | 5 |
| Claiborne | Monroe County | 55 m | Frisco City | 2 |
| Aigleville | Marengo County | — | Demopolis | 5 |
| Bellefonte | Jackson County | — | Scottsboro | 4 |
| Blakeley | Baldwin County | — | Spanish Fort | 5 |
| Failetown | Clarke County | — | Butler | 2 |
| Louina | Randolph County | — | Roanoke | 3 |
| Arcola | Hale County | — | Demopolis | 3 |
| Fort Crawford | Escambia County | — | East Brewton | 5 |
| Prairie Bluff | Wilcox County | — | Camden | 2 |
| Turkey Town | Cherokee County | 166 m | Centre | 4 |
| Minden | Calhoun County | 151 m | Ragland | 4 |
| Bootsville | DeKalb County | 265 m | Rainsville | 4 |
| Rawlingsville | DeKalb County | 292 m | Fort Payne | 5 |
Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).
Map
How to photograph ghost towns
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.