Top ghost towns
Ghost TownHanford
Ghost TownWhite Bluffs
Ghost TownRiverton
Ghost TownBlewett
Ghost TownMonte Cristo
Ghost TownLester
Ghost TownChesaw
Ghost TownGovan
Ghost TownTono
Ghost TownMolson
Ghost TownMartin
Ghost TownPinkney City
Ghost Towns by county
All ghost towns (28)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanford | Benton County | — | Basin City | 3 |
| White Bluffs | Benton County | — | Basin City | 3 |
| Riverton | King County | — | Riverton | 8 |
| Blewett | Chelan County | 711 m | Cashmere | 3 |
| Monte Cristo | Snohomish County | — | Gold Bar | 3 |
| Lester | King County | — | Wilderness Rim | 4 |
| Chesaw | Okanogan County | — | Oroville | 1 |
| Govan | Lincoln County | — | Grand Coulee | 2 |
| Tono | Thurston County | — | Tenino | 4 |
| Molson | Okanogan County | — | Oroville | 1 |
| Martin | Kittitas County | — | Cle Elum | 3 |
| Pinkney City | Stevens County | — | Colville | 4 |
| Ainsworth | Franklin County | — | Burbank | 6 |
| Barneston | King County | — | Hobart | 5 |
| Gettysburg | Clallam County | — | Port Angeles | 3 |
| Hot Springs | King County | — | Wilderness Rim | 4 |
| Barron | Whatcom County | — | Sedro-Woolley | 2 |
| O'Brien | King County | — | Kent | 8 |
| Baird | Douglas County | 727 m | Soap Lake | 2 |
| Seahaven | Pacific County | 3 m | South Bend | 3 |
| Theon | Asotin County | 982 m | Asotin | 2 |
| Jameson | Douglas County | 686 m | Chelan | 2 |
| Loop Loop | Okanogan County | 1,079 m | Okanogan | 2 |
| Wellington | Chelan County | — | Leavenworth | 3 |
| Pacific City | Pacific County | 7 m | Long Beach | 3 |
| Unfried | Garfield County | 496 m | Pomeroy | 3 |
| Grange City | Columbia County | 177 m | Dayton | 2 |
| Elberton | Whitman County | — | Palouse | 3 |
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.