Top ghost towns
Ghost TownThurmond
Ghost TownKay Moor
Ghost TownSmoke Hole
Ghost TownNuttallburg
Ghost TownAlum Springs
Ghost TownHuntsville
Ghost TownWarford
Ghost TownWhitcomb
Ghost TownFairview
Ghost TownJunta
Ghost TownBrink
Ghost TownBryant
Ghost Towns by county
All ghost towns (25)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ThurmondNew River Gorge | Fayette County | — | Oak Hill | 4 |
| Kay MoorNew River Gorge | Fayette County | — | Fayetteville | 4 |
| Smoke Hole | Pendleton County | — | Petersburg | 3 |
| NuttallburgNew River Gorge | Fayette County | — | Fayetteville | 3 |
| Alum Springs | Greenbrier County | 711 m | Lewisburg | 3 |
| Huntsville | Jackson County | 182 m | Ripley | 3 |
| Warford | Summers County | 434 m | Hinton | 2 |
| Whitcomb | Greenbrier County | 520 m | Fairlea | 4 |
| Fairview | Greenbrier County | 738 m | Rainelle | 2 |
| Junta | Summers County | 460 m | Hinton | 2 |
| Brink | Greenbrier County | 536 m | White Sulphur Springs | 3 |
| Bryant | Greenbrier County | 841 m | Rainelle | 2 |
| StonewallNew River Gorge | Raleigh County | 445 m | Stanaford | 4 |
| Stringtown | Tucker County | 872 m | Parsons | 3 |
| Sunset | Pocahontas County | 724 m | Marlinton | 2 |
| Walker Hill | Greenbrier County | 916 m | Rainelle | 2 |
| Egypt | Summers County | 483 m | Alderson | 2 |
| Gertrude | Pocahontas County | 916 m | Elkins | 2 |
| GreenwoodNew River Gorge | Fayette County | 751 m | Mount Hope | 3 |
| Lilly | Summers County | 488 m | Hinton | 3 |
| McClung | Greenbrier County | 908 m | Rainelle | 2 |
| Mercers Saltworks | Summers County | 447 m | Narrows | 2 |
| Mill Run | Pocahontas County | 615 m | Marlinton | 2 |
| Mill Run | Tucker County | 581 m | Parsons | 2 |
| PinepocaNew River Gorge | Raleigh County | 557 m | Stanaford | 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.