Top ghost towns
Ghost TownHarrison
Ghost TownKaiser
Ghost TownPendarvis
Ghost TownAdams Center
Ghost TownAnchorage
Ghost TownWilliamsburg
Ghost TownQuincy
Ghost TownSpringbluff
Ghost TownStaadts
Ghost TownWelch Point
Ghost TownLake Emily
Ghost TownHarmon
Ghost Towns by county
All ghost towns (51)
| Name | County | Elevation | Nearest town | Sky |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison | Calumet County | 301 m | Sherwood | 4 |
| Kaiser | Price County | 457 m | Park Falls | 2 |
| Pendarvis | Iowa County | — | Mineral Point | 3 |
| Adams Center | Adams County | 296 m | Adams | 3 |
| Anchorage | Buffalo County | 237 m | Arcadia | 3 |
| Williamsburg | Trempealeau County | 232 m | Independence | 3 |
| Quincy | Adams County | 269 m | Easton | 3 |
| Springbluff | Adams County | 312 m | Adams | 3 |
| Staadts | Marathon County | 402 m | Stratford | 3 |
| Welch Point | Dunn County | 237 m | Durand | 3 |
| Lake Emily | Portage County | 344 m | Amherst | 3 |
| Harmon | Washburn County | 363 m | Hayward | 2 |
| Manson | Oneida County | 463 m | Tomahawk | 2 |
| New City | Trempealeau County | 237 m | Independence | 3 |
| Charter Oak Mills | Jackson County | 234 m | Black River Falls | 4 |
| Bohri | Buffalo County | 223 m | Winona | 4 |
| Springdale | Buffalo County | 293 m | Mondovi | 3 |
| Stettin | Marathon County | 420 m | Marathon | 4 |
| Army Lake | Walworth County | 253 m | Potter Lake | 5 |
| Ashford | Richland County | 315 m | Richland Center | 3 |
| Coolidge | Price County | 458 m | Phillips | 2 |
| Cortland | Trempealeau County | 218 m | Arcadia | 3 |
| Dell Prairie | Adams County | 306 m | Wisconsin Dells | 3 |
| Corwin | Richland County | 385 m | Hillsboro | 3 |
| Henrietta | Richland County | 250 m | Hillsboro | 3 |
| Worden | Clark County | 356 m | Stanley | 3 |
| Fellows | Rock County | 276 m | Evansville | 4 |
| Fordham | Adams County | 298 m | Adams | 2 |
| Granite City | Waupaca County | 274 m | Marion | 3 |
| Granite Quarry | Waupaca County | 258 m | Waupaca | 3 |
| Hatton | Waupaca County | 241 m | Weyauwega | 3 |
| Keith | Forest County | 485 m | Crandon | 2 |
| Kurth | Clark County | 329 m | Neillsville | 2 |
| Little Wolf | Waupaca County | 245 m | Manawa | 3 |
| Marble | Waupaca County | 258 m | Clintonville | 3 |
| Mayhews | Walworth County | 262 m | East Troy | 5 |
| McGrew | Richland County | 342 m | Richland Center | 3 |
| Mill Creek | Richland County | 241 m | Richland Center | 3 |
| Moe Settlement | Columbia County | 255 m | Wisconsin Dells | 4 |
| Nelsonville | Eau Claire County | 304 m | Mondovi | 3 |
| New Chester | Adams County | 316 m | Westfield | 3 |
| Nowell | Waupaca County | 263 m | Manawa | 3 |
| Oak Grove | Eau Claire County | 291 m | Mondovi | 3 |
| Old Tyrone | Dunn County | 231 m | Durand | 3 |
| Perote | Menominee County | 382 m | Keshena | 2 |
| Petersville | Waupaca County | 301 m | Iola | 3 |
| Pilot Knob | Adams County | 326 m | Westfield | 3 |
| Roche a Cri | Adams County | 290 m | Adams | 2 |
| Rodney | Waushara County | 245 m | Redgranite | 3 |
| Rogneys | Jackson County | 272 m | Blair | 3 |
| Savoy | Buffalo County | 210 m | Durand | 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.