From haunted cemeteries to abandoned ghost towns, creepy motels, art installations, and natural wonders, here’s where to get spooked in the Silver State.

Nevada put the “ spectre ” in ghost townspeople . The state is an eerie , barren desert full ofweird roadside attractions , extraterrestrial sightings , andmore than 600 literal ghost town , making it the most spook - Ithiel Town - populate state in the nation . The Silver State boomed when mining did , and tear mightily along with it , leaving the hollowed - out husks of former boom towns to be domesticize by the desert sand .

Some of those pip are considered “ survive ghost towns , ” where house physician still exist in the shadows of the town ’s resplendence days from a century before . Some play it up , making tourist attractor out of brothels - turned - hotels and graveyard with wooden headstones . There are also modern ethnic artifacts with a creepy edge : outdoor museum erected by outside artist in the middle of the desert and surrounded by ghost towns that only make sense in a deeply unearthly Department of State like Nevada . And then there ’s the work of Mother Nature herself , never to be surmount .

Nevada has an quotidian sort of creepy factor all year long , but it ’s extra special during the flighty time of year . From Tonopah to Goldfield and Beatty , take a route trip out of Las Vegasthis fall and discover some of the spookiest piazza to get your Halloween quiver !

Clown Motel

Clown Motel|Travel Nevada

Mizpah Hotel

TonopahWhether or not you ’re concerned in ghosts and haunt berth , if you are any kind of history lover , the Mizpah Hotel , built in 1907 , is rightfully a rattling destination unto itself . When current owners Nancy and Fred Cline adopt over the historic property in 2011 , they made a painstaking , loving sweat to return it to its former glory . This is a beautiful hotel that well earns its nickname as " The Jewel of the Desert . ” It ’s a taste of luxury in the keep ghost town of Tonopah … and it ’s also haunted AF — thewhole town is .

Stay in the “ Lady in Red ” room number 504 , named after the womanhood throttle to destruction by a covetous ex-husband - devotee between room 502 and 504 . While the Lady in Red is certainly the most famous of the Mizpah ’s ghost , there are others live to obsess the floor , including some playful child on the third floor and murdered miners in the basement . On Fridays and Saturdays in late October , the Mizpah gives haunted hotel tours ; call ( 855 ) 337 - 3030or ( 775 ) 482 - 3030 to inquire about escort , time , and booking .

Clown Motel

TonopahThis motel does n’t need to be ghost to be terrifying , butit is also stalk , so slumber tight . The Clown Motel charge itself as “ America ’s Scariest Motel ” and perfectly no one will reason otherwise as it ’s an old motel that ’s now stuffed with more than 3,000 merry andrew — there used to only be 600 . That ’s thanks to fresh possessor Vijay Mehar , who require over the motel in 2019 and is working hard to agnize a new vision for the topographic point . With on-going renovations ( as of September 2022 , the merry andrew museum is being expanded ) and newfangled themed rooms includingIT , TheExorcist , Halloween , andFriday the thirteenth , Mehar is process to elevate the Clown Motel experience while also double down on the thing that it ’s most famous for : a whole lot of creepy clowns .

Old Tonopah Cemetery

TonopahLocated right next to the Clown Motel , because it was n’t already creepy-crawly enough , is the century - old Tonopah Cemetery . The cemetery has a gripping story — not just of the stories of those who are buried there , but also the tale of how it is now being restored by three brothers from Tonopah who started a nonprofit over 40 eld ago with the finish of preserving this piece of local history . The cemetery was in utilization only for 10 year , from 1901 until 1911 . Burials ceased when tailing from the Tonopah Extension Mill were washing over and destroying the graves , and a new burial ground was established .

The old burying ground is open 24 hours a day , seven day a hebdomad for guest to search . Allen Metscher of the Central Nevada Historical Society continues his decades - long oeuvre of preserving the burial ground using archives of newspapers and obituaries to identify each grave and reconstruct the headstones . He shares the stories of these “ permanent residents ” by adding a piffling morsel of information on each — sometimes where they hailed from , sometimes the warfare they served in , and sometimes the cause of death . There are several grave marker identifying the Belmont Mine fire as the cause of destruction ; 17 men died in this horrific accident , but “ Big Bill ” Murphy saved dozens more . He is also buried here , and his tombstone read : “ Belmont Mine fire . die while saving others . ”

Belmont Ghost Town

TonopahLocated just north of Tonopah is Belmont Ghost Town , one of Nevada ’s most iconic and well - preserved ghost towns . Belmont was a mining godsend metropolis in the mid-1800s , until the mine dried up and most resident emptied out by 1900 . Many of the more than 150 - year - old structures have remained partially intact , but the collector’s item here is the statelyBelmont Courthouse , a brick social structure make in 1876 that , unlike most of the other buildings here , retained its original timberland roof ( most timber was stripped from the buildings as the great unwashed left because it was so valuable ) until just a few yr ago when it was restored . That roofing also kept the construction impeccably preserve , even for the 60 old age it sat desolate . Today , the Friends of the Belmont Courthouse offer guided go by designation during which visitor can see some of the celebrated inscription on the walls inside — including those of Charles Manson and his acolyte .

International Car Forest of the Last Church

GoldfieldPicture this : heaps of dried honest-to-goodness gondola , buses , vans , and trucks sticking up out of the ground covered in graffiti . This is the International Car Forest of the Last Church , a public art installment turn up in Goldfield , once the with child city in Nevada with 20,000 residents during the gold spate and known as “ World ’s Greatest Gold Camp . ” There are remnants of that Wild West chronicle throughout the town with historical hotel and saloons , and then there is the Car Forest , a advanced creation spearhead by longtime Goldfield resident Mark Rippie who was join by artist Chad Sorg and Zak Sargent in planting over 40 junked vehicles throughout 80 acres of ground .

Now an established nonprofit , the Car Forest look for to “ preserve the last church in us all ” and celebrate “ people who create and make beauty where others destruct . ” It ’s believed to be the largest public artistic creation installation of its kind in the country and is a oasis for artist and graffiti tagger who get along out to add their own workplace to the sprawl outdoor canvass . There is something inherently eerie about the mickle of scads of rusted - out vehicles perplex out of the ground hide in two 10 ’ worth of spray paint layers — very post - apocalyptic , post - civilisation . Come at sunset for some cause of death skittish photos .

Historic Goldfield Hotel

GoldfieldOnce known as the most lavish hotel in Nevada ’s biggest , wealthiest boom town , the Goldfield Hotel is now known as one of the scariest places on earth . A slew of realness TV ghost hunters and paranormal investigators have descended on this place over the class , describe all style of sightings and psychic interference . The history of the Goldfield Hotel and its “ lasting residents ” is well the most disturbing of all of Nevada ’s ( many ) haunted hotel : victims of gruesome murders and suicides are said to haunt the place , and it has been describe as a “ portal to the infernal region . ” Guided enlistment and paranormal investigations of the Goldfield Hotel are available by appointment only by texting 775 - 277 - 0484 . Tours are primarily proffer in the evening hour and there is circumscribed lighting and no working elevator , so node are narrate to institute their own flashlights , which for certain enhances the spooky vibration .

And while you ’re in Goldfield , be sure to make a stop at theGoldfield Historic Cemetery . It ’s still used as the town ’s burial ground , but the diachronic section in the back is where you ’ll bump white stone tomb markers with epitaph like , “ Unknown gentleman died eating library paste . ”

Bonnie Claire

Between Beatty and GoldfieldBonnie Claire is a long - dead ghost townspeople located on the outskirt of Death Valley . The ruin here are fairly extensive , with several rock buildings still standing over a century after the townsite was abandoned , and many skeletal social structure of construction and excavation equipment remaining vigilant . But what makes Bonnie Claire specially singular is the Bonnie Claire Playa , a juiceless lakebed with occult affect rock that seem to slide along the Earth’s surface of the dried clay , leaving long tails behind them . This is the same phenomenon that happens onThe Racetrack in Death Valley , but without the punic four - 60 minutes , one - way drive ( still , take caution and be well prepared if you determine to repel out to the Bonnie Claire playa — if you fracture down or get stuck , no oneis fall to help you ) .

Rhyolite Ghost Town

BeattyRhyolite Ghost Town is well Nevada ’s most famous , most visited , and one of the well - preserved . Rhyolite was another wealthy boom town , but this one lasted less than a decade , from 1904 to 1911 . Remnants of the town have last far longer , with portions of walls of the various buildings still stick out today , ghosts of glory days long gone . Check out the remains of the three - story bank edifice , the older jailhouse , the complete train entrepot , and Tom Kelly ’s Bottle House , made with 51,000 beer bottles , adobe mud , and still fully intact . Dusk is a great metre to visit because the lighting is best , and it makes it all extra - flighty .

Goldwell Open Air Museum

BeattyLocated next to Rhyolite is theGoldwell Open Air Museum , one of the eery , spookiest , and coolest public art installations to be in the eye of the godforsaken desert . There are several declamatory - musical scale carving here , but the most famous are the ghoulish six - pes - improbable , shrouded plaster figures staged in a reinterpretation of da Vinci’sThe Last Supperby constitute artist Charles Albert Szulaski . Aside from the ghostly cover figures , Goldwell is just a really cool , unique , flaky attraction , but those figures most certainly make it an excess - spooky destination utter for October travel . Visit during sundown for some terrible exposure .

Cathedral Gorge State Park

PanacaNature is metallic element . Behold : Cathedral Gorge State Park , which wait like a movie set of Mordor or some bleak depiction of the Underworld . Cathedral Gorge State Park is a hauntingly beautiful park full of towering spire , spectacular hoodoos , and spooky slot canyon organize tenner of zillion of years ago by layers of volcanic ash hundreds of feet thick . Visually it ’s a close full cousin to Bryce Canyon and the Badlands , but with a fraction of a fraction of the crowds . duomo - comparable canon walls and spire tower high overhead , dwarf all who descend into the canyon . These spires provide an especially striking background for stargazing , photography , and flighty time of year encampment that you wo n’t find anywhere else .

Overland Hotel & Saloon

PiocheThe Overland Hotel & Saloon is located just a few miles north of Cathedral Gorge in Pioche , which was known as one of the wildest Ithiel Town of the American West . Another keep ghost town , its beginnings as a excavation thunder township in the 1860s were especially violent : the first 72 deaths in the town were murder victim . In fact , “ Murderers ’ quarrel ” in theBoot Hillcemetery is said to be the final resting lieu of over 100 of the town ’s early liquidator . A town with this much red historyhasto be haunted — the Overland Hotel & Saloon , Million Dollar Courthouse , and old jail have all made their appearances on ghost hunting TV shows in turn . you could spend the nighttime at the Overland Hotel if you require to chance your own ghostly confrontation … and if you do n’t , just necessitate the front desk for a way “ barren of activity . ”

Lehman Caves

Great Basin National ParkGreat Basin National Parkis one of the least - visited home parks in the country , with only 90,000 visitant annually . There are many feature that draw visitant to Great Basin — it ’s a designated International Dark Sky Park , make it one of the best property for stargazing with some of the dour skies in the humanity , and it is also household to Wheeler Peak , the second - high peak in Nevada at 13,065 feet elevation . But the Great Basin is believably well known for Lehman Caves , the big secret cave arrangement in Nevada which first come out shape two to five million years ago .

The Lehman Caves were dedicate in 1922 as Nevada ’s first internal memorial and are lionize acentennial anniversarythis class . Visitors can only enter the caves on a guided tour , which are offered day-by-day yr - cycle ( except major holiday ) and can be reserve up to 30 days in feeler — and they do sell out , so do n’t look until the last min . Different tours cover different sections of the cave and run at dissimilar lengths , but no matter which one you prefer for you ’ll have the chance to see some of the cave ’s more than 300 stunning shield formations — most cave systems only have a few — and experience its singular ecosystem that ’s home to several creatures found nowhere else on Earth , include at least 10 squash racket species . A spooky cave full of at-bat should definitely be on your Halloween change of location pail list .

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park

ElyLocated just about an hour northwest of Great Basin — via a stretch of main road that was once named “ The Loneliest Road in America ” byLifeMagazine — the Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park is a historical preservation land site named for the six hive - shaped charcoal gray oven that were used for silver processing in the late 1870s . After the Ward mine was depleted and miners propel on to the next boom Ithiel Town , the ovens were still used as shelters for stockmen and prospector during risky atmospheric condition , as well as stagecoach bandits , who also used them as hideouts . The oven are still opened for touring and make for an specially flighty - coolheaded positioning for stargazing and astrophotography .

The Haunted Ghost Train of Old Ely

ElyThe Nevada Northern Railway Museum in Ely is a historic rider railroad offering train ride on C - old steam engines . The museum consists of the original railway locomotive , undulate blood , track , rider station , and buildings that serve the neighborhood ’s copper minelaying surgical procedure . They offer various themed rides throughout the year , and on the last two Friday and Saturday nights in October they offer the “ Haunted Ghost Train of Old Ely , ” where rider will catch glimpses of brainless horseback rider , hitchhiking ghosts , obsessed tunnel , creepy-crawly campfires , UFO , and more . Costumes are strongly bucked up , but dress warm — this part of the state gets fairly inhuman at this time of the year . Be sure to reserve in advance because this is a pop offering and with only four dates , they do sell out .

Mizpah Hotel

Mizpah Hotel

Clown Motel

Clown Motel|R. Miller/Flickr

Old Tonopah Cemetery

Old Tonopah Cemetery|Travel Nevada

Belmont Ghost Town

Belmont Ghost Town|James Marvin Phelps/Flickr

International Car Forest of the Last Church

International Car Forest of the Last Church|sam may/Flickr

Bonnie Claire

Bonnie Claire|James Marvin Phelps/Flickr

Rhyolite Ghost Town

Rhyolite Ghost Town|wehardy/Flickr

Goldwell Open Air Museum

Goldwell Open Air Museum|Lux & Jourik/Flickr

Cathedral Gorge State Park

Cathedral Gorge State Park|Jeff Sullivan/Flickr

Lehman Caves

Lehman Caves|antaresjhw/Flickr

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park|James Marvin Phelps/Flickr