Ghost Towns in Texas

Beyond the famous names lies a deeper map: Texas holds 538 documented ghost towns — one of the richest collections of abandoned places in the country. Southern ghost towns rose with cotton, timber, oil, and river commerce — and fell to floods, fires, changing trade routes, and the boll weevil. Standouts include Adobe Walls, Candelaria, Fort Griffin, Indianola, Peyton Colony, and dozens more.

The heaviest concentrations sit in Wilson County, Guadalupe County, Presidio County, where settlements rose — and fell — in quick succession. Among towns with verified conditions, you'll find 4 foundations only, 2 living historic, 2 partial ruins sites. 7 towns are known to be publicly accessible — the rest require checking land ownership and access rules before you go.

Use the status and access filters below to narrow the list, or search for a specific town by name.