Road Tripping Through the Haunted West

Posted: 07.25.2024 | Updated: 07.25.2024

Why is the West so haunted? After the Civil War, this great nation was a mess. Lincoln was dead, the nation was divided, and mass graves churned the landscape. Since the North and South were already tarnished, the West appeared to have nothing but a bright future brimming with possibilities.Folks flocked to the West, and pioneer towns, lawless, with nothing more than a brothel and a saloon, started to pop up like weeds. The West was ravaged and picked clean to the bone. Bandits, wars against the natives, genocide, legends like Billy The Kid and the OK Coral; in less than 30 years, we as a nation had soaked the land in as much blood as those of two wars — The Civil and the Revolutionary. 

So, why is the West so haunted?

The territory is littered with the remnants and tragic tales of massacres and greed, leaving a line of sorrowful spirits to roam the land. Read on to discover the most haunted places in the West and see them in person. Check out our location page to find a ghost tour near you! 

Old Idaho Penitentiary in Idaho

 The prison began in 1870 as a one-cell house and later expanded into a complex of buildings enclosed by a big brickwork wall. More than 13,000 inmates have been prisoners in this penitentiary, and many have died in it, with 10 of the state's 11 executions being carried out in the prison.The most infamous inmate was Raymond Allen Snowden, a man nicknamed “Idaho’s Jack the Ripper.” He was convicted of murder in 1956 and sentenced to death by hanging. Inmates suffered inhumane conditions in the place. There was no plumbing, and the cells were either too hot or too cold, depending on the season. In December 1973, the prison closed, and the buildings were left untouched after the disturbances.There have been many reports of ghostly activities in the prison complex. Guides and visitors testify to hearing strange sounds and disembodied voices and seeing dark shadows lurking near the cellblocks of the Old Idaho Penitentiary. Some believe that Snowden’s spirit haunts the place since his execution, especially near 5 House, the building where he was hanged. Footsteps are heard when no one is around. Guests who have taken the tours have felt watched and touched by unseen hands. 

The Fairweather Inn in Virginia City, MT

 The Fairweather Inn was known as the Anaconda Hotel and Saloon. In 1890, Frank and Amanda McKeen bought the saloon and added hotel rooms, a restaurant, and a bowling alley in the basement. When Prohibition struck in 1918, things started to get rough for the couple. Sadly, Frank died in 1919. Amanda couldn’t bear her life without her husband, so she committed suicide. The Anaconda Hotel changed owners over the years until the 1940s. Charles and Sue Bovey bought the place and renamed it the Fairweather Inn after the man who detected gold in Alder Gulch, Bill Fairweather.The inn is rumored to be haunted by several entities. Guests report being spooked in the middle of the night by doors opening and closing on their own. Also, ghostly, playful children appeared at night in the first-floor guest rooms of patrons with children. Visitors who have stayed in Room 10 have witnessed the most activity at the hotel. Unexplained whispers can be heard, and the sensation of not being alone overwhelms the visitors to the point of leaving in the middle of the night. In the empty halls, the rustling of an old-fashioned dress can be heard in the quiet night, as well as heavy footsteps. 

The Clown Motel in Tonopah, NV

 The Clown Motel is a clown-themed Hotel located next to the historic Old Tonopah Cemetery —a spot where many earlier silver mine workers who died in mining accidents were laid to rest. The motel has been named “America’s Scariest Motel” due to its closeness to the cemetery. The motel holds 31 rooms and was opened in 1985 by Leroy and Leona David to honor their dead father, who had a collection of over 150 clown figurines and worked at the mines.In 2019, Vijai Mehar purchased it, assigning his friend Hame Anand as CEO and current administrator of the motel. The motel underwent renovations, and the clown collection was increased to over 2,000 pieces. With the motel is just a few feet from the cemetery, it is a hotspot for otherworldly activities. Guests report hearing unexplained laughter throughout the halls and full-bodied clown apparitions in rooms 108, 111, 210, and 214. The staff also described feeling anxious in all the guest rooms as doors shut by themselves, and an eerie presence was felt. 

Asylum 49 in Toole, UT

 Asylum 49 is a haunted tourist attraction where the former institution called the Old Tooele Hospital existed. This hospital was originally constructed as a family residence by Samuel F. Lee in 1873. In 1913, the Lees moved out, and the County transformed the house into an elderly facility and later into the Tooele Hospital. This facility served as a healing place for the sick and mentally ill. However, a new nearby hospital was built in 2001, and the Old Tooele Hospital closed its doors. Later, half of the hospital was used as an elderly residence and the other half as Asylum 49, a haunted attraction for Halloween.The tourist attraction holds unique ghostly activities reported by guests and old staff members. A ghost named Wes haunts the corridors, accompanied by a dark presence. Nurses who worked at the nursing home reported being spooked by entities at night. Old patients have described being cared for by a nurse dressed in white, though the nurses on staff never wore white. Other hauntings at Asylum 49 include shadowy figures that crawl onto the ceiling, orbs, and whispering voices. A spiritual portal, guarded by a spirit named Maria, is said to exist at the hospital and has been confirmed by mediums investigating the site. Also, Samuel Lee’s ghost is said to dawdle about, sometimes escorted by his young son Thomas, who loves playing tricks on visitors. 

Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins, WY

 The Wyoming Frontier Prison opened in 1901 without electricity, running water, and effective heating. Prisoners included aggressive inmates and convicts of lesser crimes. Soon, overcrowding became an issue, with an overcapacity of approximately 13,500 inmates. New cell blocks, buildings, The Old Hole, The Death House, The Dungeon House, and a hydrocyanic acid gas chamber were built among the prison’s walls. From 1912 to 1933, condemned prisoners were forced to hang themselves in The Death House using The Julien Gallows technique. The inmates stood on a trap door, and a torrent of water started, causing the trap door to open and the condemned to drop and break his neck. The prison was closed in 1981 and became a museum under the administration of the Old Pen Joint Powers Board.During tours, apparitions appearing out of nowhere are quite common. In The Dungeon House, an angry spirit menaces anyone who dares to enter certain cell block sections. Visitors felt pressure on their chests and anxiety as they climbed the stairs towards The Dead House. Other hauntings include a reflection of a man’s spirit with a brimmed hat in the room where numerous condemned died by this bizarre hanging device.One of the most famous hauntings of the prison is that of the “Pie Lady.” A woman from the town of Rawlins used to bake pies for the inmates and brought them weekly to the prison. One inmate was freed under parole and looked for the “Pie Lady”; he then assaulted and murdered her. He was readmitted to the prison and found hanging from the second-floor balcony days later. Other inmates took it upon themselves to avenge the “Pie Lady.” Some visitors say they have seen the ghostly scene of the perpetrator being punished by fellow inmates. 

Moon Lake in High Uintas, UT

 Moon Lake is a beautiful campground in the High Uintas with beautiful scenery. Visitors who have camped at the spot have had an incredibly spooky experience. For example, in broad daylight, a young weeping 7-year-old girl constantly approaches campers and asks for their help. She seems to have fallen into the lake as she is soaking wet, and when she appears, she's trembling, pale with blue lips. When vacationers agree to help her and then turn to collect their belongings, she disappears into thin air. She is also seen walking through the woods, around the lake, sitting on the benches, and fishing.This ghostly girl has been appearing to campers for years. Some don’t see her but hear her moaning around the woodlands. No one is to be found when visitors try to locate where the sound came from. As night descends, things get even spookier. As visitors lie in their tents, they have reported hearing sinister screams, followed by splashing in the water nearby as if someone had been tossed into the lake. Minutes later, footsteps running across the campsite are heard. It is believed that the haunting spirit belongs to a girl who drowned in the lake years ago. Moon Lake is also rumored to host an enormous waterborne cryptid - a giant serpent similar to Nessie – which many investigators have identified. 

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO

 Room 217 at the Stanley Hotel is known for its famous visitors: Stephen King and Elizabeth Wilson.Wilson was the Chief Housekeeper of the hotel in 1917 when she suffered a terrifying injury in Room 217. She was lighting the acetylene lantern when it exploded, causing her to fall through the floor and break both ankles. Modern-day visitors have seen Wilson’s ghost enter the room at night to tidy up.Almost 60 years after the Lantern incident, famed horror author Stephen King booked the same room for himself and his wife, Tabitha. They were the lone guests at the hotel, and their experiences inspired the 1977 book and 1980 classic film, The Shining. 

The West's Most Haunted

 America’s haunted history is as vast and complex as the country itself, and this list only scratches the surface.In the meantime, you can visit our blog to find in-depth information about hauntings in the U.S. and worldwide. You can also follow US Ghost Adventures on Facebook and Instagram for the daily content that’s both bone-chilling and fascinating. Sources:https://www.aclu.org/issues/prisoners-rights/cruel-inhuman-and-degrading-conditionshttps://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/prohibitionhttps://www.executedtoday.com/tag/julian-gallows/