MapUrbex
From ghost towns to crumbling hospitals and luxury mansions left to rot,
the United States is a playground for urban explorers.
In this article, we uncover 10 iconic abandoned places across America —
each with its own story of rise, fall, and decay.
1️⃣ Centralia – Pennsylvania
Beneath this small town, a coal mine fire has been burning since 1962.
Today, Centralia is almost empty — streets cracked open, smoke seeping from the ground, and eerie silence everywhere.
A true American ghost town, frozen in time.
🔗 Related: Top 10 Abandoned Places in the World in 2025
2️⃣ Bodie – California
A legendary gold rush town, Bodie was abandoned in the early 1900s.
Everything remains — wooden saloons, schools, and homes —
making it one of the best-preserved ghost towns in the USA.
Now protected as a State Historic Park, it’s a must-see for urbex lovers.
3️⃣ The Magnolia Mansion – Mississippi
Hidden deep in Mississippi’s woods lies an abandoned luxury mansion.
Marble floors cracked, grand staircases collapsing, and chandeliers gathering dust —
nobody knows exactly why the owners left.
A hauntingly beautiful symbol of Southern Gothic decay.
4️⃣ Pennhurst Asylum – Pennsylvania
This abandoned psychiatric hospital closed in 1987 after horrific reports of abuse.
Its decaying hallways, medical equipment, and old patient files
make Pennhurst one of the most chilling urbex sites in America.
Many explorers report strange noises and ghostly shadows.
🎧 Read next: Is Urban Exploration Dangerous?
5️⃣ Bannack – Montana
Built during the gold rush, Bannack was once full of life.
Today, the wooden buildings remain untouched,
offering a glimpse into the wild past of the American frontier.
Now a State Park, it’s one of the safest ghost towns to visit for urbex beginners.
6️⃣ Ghost Town in the Sky – Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Built in 1961, this mountaintop amusement park has been closed since a hurricane destroyed much of it.
Rusty rides, broken cable cars, and shattered Wild West sets
make it a post-apocalyptic paradise for photographers.
Once a family attraction, now a ghostly ruin in the clouds.
7️⃣ Old Los Angeles Hospital – California
In downtown Los Angeles stands a forgotten hospital,
where time stopped decades ago.
Patient files litter the floors, operating rooms sit in darkness,
and graffiti covers every wall.
Some locals claim the building is still haunted by its former patients.
8️⃣ Beverly Hills Forgotten Villa – California
A multi-million dollar mansion, once home to Hollywood elites,
now lies empty and crumbling in the hills.
A swimming pool filled with dust, marble halls cracked and stained —
it’s the perfect example of luxury turning to ruin.
9️⃣ Alcatraz – California
The world’s most famous prison still stands in San Francisco Bay.
Although partly restored, many forbidden areas remain untouched,
offering a chilling glimpse into America’s darker history.
Even empty, Alcatraz radiates a sense of isolation and despair.
🔗 Also read: How to Start Urban Exploration Safely
🔟 Detroit – Michigan
Detroit is the capital of global urbex.
Thousands of abandoned schools, churches, theaters, and factories
make it a true paradise for explorers and photographers.
Every building tells a story — of the city’s fall, and its slow rebirth.
📸 Bonus – Urbex in the USA
America is full of abandoned treasures:
hospitals, mansions, ghost towns, theme parks, and forgotten industries.
Each spot is a piece of living history waiting to be rediscovered.
🧭 Before exploring, check our Map of Abandoned Places Near You in 2025
or get your Free Urbex Map today.
🚀 Conclusion
From burning towns and haunted hospitals to ghostly mansions in Beverly Hills,
the United States is home to some of the world’s most spectacular urbex sites.
Each place is a reminder of ambition, tragedy, and time’s unstoppable march.
If you want to explore abandoned places near you before they vanish,
get your MapUrbex account and start your adventure now!
🎁 Create an account and get your free map
📸 Photos credits :
- JACQUI AGATE
- Ethan Fernandez
- Keller Williams
- Jdreed
- Atlas Obscura
