Explore Tennessee's Ghost Towns

Elkmont, nestled in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is a fascinating remnant of a once-thriving logging community and popular vacation destination in the early 20th century. The Little River Lumber Company established a company town here, and the area later became home to resort communities where families spent their summers in the Smokies.

Today, historic cabins and structures remain throughout the Elkmont Historic District, offering a glimpse into the area’s past. The National Park Service has preserved and restored several buildings, including structures associated with the former Appalachian Club resort community.

Travelers researching Elkmont Ghost Town, TN, will find historic buildings surrounded by the forests and trails of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Stories of mysterious sounds and apparitions have also become part of Elkmont’s modern folklore, adding another layer of intrigue for visitors interested in both history and the supernatural.

Is Elkmont Ghost Town open? The historic Elkmont area is accessible within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, though individual buildings, roads and facilities may have seasonal restrictions or closures. Check current National Park Service conditions before your trip.

• Location: Elkmont Campground, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• Parking: Parking is available in the Elkmont area. A Great Smoky Mountains National Park parking tag is required for vehicles parked longer than 15 minutes.
• Accessibility: Accessibility varies by structure and trail. Restored Spence Cabin is largely wheelchair accessible, but other historic areas may include uneven surfaces.
• Know before you go: Stay on designated roads, trails and public areas and check current park alerts before visiting. Seasonal access restrictions may apply.

Located along the Tennessee River in Guild, Hales Bar Dam is steeped in history and haunting tales. Once a groundbreaking hydroelectric facility, Hales Bar encountered significant construction challenges and was eventually replaced by Nickajack Dam in the 1960s.

Local legends surrounding the dam include stories of unexplained activity inside the historic powerhouse. Visitors and paranormal investigators have reported mysterious sounds, shadowy figures and other unusual experiences over the years, helping make the site a popular destination for travelers interested in haunted history.

Today, Dam Whiskey Co. operates inside the historic Hales Bar Dam Powerhouse and offers tours that explore both the building’s history and its ghost stories. Tours include portions of the old powerhouse and underground tunnels.

• Address: 1265 Hales Bar Road, Guild, TN 37340
• Parking: Parking is available at the Hales Bar Marina and Powerhouse property.
• Accessibility: The full powerhouse tour is not wheelchair accessible and involves stairs and dark spaces.
• Know before you go: Wear sturdy shoes. Parts of the building are not heated or air-conditioned and may be wet after rain. Tour schedules can change for holidays, seasonal events and winter operations.

Loyston was once a community in what is now the Norris Lake area near Big Ridge State Park. The community disappeared when the Tennessee Valley Authority constructed Norris Dam and flooded the surrounding valleys to create Norris Reservoir in the 1930s.

Homes, businesses, schools and churches once stood in the community before residents were relocated as the reservoir was developed. Today, Loyston is remembered through local history and the landscape surrounding Norris Lake.

Loyston is one of several underwater ghost towns in Tennessee tied to the creation of the state’s major reservoirs. While visitors cannot walk through the former community, Big Ridge State Park offers a way to experience the scenery, trails and settlement history of the surrounding area. Many report sightings of old structures just below the water.

• Visitor location: Big Ridge State Park, 1015 Big Ridge Park Road, Maynardville, TN 37807
• Parking: Parking is available within Big Ridge State Park.
• Accessibility: Big Ridge State Park strives to make its facilities and activities ADA accessible, although accessibility varies by park facility and trail. 
• Know before you go: The former townsite is underwater. Visitors should explore only designated public areas and trails. Big Ridge State Park prohibits hiking after dark and requires visitors to stay on designated trails.

Historic Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Petros offers visitors the chance to step inside one of Tennessee’s most notorious former prisons. Brushy Mountain operated for more than a century and became known as a maximum-security facility housing some of the state’s most infamous prisoners, including James Earl Ray.

The prison closed in 2009 and reopened as a visitor attraction in 2018. Today, guests can explore cell blocks, yards and other areas through a self-guided audio-visual tour featuring stories from former inmates, guards and employees.

Brushy Mountain has also developed a reputation among paranormal investigators. Special paranormal investigations provide after-hours access to portions of the former prison, adding a supernatural angle to the site’s already imposing history.

• Address: 9182 Highway 116, Petros, TN 37845
• Parking: Visitor parking is available near the prison entrance, including designated accessible parking spaces.
• Accessibility: Most of the standard tour is accessible, but the prison has no elevators and areas including The Hole and cafeteria cannot be reached by guests who cannot use stairs.
• Know before you go: Public tour hours vary seasonally. D Block is closed to tour access because of structural issues. Wear sturdy shoes and check current operating hours before making the drive.

Few Tennessee supernatural stories are as famous as the Bell Witch legend. The story dates to the early 1800s and centers on the Bell family of Adams, who reportedly experienced unexplained sounds, voices and other disturbances on their Robertson County farm.

Today, Historic Bell Witch Cave gives visitors a chance to explore the property connected to the legend. Admission includes guided tours of the cave and a replica of the John Bell Cabin, where guides recount the history and folklore surrounding the Bell family. Special lantern tours and paranormal investigations are also offered on select dates.

The cave itself remains about 58 degrees year-round and can become wet, making sturdy closed-toe shoes a good choice even during warmer months.

• Address: 430 Keysburg Road, Adams, TN 37010
• Parking: On-site visitor parking is available. 
• Know before you go: The cave closes during and sometimes after heavy rain because of flooding. Hours are seasonal, so check operating status before traveling. Tickets for standard tours are currently purchased on-site.

Nestled in the rolling landscape of Middle Tennessee, Tharpe was once a thriving community originally known as Iron Mountain, named for the large furnace constructed in the mid-1800s after iron ore deposits were discovered in the area.

The small community had a post office, general store, school, mills, churches and even a doctor’s office. After the Civil War, lumber operations became an important part of the local economy, and by the early 1900s Tharpe also had a blacksmith shop and tobacco prizing factory.

The community changed dramatically in the 1960s with the creation of Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. Today, visitors can travel through the area around Tharpe Road and see a landscape that once supported active communities before the recreation area was established.

• Location: Tharpe area, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Tennessee. Exact historic-site coordinates: 36.572354, -87.933415
• Know before you go: Land Between the Lakes includes paved, gravel and minimally maintained roads. Use the official Motor Vehicle Use Map to confirm which roads are open to vehicle traffic and stay on legal public routes.

Willow Grove was once a community along the Obey River and one of Clay County’s larger towns, with a gristmill, school, churches and businesses. Its future changed when construction of Dale Hollow Dam and Reservoir began.

Residents relocated before their homes and businesses were removed or submerged. The community even held a farewell gathering at the school in 1942 as families prepared to leave.

Today, Willow Grove is remembered beneath Dale Hollow Lake. One particularly recognizable remnant is the submerged foundation of the former Willow Grove School, which has become a destination for scuba divers.

Visitors who want to explore the area from land can stay at Willow Grove Campground or visit the nearby marina and recreation areas around Dale Hollow Lake.

• Address: Willow Grove Campground, 10808 Willow Grove Highway, Allons, TN 38541
• Parking: Designated parking is available throughout the campground and recreation area. Some day-use or marina parking fees may apply.
• Know before you go: The historic school foundation is underwater. Scuba divers must display a diver-down flag, and boaters should remain clear of marked diving areas.

Old Jefferson once served as the county seat of Rutherford County. By the mid-20th century, plans for J. Percy Priest Reservoir dramatically altered the former community.

Residents were told the area would be affected by construction of the reservoir, and structures were removed from the former town. However, portions of the Old Jefferson area ultimately remained above water, and stories persist that foundations and other traces of the community can still be found around the surrounding landscape.

Visitors interested in Old Jefferson can pair its history with a trip to J. Percy Priest Lake and nearby Long Hunter State Park, where hiking, boating and other recreation provide opportunities to explore the area surrounding the reservoir.

• Location: Long Hunter State Park, 2910 Hobson Pike, Hermitage, TN 37076
• Exact Old Jefferson site: Located within the East Fork Recreation Area.
• Parking: Parking is available at designated Long Hunter State Park recreation areas.
• Know before you go: Do not enter private property or explore caves, foundations or undeveloped areas without confirming public access. Long Hunter’s main entrance currently operates from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Victorian Village in Memphis is a beautifully preserved reminder of the city’s 19th-century history. The neighborhood developed around grand homes built by some of Memphis’ prominent families, and several Victorian-era mansions remain along Adams Avenue today.

One of the neighborhood’s most notable sites is the Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum, a French Victorian mansion constructed in the early 1870s. Visitors can take self-guided tours through its period-furnished rooms while learning about the Woodruff and Fontaine families.

The mansion has also developed a reputation for ghost stories. Accounts of unexplained sounds and supposed apparitions have become part of its lore, and the museum has hosted special after-hours programs focused on paranormal stories associated with the property.

Unlike many locations in this guide, Victorian Village is not truly abandoned. It is a preserved historic district where museums, residences and other uses continue alongside the neighborhood’s haunting legends.

• Woodruff-Fontaine House address: 680 Adams Ave., Memphis, TN 38105
• Parking: Free museum parking is available at the corner of Washington Avenue and Orleans Street during museum hours.
• Accessibility: The museum’s first floor and Carriage House restroom are accessible. There is no elevator to the upper floors.
• Know before you go: Self-guided museum tours are generally offered Wednesday-Sunday, but private events, holidays and restoration work can create closures. Check the museum calendar before visiting.

Danville was once a thriving Tennessee River community and an important transportation link between river and rail commerce. Its distinctive transfer elevator moved goods between barges on the river and trains traveling through the community.

When Kentucky Dam was constructed and Kentucky Lake filled during the 1940s, much of Danville was submerged or removed. The massive concrete grain elevator survived and still rises from the waters of Kentucky Lake, creating one of the state’s most striking reminders of a community transformed by reservoir construction.

The structure is best viewed from the surrounding lake and recreation areas. It remains a recognizable landmark for boaters traveling this stretch of the Tennessee River.

• Location: Kentucky Lake near the former Danville community in Stewart, Tennessee. Exact coordinates: 36.298786, -87.950009
• Know before you go: The grain elevator is a deteriorating historic structure surrounded by water. Do not climb, enter or attempt to access the structure itself.

Located near Dover, Fort Henry was a Confederate fort constructed during the Civil War to defend the Tennessee River. In February 1862, Union forces captured the fort during the Battle of Fort Henry, helping open the Tennessee River as an important route into the South.

Much of the original fort site was eventually affected by changes to the Tennessee River and the creation of Kentucky Lake. Today, visitors can explore the surrounding Civil War landscape through the Fort Henry Trail System in the Tennessee section of Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

The trail system follows routes associated with Union troop movements from Fort Henry toward Fort Donelson and offers miles of hiking and biking through forests near the historic site.

• Location: Fort Henry Trail System, southern Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area near Dover, Tennessee
• Parking: Trail access and parking are available from several locations, including the Fort Henry Trailhead and South Welcome Station. 
• Accessibility: The trail system includes natural-surface routes with easy-to-moderate terrain. Accessible restrooms are available at designated facilities including the South Welcome area.
• Know before you go: Check Land Between the Lakes trail and road alerts before visiting. Portions of the Fort Henry trail system may close because of storm damage, forestry work or other safety conditions, and visitors should remain on designated open routes.