For all the horrors that haunted hotels and cemeteries command, they all pale in comparison to ghost towns. There is something deeply unsettling, yet alluring, about a once populated and bustling location, now turned deserted with piercing silence and hollow infrastructures.

Over the years, many ghost towns in Nevada, in particular, have become an object of intrigue, attracting flocks of tourists to revel in their eeriness. One doesn’t even have to wander off to the edges of civilization to spot a ghost town, though; as counterintuitive as it might feel, even the most lively areas, such as Las Vegas, have their share of seemingly abandoned towns. For those willing to explore these remote patches of abandonment, here are the top 10 ghost towns near Las Vegas that curious travelers in Nevada should add to their wanderlust list.

10 Rhyolite Ghost Town

A Mercantile building in Rhyolite, Nevada, USA

About 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the ghost town of Rhyolite has a fascinating history and is a testament to the flimsy and fragile nature of human societies. Founded in 1904, Rhyolite bloomed during the gold rush era that swept across Nevada. Soon, Rhyolite became a thriving mining town filled with hospitals, railroads, churches, stock exchange, saloons, and brothels, housing about 10,000 people.

However, after the quality and quantity of gold ores declined, so did its population. And by the 1910s, Rhyolite was almost entirely empty. Today, visitors can glimpse into Rhyolite’s past glory by wandering through its collection of ruins and abandoned buildings, including the famous "Bottle House" made of 50,000 bottles.

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9 Gold Point Ghost Town

Antique saloon in Gold Point ghost town, Nevada, USA
Alberto Loyo / Shutterstock
Antique saloon in Gold Point ghost town, Nevada, USA

Just 70 miles northwest of Rhyolite rests the Gold Point Ghost Town, engulfed by mountains and sagebrush. After the discovery of gold in 1927, the town flourished till the 1960s when the mine collapsed after dynamite went off. Today, visitors to Gold Point can explore the remains of the old saloons, general stores, and homes and get a glimpse of what life was like in the town's heyday.

One of the town's most notable landmarks includes the Gold Point Hotel, which was built in 1908 and is said to be haunted by the ghost of a former owner.

8 Nelson Ghost Town

Ghost Town Nelson, Nevada, USA
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Ghost Town Nelson, Nevada, USA

The Nelson Ghost Town is a mere 45-minute drive from Las Vegas and is situated in the El Dorado Canyon. Nelson Ghost Town is notable for housing the famous Techatticup Mine, which is one of the oldest and richest mines in the gold rush’s history. Today, the town is one of the eeriest ghost towns in America, with abandoned buildings and rusted, decaying bodies of vehicles and aircraft inspiring a feeling of despair and lostness within its visitors.

7 St. Thomas Ghost Town

St. Thomas Lake Mead Nevada

St. Thomas is one of the most unique ghost towns in Nevada (perhaps even in all of America). Located inside Clark County, St. Thomas was flooded and submerged up to 60 feet underwater after the completion of the Hoover Dam. It’s often recounted that the last resident was seen paddling away from his house.

The droughts in the 2000s, however, caused Lake Mead to shrink, and the town once again resurfaced. The town's well-preserved structures, including a schoolhouse, church, and several homes, provide a glimpse into life in the 1800s and early 1900s.

6 Goodsprings Ghost Town

Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings Ghost Town
JessicaGirvan / Shutterstock
Famous Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings Ghost Town in Nevada, USA

The Goodsprings Ghost Town is a 40-minutes drive from Las Vegas and takes its visitors back to 1904 with its structures that are frozen in time. The century-old town is impressively well-preserved. Goodsprings is home to one of the oldest surviving bars in the country, Pioneer Saloon.

Eagle-eyed visitors will be able to spot bullet holes in the bar’s walls, resulting from a quarrel over a game of cards. The town also has a century-old schoolhouse that educates kids to date.

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5 Pioche Ghost Town

The abandoned ghost town of Pioche in Lincoln County, Nevada
VenVisuals / Shutterstock
The abandoned ghost town of Pioche in Lincoln County, Nevada

As one of the best ghost towns near Vegas to visit, Pioche was the embodiment of the true wild west. In the 1800s, Pioche was total anarchy, and shootouts in broad daylight were nothing out of the ordinary. Deaths were frequent, and the bodies had to be buried in a great hurry in the local Boot Hill Cemetery. And sometimes, the bodies were buried so hurriedly that boots of cadavers would pop out of the dirt, ascribing the cemetery its peculiar name.

Currently, Picoche is one of the liveliest ghost towns in Nevada. While keeping its historical relics intact, the Pichoe Ghost Town has integrated modern attractions into its location.

4 Delamar Ghost Town

A mine in Delamar, an abandoned ghost town in Nevada, near Las Vegas. 

An hour of drive from Pioche will lead visitors to the Delamar Ghost Town. Delamar thrived towards the end of the 1800s after the discovery of gold, attracting people from all over and becoming one of the most populated towns in the area. But a disastrous combination of fire and declining level of gold caused the townsfolk to leave in search of more opportune areas.

Presently, Delamar is frequented by many history buffs and spook enthusiasts. One of its key attractions is its ruins, made up of colorful native rocks that look spectacular when they glow in the golden-hour sun.

3 Jarbidge Ghost Town

The mountains and forests of the Jarbidge Wilderness Area near Jarbidge Ghost Town, Nevada, USA
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The mountains and forests of the Jarbidge Wilderness Area near Jarbidge Ghost Town, Nevada, USA

Located within a 100-acres of Jarbidge wilderness, this ghost town near Las Vegas inspires a haunting feeling of isolation within its visitors. Jarbridge shares a fate similar to most of the deserted mining towns on the list. But what makes Jarbidge so fascinating is its enduring collection of folktales and spooky stories that have been passed down for more than a century.

The name, Jarbidge itself means “devil” in the Shoshone language. The ghost town still inhabits a handful of residents, so the visitors would want to stop by the saloon and chat up with the locals to hear the tales of Jarbidge's hauntings.

Those who love haunts will enjoy checking out the spooky southern spots full of eerie ghost stories.

2 Seven Troughs Ghost Town

An abandoned old car in the Seven Throughs ghost town area of Nevada, USA
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An abandoned old car in the Seven Throughs ghost town area of Nevada, USA

Named after the seven water troughs used to supply water to the town, Seven Troughs was an old mining town that thrived from 1906 to 1918. During this time, the town had hotels, a post office, a kindergarten, multiple saloons, and a mine that produced gold north of $2 million.

However, a devastating flash flood struck the Seven Troughs town in 1918, destroying the majority of infrastructures and causing the local inhabitants to move on to fresher mining towns. Visitors can access the town through the Cowboy Corridor, near Lovelock town, and catch a glimpse of Seven Troughs’ remaining cabins and vehicles. Today, it's one of the eeriest of the top ghost towns near Las Vegas to visit.

RELATED: This State Is Home To The Most Ghost Towns In The Country

1 Belmont

Wood building in Belmont mining ghost town in Belmont, Nevada, USA
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Wood building in Belmont mining ghost town in Belmont, Nevada, USA

A ghost town located in Nye County, Nevada, Belmont is easily worthy of its place among the best ghost towns in Nevada. It was established after a silver strike in 1865. The discovery of metals like copper, lead, and antimony alongside silver established Belmont as a prosperous town. At its peak, the town boasted saloons, restaurants, newspapers, banks, schools, and various stores.

Though the town was ghosted pretty soon, its 150-years old buildings still stand strong today. Visitors can tour through miners' cabins, mill sites, and an impressive Monitor-Belmont Mill, whose intact chimney was used as a target practice for air force pilots during World War 1.