Abandoned Old West mining town buildings in the Nevada desert at dusk

10 Most Haunted Places in Nevada: Real Ghost Stories You Can Visit

Nevada is famous for neon lights and slot machines, but the Silver State hides a much darker side. Its ghost towns and grand old hotels shelter some of the most active hauntings in the American West.

The silver and gold rushes brought fortune seekers by the thousands. They also brought violence, murder, and lonely deaths that never fully faded away.

This ranked guide counts down ten real haunted places you can actually visit. Each one links to its full record in our directory of all haunted places in Nevada.

If you plan to investigate for yourself, pack the right gear first. Our ghost hunting equipment guide covers everything from EMF meters to full-spectrum cameras.

Abandoned desert town building representing the most haunted places in Nevada
Nevada’s ghost towns hide some of the most haunted places in the American West.

1. Goldfield Hotel (Goldfield)

The Goldfield Hotel is widely called one of the most haunted buildings in America. This four-story landmark opened in 1908 and has sat mostly abandoned since 1945.

Its most famous ghost is Elizabeth, a woman said to have been chained in Room 109 by mining magnate George Wingfield. Legend claims she died there after giving birth alone, and her infant was thrown down a mine shaft.

Room 109 remains the hotel’s most active spot, with freezing cold and reported cries of an unseen infant. Ghost Adventures famously launched its very first episode here in 2008, when Zak Bagans claimed he was physically attacked.

You cannot walk in freely, since the building is unsafe and closed to the public. Supervised paranormal events are occasionally booked in advance, and you can always photograph the imposing facade from the street.

2. Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum (Las Vegas)

Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum fills a 1938 mansion with thousands of cursed and haunted objects. The Ghost Adventures host opened it just blocks from the Strip in 2017.

The collection includes Peggy the doll, whose image alone is blamed for chest pains, and the notorious Dybbuk Box. Other pieces include Ed Gein’s cauldron and the staircase from the Demon House, and visitors report scratches, sudden nausea, and even fainting spells.

The basement holding the Dybbuk Box is considered the most dangerous area in the museum. Staff refuse to enter it alone, and guides move groups through quickly.

The museum is open by advance ticket only, with tours running most days of the week. General admission runs about $48, and all guests must be at least 14 years old.

3. Old Washoe Club (Virginia City)

The Old Washoe Club opened in 1862 as an exclusive gentlemen’s club during the Comstock Lode silver rush. At least 24 documented deaths occurred inside its walls.

Its best known spirit is Lena, a woman in a red Victorian dress who touches male visitors on the second floor. A gambler who lost his fortune also lingers in the Millionaire’s Room, whispering that it is all gone.

The third-floor “suicide spiral,” where broke miners once hanged themselves, is the most terrifying spot in the building. Cold, aggressive, and heavy with dread, few investigators last more than ten minutes there.

The club is open year-round as a museum, with daytime tours from about $5. Friday and Saturday night ghost hunts run around $75 per person.

4. The Mizpah Hotel (Tonopah)

The Mizpah Hotel opened in 1908 and was once the tallest building in Nevada. Restored in 2011, it still runs as a working hotel where you can sleep among ghosts.

Its star spirit is the Lady in Red, a woman named Rose who was strangled on the fifth floor. Guests smell roses and feel invisible hands stroking their hair as they sleep, and she seems especially drawn to men staying alone.

Room 502 is the most haunted spot, where the scent of roses grows overpowering and electronics drain fast. The historic elevator also rides to the fifth floor on its own, even when no one presses a button.

You can book any room, including 502, with rates from roughly $89 to $189 a night. Guided paranormal tours run Friday and Saturday evenings for about $30.

Vintage saloon interior like the haunted bars and hotels of old Nevada
Old Nevada saloons and hotels are among the state’s most haunted spots.

5. Silver Queen Hotel (Virginia City)

The Silver Queen Hotel has welcomed guests since 1876, during the height of the Comstock Lode boom. This Victorian landmark is one of Nevada’s most authentically haunted stays.

Its most famous ghost is Rosie, a woman said to have been strangled in Room 11. Guests in Room 11 see her in a burgundy dress standing by the window before she fades away like morning mist.

Room 11 is the epicenter of activity, where the door unlocks itself and soft crying wakes guests before dawn. A ghostly miner named Jack, killed in an 1878 mining accident, also haunts the lower floors.

The hotel remains open with affordable overnight rooms and a ground-floor saloon anyone can visit. Paranormal tours can be arranged by advance reservation, giving after-hours access to the most active rooms.

6. Pioneer Saloon (Goodsprings)

The Pioneer Saloon is one of Nevada’s oldest continuously operating bars, serving since the early 1900s. Bullet holes from old gunfights still scar its walls.

A miner shot during a card game is its most reported ghost, tied to a 1915 murder. Clark Gable’s grief also lingers near the bar, where he drank for hours after losing his wife Carole Lombard in a nearby 1942 plane crash.

The back poker room is the most haunted spot, marked by a bloodstain on the floor that triggers waves of nausea and dread. Orbs and mists frequently show up in photos taken there, and bartenders refuse to turn their backs on the empty stools.

The saloon is open to the public seven days a week with no entry fee. Serious teams can request overnight investigations from the owners.

7. Flamingo Las Vegas (Las Vegas)

Flamingo Las Vegas opened in 1946 as the dream of mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. He was murdered just months later, and many say he never left.

Guests report a man in a fedora and vintage suit who vanishes when the lights come on. Housekeepers also find phantom rose petals in freshly cleaned rooms, a nod to Bugsy’s love of romance and luxury.

The Bugsy Siegel Memorial Garden is the heart of the haunting, where cameras drain and visitors feel watched. The Presidential Suite near his old penthouse sees knocking inside the walls after 2 AM.

The resort is open 24 hours, and the memorial garden is free to visit. Several Las Vegas ghost tours include the property on their routes.

8. Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino (Las Vegas)

The Westgate Las Vegas, formerly the Las Vegas Hilton, is tied to entertainment royalty. Its most famous ghost is said to be Elvis Presley himself.

Staff have spotted a figure in a white jumpsuit near his old dressing room and backstage corridors. A traveling salesman who died of a heart attack in Room 2817 in 1979 is still heard gasping for breath near the bed.

The 30th floor is the most haunted level, after three suicides between 1980 and 1995. Guests in Room 3012 report sleep paralysis and unseen hands around their throats, and the bathroom mirror is said to show people who are not there.

The resort operates 24 hours as a standard Las Vegas hotel, and anyone can explore the public areas. There are no official ghost tours, so book a room to experience it firsthand.

9. Luxor Hotel (Las Vegas)

The Luxor Hotel is the giant black pyramid on the south end of the Strip. Since opening in 1993, it has been linked to an unusual number of tragic deaths.

Guests describe shadowy figures standing at the foot of their beds, watching in silence before fading away. Rooms on the 12th and 14th floors are singled out as the most active. A soaking-wet young man, said to have drowned in the pool, is also seen at the water’s edge before it opens each morning.

The upper floors near the pyramid’s apex draw the most reports, and Room 2412 is known for poltergeist activity. The slanted inclinator elevators sometimes stop between floors with no explanation, filling passengers with sudden dread.

The Luxor is open 24 hours with free access to public areas and standard room bookings. Outside tour companies fold the pyramid into their evening paranormal walks along the Strip.

10. Golden Tiki Bar (Las Vegas)

The Golden Tiki Bar opened in 2015 off the Strip on Spring Mountain Road. Despite its playful theme, the reported activity feels far older.

Regulars know “The Bartender,” a 1980s figure caught on camera reaching for bottles that no longer exist, plus a shadowy Woman in White near the back hallway. A child’s voice has been heard singing softly in Polynesian after closing, reported by more than a dozen employees.

The storage room behind the bar is the hot spot, where a manager was once locked inside as the lights flickered. A wooden tiki statue there, bought at an estate sale, is said to change expression over time in photos taken weeks apart.

The bar is open daily with no cover charge, so you only pay for food and drinks. There are no formal tours, but staff happily swap ghost stories at the bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most haunted place in Nevada?

The Goldfield Hotel is widely considered the most haunted place in Nevada. Its Room 109 and the ghost of Elizabeth have drawn investigators for decades.

Can you actually stay overnight in a haunted Nevada hotel?

Yes, several sites on this list are working hotels you can book. The Mizpah, the Silver Queen, and the big Strip resorts all take overnight guests.

Which haunted places in Nevada are free to visit?

The Flamingo, Luxor, Westgate, Pioneer Saloon, and Golden Tiki Bar all have free public access. You only pay for a room, food, or drinks if you choose to.

When is the best time for paranormal activity?

Most sites report peak activity late at night, between midnight and 4 AM. Autumn months and full moons are also linked to stronger encounters, especially around Halloween.

These ten sites are only the beginning of the Silver State’s dark side. Explore the full Nevada directory to plan your own ghost hunt across the desert. From Virginia City’s saloons to the neon of the Strip, the Silver State is ready to haunt you.

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