25 Most Haunted Prisons in America You Can Tour
Few places hold more pain than a prison, and pain has a way of lingering.
America’s old penitentiaries were built for punishment, and many saw executions, riots, and deaths behind their walls. Today you can walk those same cell blocks on a tour.
We pulled this list from our directory of haunted places across the country. Each prison earned its place through decades of consistent reports, not a single spooky night.
Here are the 25 most haunted prisons in America, the spirits that linger there, and exactly how you can tour them.
Why Prisons Are So Haunted
Prisons concentrate fear, violence, and despair in a way few other buildings ever do.
Many of the prisons on this list held executions, brutal solitary confinement, and deadly riots, and some men never left, even in death.
That intense, repeated trauma is exactly what paranormal investigators tie to the most active hauntings, which is why so many old prisons now run ghost tours.
1. Eastern State Penitentiary – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Eastern State Penitentiary is the most famous haunted prison in America.
Opened in 1829, it pioneered solitary confinement, isolating inmates in total silence until many went mad. It held Al Capone before closing in 1971.
Visitors report shadow figures in the crumbling cell blocks, a cackling laugh in Cellblock 12, and a presence in the cells. It runs famous tours and a massive Halloween event.
2. Alcatraz Island – San Francisco, California
Alcatraz Island held America’s most dangerous criminals on a cold rock in San Francisco Bay.
The federal prison operated from 1934 to 1963, housing the likes of Al Capone in brutal isolation. Inmates suffered and died within its concrete walls.
The cell block known as the Hole is the most feared spot. Visitors report banjo music tied to Capone, cold spots, and voices in Cell Block D. The night tour is the best way to feel it.
3. Ohio State Reformatory – Mansfield, Ohio
The towering Ohio State Reformatory is known worldwide as the prison from The Shawshank Redemption.
The Gothic prison operated from 1896 to 1990, and more than 200 inmates died within its walls from disease, violence, and suicide.
Visitors report shadow figures in the cell blocks, slamming doors, and a former warden’s wife who died in the quarters. The solitary “hole” is the most feared spot.
4. West Virginia Penitentiary – Moundsville, West Virginia
The Gothic West Virginia Penitentiary housed the state’s worst criminals from 1876 to 1995.
Nearly 1,000 men died here through execution, violence, and disease. The prison saw hangings, an electric chair, and brutal riots.
Investigators report a malevolent presence called the Shadow Man, the ghost of a murdered maintenance man, and cold spots in the cramped “Sugar Shack.”
5. Old Joliet Prison – Joliet, Illinois
The limestone walls of Old Joliet Prison held inmates from 1858 to 2002 and starred in The Blues Brothers.
The harsh prison saw executions, disease, and violence over its long history, and notorious killers passed through its gates.
Visitors on its tours report shadow figures in the cell blocks, disembodied voices, and a heavy, oppressive feeling in the old solitary area.
6. Yuma Territorial Prison – Yuma, Arizona
Yuma Territorial Prison was the most feared lockup in the Old West.
From 1876 to 1909, outlaws baked in adobe cells in the desert heat, and many died of disease in the brutal conditions.
Visitors report a presence in the pitch-black “Dark Cell” used for punishment, pinching and cold spots, and a playful spirit in the museum.
7. Old Idaho Penitentiary – Boise, Idaho
The Old Idaho Penitentiary held inmates from 1872 to 1973 in its sandstone cell houses.
More than 100 prisoners died here, including ten by execution, and the prison endured deadly riots in its final years.
Visitors report cold spots in solitary, apparitions in the old cell houses, and a heavy presence near the gallows and Death Row.
8. Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary – Petros, Tennessee
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary sat in a remote Tennessee hollow with no need for high walls.
The prison operated from 1896 to 2009 and once held James Earl Ray, the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr., who attempted a famous escape.
Visitors report shadow figures, disembodied voices, and a presence in the solitary cells of the mountain prison, which now runs tours.
9. Old Montana Prison – Deer Lodge, Montana
The Old Montana Prison held inmates behind its stone walls from 1871 to 1979.
The prison endured a deadly 1959 riot in which the deputy warden was murdered, leaving a violent scar on the building.
Visitors report the spirit of an inmate named Turkey Pete, cold spots in the cell house, and apparitions tied to the riot. It now runs tours.
10. Wyoming Frontier Prison – Rawlins, Wyoming
The Wyoming Frontier Prison, known as the Old Pen, held inmates from 1901 to 1981.
The prison had no running water or electricity for years, and 14 men were executed here by hanging and the gas chamber.
Visitors report cold spots near the death house, shadow figures in the cell blocks, and a heavy presence in solitary. It runs popular tours.
11. Burlington County Prison Museum – Mount Holly, New Jersey
The Burlington County Prison is one of the oldest prisons in America, in use from 1811 to 1965.
The prison’s maximum-security “dungeon” cell held its most dangerous inmates, including men awaiting execution.
Visitors report the ghost of a condemned man named Joel Clough, rattling chains, and a presence in the dungeon. It operates as a museum with ghost tours.
12. Old City Jail – Charleston, South Carolina
The Old City Jail in Charleston held prisoners through some of the city’s darkest years.
From 1802 to 1939, the jail held pirates, Civil War prisoners, and the notorious murderer Lavinia Fisher, often in horrific conditions.
Visitors report Lavinia Fisher’s angry spirit, shadow figures on the staircase, and a powerful sense of dread. It runs nightly ghost tours.
13. Jackson Prison – Jackson, Michigan
Michigan’s First State Prison, known as Jackson Prison, once held the worst offenders in the state.
The 19th-century prison saw executions, violence, and disease before it was decommissioned and partly repurposed.
Visitors on its tours report shadow figures in the cell blocks, disembodied voices, and the heavy weight of its harsh history.
14. Sioux Falls State Penitentiary – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The Sioux Falls State Penitentiary has loomed over the city since 1881.
The quartzite prison has seen executions and deaths over its long history as South Dakota’s main lockup.
Staff and inmates have long reported apparitions, cold spots, and disembodied voices in the older cell blocks and the hospital wing.
15. New Hampshire State Prison – Concord, New Hampshire
The New Hampshire State Prison has held inmates in Concord since the 1800s.
The old prison saw executions and the deaths of inmates over more than a century of operation.
Staff and inmates report apparitions, cold spots, and the sounds of unseen activity in the historic sections of the facility.
16. Licking County Historic Jail – Newark, Ohio
The Licking County Historic Jail in Newark held prisoners from 1889 until 1987.
The sandstone jail saw suicides, a riot, and at least one death by fire within its cells over its long history.
Investigators report disembodied voices, shadow figures, and physical touches in the cell blocks. The jail opens for public paranormal tours.
17. Old Jail – St. Augustine, Florida
The Old Jail in St. Augustine looks almost cheerful from outside, which hides a grim reality.
Built in 1891, the jail held prisoners in harsh conditions, with executions carried out on a gallows behind the building.
Visitors report apparitions in the cells, the presence of the imposing sheriff who lived on site, and cold spots near the old gallows.
18. Lincoln Heights Jail – Los Angeles, California
The abandoned Lincoln Heights Jail in Los Angeles has a grim history of brutality.
The jail operated from 1931 to 1965 and was the site of the infamous 1951 “Bloody Christmas” beatings of inmates by police.
Now a film location, the building logs reports of shadow figures, disembodied screams, and a heavy sense of dread in the old cell blocks.
19. Beauregard Parish Jail – DeRidder, Louisiana
The Beauregard Parish Jail, known as the Gothic Jail, looms over DeRidder with a grim past.
In 1928, two men were hanged together in the jail’s stairwell for a brutal murder, a double execution that scarred the building.
Visitors report the two hanged men on the staircase, disembodied voices, and a heavy presence in the old cells.
20. Old Jail – Barnstable, Massachusetts
The Old Jail in Barnstable is one of the oldest wooden jails in America.
Dating to 1690, the small Cape Cod jail held prisoners in harsh conditions, and their carvings still mark the walls.
Visitors report disembodied voices, cold spots, and the presence of former prisoners in the cramped, centuries-old cells.
21. Kootenai County Jail – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
The Kootenai County Jail in Coeur d’Alene held inmates from the early 1900s.
The historic jail saw decades of hard time and at least one death within its cramped, iron-barred cells.
Visitors report apparitions, cold spots, and disembodied voices in the old jail, now part of a museum.
22. Fort Dodge Correctional Facility – Fort Dodge, Iowa
The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility sits on the grounds of a historic fort and asylum.
The land has served as a frontier fort and a state hospital before becoming a prison, layering history upon history.
Staff and inmates report apparitions, cold spots, and unexplained activity tied to the site’s long and varied past.
23. Old Lavaca County Jail – Hallettsville, Texas
The Old Lavaca County Jail held prisoners from the 1880s well into the twentieth century.
The limestone building housed hangings and hard time, and the old gallows area is still intact inside.
Visitors report cold cells, the rattle of unseen chains, and the heavy sense of despair that clings to the upper floor where the condemned were held.
24. Old Sugar House Prison Site – Salt Lake City, Utah
The Old Sugar House Prison site once held Utah’s earliest inmates.
The territorial prison operated into the 1950s and saw executions before the land was repurposed into a park and neighborhood.
Locals report apparitions, cold spots, and a lingering unease tied to the prisoners who lived and died on the grounds.
25. Heart Mountain Relocation Center – Powell, Wyoming
The Heart Mountain Relocation Center was a World War II camp where thousands of Japanese Americans were unjustly imprisoned.
From 1942 to 1945, more than 10,000 innocent people were confined here behind barbed wire, enduring hardship, illness, and loss far from home.
Visitors to the preserved historic site report a deep sense of sorrow, cold spots, and quiet presences, a solemn reminder of a painful chapter in American history.
How to Tour Haunted Prisons Safely
The good news is that most of America’s famous haunted prisons are now open to visitors.
Eastern State Penitentiary, Alcatraz, the Ohio State Reformatory, and the West Virginia Penitentiary all run history tours and after-dark ghost hunts. Book these early, especially around Halloween.
Some sites, like Heart Mountain, are solemn historic memorials. Visit them with respect for the people who suffered there, not as a thrill.
If you want to document a tour, bring the right gear. Our ghost hunting equipment guide covers the EMF meters, recorders, and cameras that actually capture evidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most haunted prison in America?
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is the most famous and most investigated, known for its pioneering solitary confinement and decades of reported hauntings.
Can you tour haunted prisons at night?
Yes. Alcatraz, Eastern State, the Ohio State Reformatory, and many others offer after-dark tours and overnight ghost hunts where most activity is reported.
Which haunted prison was in Shawshank Redemption?
The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield was the main filming location for The Shawshank Redemption, and it offers daily tours and ghost hunts.
Is it safe to tour haunted prisons?
The official tour sites are safe and well managed. Always go through an authorized tour, never trespass on closed or abandoned prison property, and follow your guide’s instructions.
Plan Your Haunted Prison Tour
From a Gothic penitentiary to a Wild West lockup, America’s haunted prisons offer some of the most intense history and chills you can experience.
Pick a prison that offers tours, respect the hard history behind the walls, and keep an eye on the shadows in the cell block.
Want more by location? Explore our full directory of haunted places across all 50 states and find the haunts near you.
