8 Haunted Cemeteries In Nevada That Locals Say Are Too Spooky To Visit Alone

Nevada grave markers rarely bother with gentle wording. Some spell out exactly how a pioneer died, carved into weathered wood.

That blunt honesty gives me goosebumps. Old boomtowns buried folks fast, and the stories stayed on the markers.

A few of these graveyards now host ghost tours and costumed storytellers. One sits beside a motel famous for its clown collection.

Another hides behind ghostly plaster sculptures in the desert. Who decided that was a good welcome committee?

Some rest in ghost towns so remote the wind is the only neighbor. Would you wander those rows alone after sunset?

Bravery is optional, but a buddy is strongly recommended. Which of these Nevada spots will test your nerves first?

These are the eight graveyards I would never tour without a friend.

1. Old Tonopah Cemetery (1901), Tonopah, NV

Most cemeteries don’t share a property line with a motel full of clowns, but Tonopah’s oldest burial ground does. That neighbor alone would make plenty of people walk a little faster.

Founded in 1901, the cemetery served this mining town until 1911. Over 300 graves fill the grounds, and many tell the story of a boomtown that grew up fast and hurt often.

A pneumonia outbreak in 1902, nicknamed the Tonopah Plague, filled a sad number of plots.

Then the Belmont Mine fire of 1911 added more, including miners who tried to save their coworkers.

The markers are worth slowing down for. You’ll see wooden headstones with metal tags, simple wooden crosses, and handmade tin signs that feel personal and a bit haunting.

Grab the history brochure at the entrance before you start wandering. An online walking tour also helps you match names to stories, so you aren’t just squinting at faded tin.

Want the full spooky package? The Clown Motel’s ghost tours explore its supposedly haunted rooms and swing through the cemetery next door, hunting for signs of lingering guests.

The grounds stay open 24 hours, which is either convenient or terrifying, depending on your nerves. Nighttime in the Nevada high desert gets very dark, so pack a strong flashlight.

Honestly, a buddy is the best accessory for this stop. Someone needs to confirm that the creak behind you was only the desert wind.

Address: 917 N Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049

2. Boot Hill Cemetery

Subtle was never the style in Pioche, and the grave markers prove it. One wooden board spells out exactly how a man died, no sugarcoating included.

Back in the 1870s, this silver town earned a reputation as one of the roughest spots in the West. Life moved so fast that many folks here were buried with their boots still on.

That’s where the name Boot Hill comes from. The cemetery holds miners and townspeople who arrived during the Nevada mining rush, alongside a few characters with very bad tempers.

One grim row holds some of the rowdiest characters from those untamed years. Its nickname is too rough to print here, which tells you plenty about the town’s past.

The wooden tombstones are the real stars. Carved with all kinds of stories, they read like tiny newspaper headlines from a very loud century.

Are the tales all true? Nobody can promise that, but that’s half the fun of reading them slowly.

Plenty of folks describe a certain presence among the plots, especially as the sun drops. Whether that’s a restless cowboy or just your imagination, you’ll want company for the walk back.

Pioche sits in eastern Nevada, far from big-city lights. Out here, a quiet evening feels extra quiet, and each rustle seems to have opinions.

Bring sturdy shoes, since old cemeteries rarely come with smooth sidewalks. Read the markers respectfully, snap photos, and leave the boots where they belong.

Address: Pioche, NV 89043

3. Aurora Cemetery

Mark Twain once tried his luck as a miner in Aurora, and he didn’t strike it rich. Today the boomtown he knew is mostly gone, but its cemetery still holds on in the hills of Mineral County.

Aurora boomed in the 1860s after gold and silver were found nearby. Thousands of people rushed in, and the town grew wild before fading into a ghost town.

The cemetery is what remains of those busy years. It’s a pretty spot, yet it carries some of the saddest history in Nevada, written on weathered stones and markers.

Some graves sit in smaller plots scattered around the area. A few notorious characters rest not far away, a reminder that this town once had plenty of drama to go around.

Getting here takes effort. The site sits far outside Hawthorne on rough backcountry roads, so a high-clearance vehicle is a smart call.

Pack water, snacks, and a full tank before heading out. There’s no restaurant out here, so plan like a pioneer and bring your own lunch.

Silence is the big feature at this lonely graveyard. With no town around it anymore, even a gust of wind can sound like someone whispering your name.

That’s exactly why a travel buddy belongs on this trip. Ghosts aside, it’s simply wiser to explore remote desert country with someone watching your back.

Address: Hawthorne, NV 89415

4. Goldfield Cemetery, Goldfield, NV

Most cemeteries stay put once the first grave is dug, but Goldfield moved its dead across town in the dark. That story alone makes this stop feel a little restless.

Goldfield boomed after gold strikes in the early 1900s and swelled toward 20,000 residents. For a time, it was the largest city in Nevada.

The original burial ground sat right in the middle of town. When the railroad arrived, nobody wanted passengers stepping off the train onto fresh graves.

So a crew calling themselves the Official Ghouls quietly moved the remains late at night. They carried them to the edge of town, where the cemetery still rests today.

Locals like to say the bodies were the only things that moved. Plenty of visitors would rather not test that theory after sunset.

The epitaphs here are famously blunt. One marker in the older pioneer section says an unknown man died eating library paste.

Is it sad, strange, or both? Local historians believe he was simply hungry and had no idea the paste could make him sick.

That grave sits in a smaller cemetery tucked behind the main one. Driving a car instead of an SUV?

Park and walk the last stretch.

Wild burros sometimes wander through, so watch your step between the plots. The grounds stay open all hours, and entry costs nothing.

Midnight visits are allowed, but only the truly brave try one. A buddy with a strong flashlight makes this stop far more fun.

Address: Goldfield, NV 89013

5. Rhyolite Cemetery, Beatty, NV

Ghostly white figures greet you before you even reach the graves in Rhyolite. They belong to an outdoor art museum, but they set the mood perfectly.

Rhyolite sprang to life in 1904 after a gold discovery near Beatty. The boom faded fast once the financial panic of 1907 hit.

Today it’s a ghost town sitting just outside Death Valley National Park. Crumbling building shells line the main road, and the cemetery waits down a side road.

Finding it takes a little patience. Follow the gravel road marked with a cemetery sign, then look for a path near a cement picnic table.

The graves here are humble and unsettling. Most are marked by crude wooden crosses or human-shaped piles of desert rock.

Many have no names at all. Who rests beneath them?

Nobody can say for sure, and that mystery hangs heavy in the dry air.

Paranormal fans report glowing orbs and disembodied voices among the plots. Some visitors swear they hear a busy town that vanishes when they turn around.

Graves aren’t laid out in tidy rows, so step carefully as you wander. Sturdy shoes beat sandals on this rocky ground.

Next door, the Goldwell Open Air Museum’s ghostly sculptures stay open around the clock. Seeing them at dusk is a whole different experience.

Services are limited out here, so fill your tank in Beatty first. Bring a friend too, because nobody wants to explain those voices alone.

Address: Beatty, NV 89003

6. Silver Terrace Cemetery, Virginia City, NV

One cemetery wasn’t enough for Virginia City, so the town built a whole hillside of them. Silver Terrace is really a cluster of burial grounds dating back to the Comstock Lode days of the 1860s.

Each section belonged to a different group. The Masons, the Pacific Coast Pioneers, and the Virginia City Firemen had their own plots, along with several religious groups.

Roughly 1,300 headstones still stand today. Thousands more people are believed to rest here, which makes the empty-looking patches feel a lot less empty.

Then there are the stories. Ghost lore here includes glowing orbs and floating lights above the older graves, plus a grumpy groundskeeper who supposedly never clocked out.

Not into wandering blind? Audio tours share the history behind notable headstones, so you can learn who’s who while you stroll.

The dramatized tours are the real treat. Costumed actors bring Comstock history and folklore to life, and their passion for the town’s lore shines through.

Kids are welcome, making this a solid pick for families who like their history with a side of shivers. Gates stay open from 8 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Saturday, so midnight ghost hunting isn’t on the schedule.

Daylight hours might feel safer, but late afternoon shadows stretch long across those weathered stones. Bring a friend anyway, because someone should hold the map while you read.

Address: 381 Cemetery Rd, Virginia City, NV 89440

7. Lone Mountain Cemetery, Carson City, NV

Even the name sounds like a dare. In one national survey, Americans picked Lone Mountain as the Nevada graveyard they felt least prepared to visit alone at night.

This historic burial ground rests against light granite hills in Nevada’s capital city. Burials here date back to the early 1860s.

Seven separate cemeteries eventually merged into one. Carson City took over their care in 1971.

Walking the paths feels like flipping through a local history book. Founder Abe Curry rests here, along with famed stagecoach driver Hank Monk.

Mark Twain fans should look for the grave of his niece, Jennie Clemens. Visitors leave little teacups beside it, which feels sweet and a bit eerie.

One section holds early residents moved here from Fort Churchill in 1885. Their graves add another layer of frontier history.

Then come the ghost stories. Locals describe pale lights gliding between the pines after dark.

Others tell of a woman in black who appears after snowfall, kneeling beside an unidentified grave. Who is she mourning?

No one seems to know.

Deer sometimes wander between the headstones, adding to the hush. The office keeps daytime hours and closes Sundays, so plan ahead.

Daylight makes the lore easier to enjoy. Bring a friend anyway, since a cemetery with lone in its name practically requests company.

Address: 1044 Beverly Dr, Carson City, NV 89706

8. Belmont Cemetery, Belmont, NV

Pines and junipers shade the graves at Belmont, which feels surprising for a ghost town this remote. That calm setting makes every unexplained sound stand out more.

Belmont sprang up after a silver strike in 1865. By 1867, it had grown big enough to become the Nye County seat.

The grand brick courthouse went up in 1876 and still stands on a knoll west of town. Tonopah took the county seat in 1905, and Belmont slowly emptied out.

Today the town sits about 45 miles northeast of Tonopah in the Toquima Range. At more than 7,000 feet, nights here get cold and very dark.

Local volunteers keep the cemetery neatly trimmed, making it one of Nevada’s prettier ghost town graveyards. Wooden picket fences still surround several old headstones.

So why bring company? Belmont’s haunted reputation drew the Ghost Adventures crew, who investigated the town in a 2024 episode.

Visitors describe the grounds as very quiet. Is that silence peaceful or watchful once the sun slips behind the hills?

Finding the cemetery is easy. Drive about a mile south from the town flagpole, then turn east on Cemetery Road.

Services are scarce, so pack water and snacks and fill your tank in Tonopah. The pavement ends at Belmont, so don’t plan on wandering farther in a low car.

Pair the cemetery with the restored courthouse for a full history lesson. A travel buddy makes the long drive home feel shorter.

Address: Manhattan, NV 89022