Ghost towns and cool abandoned places

[kickstart my heart]

In an attempt to try something new and fun, I want to go explore some ghost towns, abandoned mines, stuff like that. In the interest of not breaking laws, trespassing, or getting shot at, I'd like some leads on places. I already know about ghosttownsofwashington.com. They don't give you maps or directions to places (they might if you pay for a membership). Open to areas in Washington and Oregon.

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[clambo]

Kight want to try Camp Grisdale, Camp Govey, etc. in the NW corner of Washington. Im not sure if they are in the Olympics or just border them but they are old Simpson Timber logging camps, last one abandoned in the early 80'S. (Grisdale) Ive not been to them since I was a small child but want to go back and explore as my moms family lived in them for years. Grampa was a shovel operator for Simpson. I understand one of them (dont remember which one) is north of Wynoochee River and not to hard to drive to.

 

[Mark W.]

Go to Amazon.com and search for Oregon Ghost town and Washington Ghost town there's more then 25 books on the subject.

You can also find some on Google Books a few with previews

 

[YoungBlood]

Shaniko OR is a cool semi-abandoned town in Oregon..been there some years ago...believe the only business in town is only open during summer but anyhow its a cool place to ride/road trip/camp

 

[kickstart my heart]

Awesome. Thanks guys! Keep them coming.

 

[Simonpie]

Try Goat Island, just outside of La Conner at the end of the Slough. It was a WW1 and WW2 fort with 4 retracting artillery like Fort Casey, only it is unmaintained. There are trees growing out of the gun pits.

Only accessible by boat, but an easy canoe or putt putt from LaConner.

 

[ArgentineSteel]

Fort Stevens isn't "abandonded" but it's easy and fun to visit all the old gun emplacements there. Good Camping nearby.

 

[Kristina]

I second Ft Stevens. That place is cool. And Shaniko.

The lower Deschutes River trail goes past here, the Harris Homestead. Hiking or biking only though, but 100% worth it because it doesn't see many visitors as you cant drive right up to it.

Emerson loop house - AKA: The Nelson Homestead, off of I-197 I haven't been here yet but it is on the list.

Here too: Center ridge school

You can hike down and go inside the power plant here: White River Falls State park

Abandoned Oregon - some people give locations, most do not.

97 from the gorge south to Shaniko is a hot bed of abandoned homesteads. I have a ton of pictures from driving through that area many times, but none uploaded at the moment. Near Grass Valley there is a homestead right off the highway with 3-4 buildings still standing, fairly structurally sound, at least at the time. In Grass Valley there is an old methodist church and up the hill from that a very large building that looks like a school, or some sort of institution - not as old but still interesting. Pretty much that whole area, just pick a dirt road, you're bound to find something cool.

Here's two other lists I've come across and bookmarked for future exploration:

26 Old Abandoned Buildings in Oregon That'll Amaze You - That Oregon Life

25 Abandoned Places in Oregon That Are Downright Awesome - That Oregon Life

 

[ob1]

Kight want to try Camp Grisdale, Camp Govey, etc. in the NW corner of Washington. Im not sure if they are in the Olympics or just border them but they are old Simpson Timber logging camps, last one abandoned in the early 80'S. (Grisdale) Ive not been to them since I was a small child but want to go back and explore as my moms family lived in them for years. Grampa was a shovel operator for Simpson. I understand one of them (dont remember which one) is north of Wynoochee River and not to hard to drive to.

Based on your family history you may already know of this, but in that area, if you follow a road (old RR grade) till it dead ends at the Wynoochee River Canyon, there are the remains of a huge wooden trestle. It was burned for a movie action scene, complete with an old steam train that went down with it. There was still wreckage visible the last time I was there. The loco is even still there, but took the plunge into the river. Go in late summer when the water is low and you should be able to make out the wheels and boiler frame. Careful...it's a long way down !



If you end up going...send me a pic !

 

[Kristina]

AND, I just came across this website while looking for info on the Black Jack mine in Washington. Which you'll see a lot of pictures from if you go to that Flick group and look around.

 

[Lars]

Subscribed

 

[Mikej]

AND, I just came across this website while looking for info on the Black Jack mine in Washington. Which you'll see a lot of pictures from if you go to that Flick group and look around.

Great website Kristina! Thanks for that. As to an earlier post of mine and riding my Honda's up in the boonies of the Wasatch Mountains finding abandon mines. I never knew the name "Regulator Johnson", so was able to google and find photos of some of one of the the exact places we USED to be able to get our bikes too. Now it's certainly closed to any kind of motorized vehicle.

Regulator Johnson Mine | Scott's Place...Images and Words

I was up at this place in the early '70s, maybe earlier. We'd take our bikes up in the back of the van before I had a drivers license. The mine entrance in the pic didn't have the grate in place at the entry back then. I remember that particular mine because of the color of the ground that the water turned a brilliant red/orange. The Regulator Johnson Mine was at the top of the canyon after the switchbacks. This dudes one photo show the mine entry, at the end of the trail, collapsed. It wasn't when we visited all those years ago.

 

[Kristina]

Here is the church in Grass Valley:



and the homestead just outside Grass Valley:



Unfortunately, I haven't spent much time in your neck of the woods so I don't have any 1st hand experience to recommend places up that way.

 

[Kristina]

LOL, oops. Zombie thread.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

I second Ft Stevens. That place is cool. And Shaniko.

The lower Deschutes River trail goes past here, the Harris Homestead. Hiking or biking only though, but 100% worth it because it doesn't see many visitors as you cant drive right up to it.

Emerson loop house - AKA: The Nelson Homestead, off of I-197 I haven't been here yet but it is on the list.

Here too: Center ridge school

You can hike down and go inside the power plant here: White River Falls State park

Abandoned Oregon - some people give locations, most do not.

97 from the gorge south to Shaniko is a hot bed of abandoned homesteads. I have a ton of pictures from driving through that area many times, but none uploaded at the moment. Near Grass Valley there is a homestead right off the highway with 3-4 buildings still standing, fairly structurally sound, at least at the time. In Grass Valley there is an old methodist church and up the hill from that a very large building that looks like a school, or some sort of institution - not as old but still interesting. Pretty much that whole area, just pick a dirt road, you're bound to find something cool.

Here's two other lists I've come across and bookmarked for future exploration:

26 Old Abandoned Buildings in Oregon That'll Amaze You - That Oregon Life

25 Abandoned Places in Oregon That Are Downright Awesome - That Oregon Life

i know exactly where #2 is from the link at the bottom of your post that starts with "26" drove by there the other day. in the bottom link #6 is where me a my buddies in HS would go mess around and drink beer. got chased out of that place numerous times.

 

[HarryHaller]

After we graduated high school my friends and I made a movie called The Black Shoe Drifter. It isn't great but was fun to make, we filmed in some cool spots like Shanico and I believe a few of those spots in Grass Valley. I supplied all the guns for the movie that weren't airsoft.

This is the trailer we made for it, shows a few of those areas.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

It might be me Harryhaller but I can't get it to play?

 

[coastal steelheader]

Camp Grisdale is pretty much just a few foundations now from what I have been told.

Here is a ghost town in British Columbia that was abandoned in 1983 and is creepy as can be

 

[salmonriverjohn]

That reminds me of Oceanfalls BC.
Much the same way.
10 floor apt complexes, bank and abandoned homes everywhere.
Oh and black bear everywhere roaming through the streets.
The ferry still swings by a couple times a week, but as I recall there were around 20 residents living in a town built for 5000, cool place to spend a quiet week or so fishing and wandering.

 

[HarryHaller]

@salmonriverjohn huh dang, I don't know. It works on my phone and computer.