Do you ever find yourself curious about abandoned places in North Carolina? It’s an intriguing topic in the quiet demolishment of what was once an active environment. Visiting these places, you feel the energy that once overtook the buildings with life and prosperity. Now they sit quietly, some overtaken by nature, others kept restored through preservation efforts. Some are for exploring… and some are just for looking.

1. North Wilkesboro Speedway

Speedway Lane, Speedway Ln, North Carolina 28659, USA
Mojo Hand/Wikimedia Commons
Once a popular destination, this abandoned place in North Carolina, Nascar Speedway sits silently as larger and shinier venues have taken its place. However, it's getting a facelift and will be open to racing again!

Take a look at this video of a new life for the Speedway by @BrightSunFilms:

2. Family Inn of America, Rowland

Rowland, NC 28383, USA
Trey Ratcliff/Flickr
After a tornado destroyed much of the Inn, an openly exposed inside sits rotting. Plant life and vegetation have now begun to claim one of the most remarkable abandoned places near me, a place rife with ghost stories and urban legends.

3. The Road To Nowhere, Bryson City

Lakeview Drive, Lakeview Dr, Bryson City, NC 28713, USA
relayer/TripAdvisor
Lakeview Drive was named Road to Nowhere because the road was never completed. It is located in the Smoky Mountains ending with this cool tunnel that literally goes nowhere. You can walk through one of the best abandoned places in NC.

Take a look at this video by @DraysWorld:

4. Stonewall Jackson Reform School, Concord

Stonewall Jackson Youth Development Center, Southern Rlwy #1157, Concord, NC 28027, USA
Flickr / CJ Speight
The intrigue in this abandoned boarding school rests in the fact that much of the decorations, pool tables, and furniture still remain in their places, untouched. The dark past and rumors of sterilization used on troubled teens make this dark, peaceful ruin seem a bit more disturbing.

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5. Henry River Mill

Henry River Mill Village, 4255 Henry River Rd, Hickory, NC 28602, USA
RV New Adventures/TripAdvisor
This ghost town got a second spook when "The Hunger Games" used this abandoned mill town as the perfect District 12 backdrop. It is open for tours and overnight stays.

Take a look at this video by @PastLifeExplorer:

6. Endor Iron Furnace, Sanford

Deep River Park, State Rd 2145, Bear Creek, NC 27207, USA
Patrick Mueller/Flickr
This abandoned reminder of the industrial strength of the Confederate army now sits overgrown with nature. The state-owned property is without public access and is viewable by paddling down Deep River. It's one of the coolest places in North Carolina for those seeking abandoned places near me.

7. Yates Mill, Raleigh

Historic Yates Mill County Park, 4620 Lake Wheeler Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603, USA
Flickr / Jeanette Runyon
Abandoned but maintained, Yates Mill is a little less creepy and a little more perfect for a picnic.

8. Bunker Hill Covered Bridge, Claremont

Bunker Hill Covered Bridge, 4160 US-70, Claremont, NC 28610, USA
Flickr / C Hanchey
Less abandoned -- and more historical, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is the last of its kind in North Carolina. Found within Connor Park located a mere 15 miles east of Hickory, Bunker Hill Covered Bridge belongs on every North Carolinian's bucket list.

Curious to see more abandoned places in North Carolina? Check out this video of the now-abandoned theme park in North Carolina, and read the story about this famous Ghost Town in the Sky.

If you go to Maggie, the only glimpse of this abandoned place near me is from the street way below or if you happen to go over in a plane or helicopter. But if you go, find a place to stay in Maggie Valley, and find out why it’s the friendliest town in North Carolina. 

Where are your favorite hidden North Carolina abandoned places? Did you discover any abandoned places you didn’t know about before on the list? Did we miss any of your favorite haunts? Tell us in the comments below!

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More to Explore

Abandoned Places Near Me In North Carolina

Sarah M. | May 03, 2022

What are some other abandoned places in North Carolina?

Here are some of the coolest abandoned places in North Carolina.

 

What is it about abandoned places - ruins, hospitals, homes - that we all find so irresistibly captivating? There's just something hauntingly beautiful about the places left to decay and be reclaimed by nature. If you’re fascinated by the U.S. railroad history, there’s an abandoned rail lines map that shows the hidden network of abandoned railroads across the country, and there are numerous rail lines and trails in North Carolina.

It's definitely worth checking out: You can often find a scenic hike around some of these abandoned places in NC, making for a creepy yet memorable day trip adventure in the Tar Heel State!

Are there any abandoned hospitals in North Carolina?

 

If your interest in all things abandoned extends into the realm of abandoned hospitals in North Carolina (creepy!), you'll be delighted by some truly eerie places to explore.

One of the Tar Heel State’s most historic and abandoned treasures sits within steps of the bustling urban center of the state’s capital city. This abandoned hospital in North Carolina, once known as one of only two hospitals between Atlanta and Washington that provided high-quality care for African Americans, is a sobering sight. Today, St. Agnes Hospital in Raleigh is a beautiful and haunting relic of its former self and a somber place to pay respects to those who passed through the doors and to those who didn’t pass back out those same doors.

Taking it a step further, Broughton Hospital is an abandoned insane asylum in North Carolina that is considered extremely haunted. The property at Broughton is home to a graveyard, underground tunnels used to transport patients, multiple different wings and wards, and plenty of eerie, rarely-discussed history, making it one of the most notoriously terrifying places in abandoned North Carolina... and the country!

 

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