Virginia City is one of the most haunted towns in the entire U.S. and most assuredly the spookiest in Nevada. In addition to its long and illustrious history during the gold rush as well as its famed haunted buildings, Virginia City is also home to the state’s most haunted hike that will send you running for the hills—even if you don’t believe in ghosts. Take a look at Virginia City’s Yellow Jacket Mine haunted hike.
The famed, abandoned Yellow Jacket Mine is located in the Gold Hill area of Virginia City in Storey County. Gold Hill is widely believed to be the most haunted place in all of Nevada.
The Yellow Jacket Mine disaster was probably the worst mining accident in Nevada history. During the morning hours of 7 April 1869, fire broke out and spread at the 800-foot level. As the day crew was coming to work and descending into the mine, burning timbers collapsed, and poisonous air flooded into the mine.
When fire broke out, Virginia City and Gold Hill firefighters responded; however, the poor water pressure prevented firefighters from extinguishing the fire. Timbering in the tunnel collapsed, and the fire continued to burn for an additional three weeks.
Thirty-nine miners died; however, only 34 bodies were recovered. Speculation abounds that several single miners could have also perished in the fire with their identities still unknown today.
Visitors to the mine have reported seeing glowing blue and white orbs around the entrance to the main shaft, thus suggesting that perhaps the spirits of the five unrecovered miners are still there. There is an abundance of quartz and magnetite in the area and many studies suggest that these two minerals are often found in areas with high paranormal activity.
One of the popular theories about quartz and magnetite and hauntings is that when a ghost/spirit manifests itself, it alters the magnetic field around the minerals. Another theory is that a ghost/spirit can draw in the energy from a high magnetic field using the energy to manifest itself. Thus, the theory that certain minerals such as quartz/magnetite can cause some type of a residual haunting isn't completely impossible.
The upper shaft of the Yellow Jacket Mine has since been safely fenced to prevent accidents. While most of the mine is closed, the few people who have ventured into the more accessible tunnels were frightened by the sounds of miners' cries, turning them around and running from the mine.
All that remains of the mine is the wooden incline chute and head frame. At the base of the hill is the miners' cabin which once served as a break house for miners; however, today it is considered to be part of the Gold Hill Hotel and is rented out to guests.
The hike from the nearby Gold Hill Hotel to the mine is where the majority of paranormal activity has been seen and recorded. Reports of apparitions of miners wearing work gear walking around outside (especially on or around the anniversary of the disaster) and almost always after dark are common.
The lure of ghosts and haunted locations bring many visitors to Virginia City in search of paranormal activity. The hike from the haunted Gold Hill Hotel to the now-abandoned Yellow Jacket Mine in the very haunted town of Virginia City is the most haunted in Nevada and remains a huge tourist attraction for budding ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts. Have you experienced the Yellow Jacket Mine haunted hike or any other Nevada-based haunted hike? Please share your experiences below.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
