This Haunting Road Trip Through Ohio Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget

If exploring abandoned, long-forgotten places is your thing, then you'll definitely want to discover some of the many creepy ghost towns in Ohio. (Be sure to check out our previous articles for even more abandoned places in Ohio.) From abandoned coal mining towns to intentional ghost towns, Ohio has its fair share of eerie, empty towns that will bring out the explorer in you.

(Please note: Trespassing may be prohibited in some of these areas, so proceed at your own risk and always use caution. If an area looks like it is private property, be mindful and please do not trespass.)

Grab a friend or two, start at the ghost town nearest you and work your way to the others. To view the Google Map of the trip (complete with exact locations and addresses of the destinations) in a separate tab or window, click here.

1. Boston Mills (Peninsula)

The former town of Boston Mills was largely abandoned when residents were ordered to leave to facilitate the establishment of Ohio's only National Park. Nonetheless, the abandonment of this area has resulted in spectacular lore like its abandoned and spooky "Highway to Hell." No wonder locals have nicknamed Boston Township and its villages "Helltown." You'll find this site in Summit County.

2. Ghost Town (Findlay)

OK, so this isn't exactly the kind of ghost town you're probably thinking of... But Ghost Town in Findlay, Ohio is too cool to pass up. Created by the Galitza family, this unique roadside attraction in Findlay features a replica of an 1880s-era ghost town that was first open to the public in the 1950s. Today, the ghost town has been restored after a period of abandonment and even features arts and crafts vendors and antique and flea market vendors on select dates. You'll find this spooky site at 10630 County Road 40 in Findlay, Ohio 45840.

3. Tadmor (Vandalia)

Within Taylorsville MetroPark near Dayton you can hike (via the Buckeye Trail) to remnants of what was once an important transportation town until the flood of 1913. The canals that were once used as part of the Miami Erie Canal in the 1800s became obsolete, and the railroad was moved to higher ground after the flood. History abounds in this spot near 2000 US-40 in Vandalia, OH 45377.

4. Utopia

Along the banks of the Ohio River in Clermont County you'll find what some consider to be a ghost town, although the town is still home to some residents. RoadsideAmerica.com refers to the small unincorporated community as one of the "phalanxes" (or social communes) established in America in the mid-19th century. Drive through the dead-end street town yourself and see if it really is an authentic ghost town — or haunted, as many claim it to be. You will find this spot in southern Franklin Township of Clermont County.

5. Moonville (McArthur)

The abandoned coal mining town of Moonville in southeastern Ohio (Vinton County) was founded in 1856, when the Marietta and Cincinnati railroad ran through the area's woods. One structure of the town that remains today is the Moonville Tunnel; a haunted tunnel where legend asserts that the ghost of a man who was killed instantly by a train passing through the tunnel wanders along the track bed near the old tunnel at night. You can visit the tunnel off of Hope-Moonville Road in McArthur, OH 45651.

6. Carpenter’s Mill (Delaware)

Very little is left of this early 1800s mill town in Delaware County. Stone bridge pillars and the skeleton of Bieber's Mill are all that remain of this long forgotten town. The ruins of the old mill (pictured), which was built in 1840, sit along the Olentangy River in Delaware near the Ohio Wesleyan University. You will find this hauntingly striking spot at 4919 Chapman Rd #4801 in Delaware, OH 43015.

What do you think? Are you up for this road trip to creepy ghost towns in Ohio? Tell us your thoughts and your past ghost town experiences in the comments!

To check out some other creepy sites in Ohio, be sure to also take our Ultimate Terrifying Ohio Road Trip.