One of Wyoming’s Quirkiest Towns Is Still Flying Under the Radar

This quirky town in Wyoming isn’t deserted; it just looks like it is. With abandoned buildings from the 1970s covered in weeds, Jeffrey City, Wyoming, looks like something out of a Hollywood apocalypse movie. But the few locals that remain will insist that’s all just part of the charm, and they’re right.

Where Is Jeffrey City and Why Is It So Unique?

Stuck squarely in the middle of Wyoming in the high desert, Jeffrey City is a ghost town that isn’t a ghost town. So, what does this mean? Well, in the 1950s, there was a demand for uranium due to the Cold War, and the area around Jeffrey City was found to be loaded with it. Soon, people flocked to the city in droves (a uranium rush, rather than a gold rush), and a large town was built in the '70s. 

However, when the mine shut down in 1982, there was nothing left to keep residents in the area. Nearly ninety-five percent of the population left, and since then, only a few remaining residents live in the town.

What It’s Like to Visit

Jeffrey City looks like a ghost town, but not like one you’d stereotypically imagine. No, this is not some wooden town with saloons that feels straight out of a western or on the side of a mountain where a gold rush river was found. Instead, the distinctly '70s architecture has led to a very unique look. Everything is still there—all the buildings, pool structures, fields, etc. It’s just overgrown and barren. In truth, the town looks like a catastrophe has happened, giving it a feel like something out of a big-time movie. 

A few places are still open for those who remain, in addition to the occasional tourists passing along Route 287. Those who visit come with cameras and pose like it’s their own personal movie set. For those who want to learn more about the town, there’s a historical marker with information on it and the title declaring Jeffrey City as “the biggest bust of them all.”

Why This Unusual Town In Wyoming Still Flies Under the Radar

This ghost town that’s not a ghost town flies under the radar because it’s in a bit of a dead zone. Meaning, it’s surrounded by landscapes and things to do that are far more popular, including: the Granite Mountains, the Great Divide Basin, the Green Mountain, the Split Rock, the Devil’s Gate, and the Independence Rock (alongside many trails that weave in and out of these places, and the activities that can be found there). Although a documentary, "Jeffrey City’s Not Dead: The Voices Of A Modern American ‘Ghost Town’," was released in 2025, the town hasn’t experienced a boom in tourism or in Wyoming locals looking to expand the population. 

Local Jeffrey City residents are loyal to their unique town, and have (unsuccessfully) been trying to get others, tourists and Wyoming residents alike, to see what they see. But, even if you don’t want to move to this town, it’s clearly a hidden gem of a place to visit! Take a drive to Jeffrey City and see the "not" a ghost town for yourself!