We made a map of 8 fascinating ‘ghost towns’ and sites with haunted histories in BC

If you’re looking to brush up on your local history and explore more of our province during spooky season, why not pay a visit to one of British Columbia’s many ‘ghost towns?’ From once-prosperous mining towns to sites with haunted histories, we mapped out 8 spooky destinations to check out in BC.

Waldo

A once prosperous lumber village in East Kootenays, Waldo is an underwater ‘ghost town’ (now adjacent to Koocanusa Village) located on the eastern shores of Kootenay Lake. In the 1960s and 70s, the U.S. government constructed The Libby Dam in Montana, thus creating Lake Koocanusa, which completely wiped the town from the map.

Where: Lake Koocanusa, BC

Fan Tan & Helmcken Alley 

Originally a gambling district in one of the oldest surviving Chinatowns on the continent, Fan Tan Alley is now home to a myriad of local shops, restaurants, and galleries. At less than three feet wide at its narrowest, it’s also considered the narrowest commercial street in North America.

Located between Fisgard and Johson Streets, visitors of Fan Tan can imagine a time when gambling parlours and opium dens dominated the alley.

Where: Victoria, BC

Leechtown

This 19th-century gold-mining town doubles as a former site of railway logging operations. On July 18th, 1864, the Vancouver Island Exploring Expedition (VIEE) discovered “payable gold” at Leech River, which led to a gold rush of its own – and thus the creation of Leechtown.

Where: Leechtown, BC

Sandon

Located in the heart of BC’s ‘Valley of the Ghosts,’ the town of Sandon is a former silver mining town with a ‘wild west’ past. Think saloon brawls, brothels, and a booming silver industry that faded as quickly as it came. By the late 1950s, Sandon was derelict – leaving just a handful of residents remaining today.

Where: Sandon, BC

New Denver and Silverton

The paired towns of New Denver and Silverton are situated on the shores of East Slocan Lake, offering visitors the chance to roam restored historical downtowns. In New Denver, the streets are lined with heritage homes and public parks, as well as a 100-year-old former Bank of Montreal building on Main Street.

Where: West Kootenay, BC

Kitsault

One of the most famous ‘ghost towns’ in the province, Kitsault has a fascinating history as a former mining town of the late ’70s, which has sat abandoned since the early ’80s. Home to a single caretaker and a slew of silver foxes and grizzly bears, Kitsault would have completely vanished into a forest of alder trees had its lawns not been mowed and maintained over decades.

As one might expect, the abandoned townsite rarely gets any visitors. But stay tuned for future tours provided by Northern BC Jet Boat Tours!

Where: Near Terrace, BC

Barkerville

While Sandon was built on silver, Barkerville was built on gold. Situated on Williams Creek, the legendary gold rush town now exists as a heritage site with over 125 original buildings and businesses, ranging from period displays and museums to restaurants and local shops.

Where: Williams Creek, BC

Coal Creek

Coal Creek is only accessible via a walking trail from nearby Fernie, offering visitors a glimpse into the past via a former townsite. While it’s not super well preserved, there are a few buildings and ruins to see here.

Where: Outside Fernie, BC

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