28 Ghost Towns That Have Transformed Into Tourist Hotspots

24. New Idria, California: From Mercury Mines to Mesmerizing Decay

Once a mercury mining powerhouse in the remote Diablo Range, New Idria was a company town complete with homes, a schoolhouse, and even a bowling alley. Abandoned in the 1970s due to toxic runoff and economic decline, it stood sealed in silence for decades. But curiosity, environmental restoration efforts, and the town’s eerie, time-warped atmosphere have brought it back into the spotlight. Urban explorers and photographers now venture into its rusted buildings and collapsed tunnels, drawn by its surreal blend of industrial decay and wild Californian isolation. Though not officially restored, its haunting aesthetic has made it an accidental icon of post-industrial tourism.