Ghost Towning in the United States Quiz

Answer: All of these answers

Ghost towns are located all around the world. The western United States is a particularly popular area to participate in ghost towning. There are all kinds of different ghost towns that once existed: mining, agricultural, railroad, stage and many others. Each type has its own intriguing history.

Answer: Ghost Town Fever

Fortunately, this is a pleasant and wonderful affliction. It starts tugging at you as soon as winter breaks and the first warm, sunny day of spring strikes.

Answer: Plenty of water

Ghost towning is all about fun, relaxation and exploration. Its a way to get away from all your problems and enjoy visiting these fascinating icons of history with friends and family.

Answer: Don't damage or destroy any of the remnants

Unfortunately, some bad apples decide that it is fun to destroy these wonderful historic sites. Examples of destruction are pulling apart buildings to use the wood for their fires, stealing equipment and artifacts to sell, and digging holes too close to old buildings which undermine the foundations in attempts to find bottles.

A true ghost towner will report incidents like these to local authorities.

Answer: False

Most ghost towns are located on federal lands and are protected through the Antiquities Act. Some ghost towns are designated "metal detector" friendly. You will have to check with the local Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management office to see where use of a metal detector is legal.

Answer: All of these

Many of these ghost towns are remote and not easy to access. All of these items are necessary to make sure you can make it safely back to civilization. Rattlesnakes and scorpions are prevalent in many areas so it is good to have a first aid kit. No matter how carefully you drive, it is always a distinct possibility of having a flat tire.

There are no service stations in the mountains and spotty cell phone reception at best. So always have a spare tire, jack, and extra gas.

Answer: GPS

While many veteran ghost towners prefer using traditional maps and doing research to plot the location of a ghost town, GPS (Global Positioning System) systems now can upload detailed geographic maps that will show an exact location and steer you onto the correct roads.

Answer: Four-wheel drive truck/SUV

A high wheel base four-wheel drive will allow you to access even remote ghost towns located high up in the mountains. While roads may exist to a site, they can be of questionable quality and have washouts. However, there are many easily accessible ghost towns that you could use the other choices to get to. Always be aware of what kind of roads you are going to encounter before venturing on them.

Answer: ATV

ATVs are a common sight nowadays. Their ability to travel up narrow old mining roads gives them an advantage of accessibility. Commonly, groups will establish a base camp in an area they want to explore and do day trips. However, without careful care driving, they can do a lot of damage to roads and the historical sites.

It is important to be responsible and minimize the impact on the fragile environment in these remote areas.

Answer: Ghost town rallies

Ghost town rallies are normally organized by enthusiasts and historians. These rallies are free and participants are taken on prepared day tours of ghost towns and provided with historical information by the hosts. Ghost towning is all about sharing the passion for the old west and the comradery of friends, family and teaching new fortunate "victims" of Ghost Town Fever about the history and etiquette of this wonderful hobby.