Ghost Towns of Route 66 you must visit
In this photo gallery, I bring you along with me on our road trip through the ghost towns of Route 66. This route of abandoned towns will take you back in time to the Americana era that dominated the Southwest.
This past November, we hit the road and drove across part of the Southwest of the United States, stopping in places we were sure not to find any people; the ghost towns of route 66.
We started the roadtrip in Colorado Springs, drove through New Mexico, Arizona, a bit of Nevada and then California, finishing in LA. This is only the second half of Route 66, which starts in Chicago and ends on the coasts of Santa Monica.
Route 66 was built in the 1920s, and is famous because it was the only road connecting east to west. When the interstate Highway 40 was built, much of Route 66 became transitless. The quaint western style towns all became abandoned. Today, many of these towns remain as they were back in the 50s and 60s. Some of the hotels and diners remain in business, but now cater mostly to tourist.
GALLUP, NM - "Hotel El Rancho"
Two hours west of Albuquerque, we stopped at El Rancho Hotel. Opening its doors in the 1930s, it soon became a popular spot amongst Hollywood celebrities of the era. It served as a set in dozens of movies.
We stopped just for a drink at its basement bar saloon.
HOLBROOK, AZ
That night we slept in Holbrook, another ghost town of Route 66 that is completely abandoned. There is not much to see other than picturesque views and amazing photo opportunities to capture the mummified scenes of America’s old Western days. Hotels, Motels, diners, and all sorts of 50’s propaganda dispersed along a single desolate road.
All photos were taken with Google Pixel 7
JEROME, AZ
A bit off of Route 66, we took a detour and drove upwards towards the old copper mining town of Jerome. This has become quite a popular destination for travelers passing by. There is a lot more life than in other ghost towns. Jerome is filled with open souvenir shops, and groups of tourists walking around. It sits quite high on the mountain and has great views of the lower plateau. The town is an open museum that guides you through the history of the town as you walk the streets.
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SELINGMAN, AZ
This was the last ghost town we visited on our way to Nevada. Selingman is known as the “Birthplace of Historic Route 66” because it’s residents convinced the State of Arizona to denominate Route 66 a historic American highway.
WILLIAMS, AZ
Williams is not actually a ghost town, but I am adding it to this list because of its Americana vibe, its Western decor, and neon lights. We slept here two nights and witnessed a blizzard which made the views of the town (and certainly of the Grand Canyon on the following day) that much more magical.
Where to stay in Williams, AZ ? Check out the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel
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