With the advent of more and more great horror/paranormal shows, ghost hunting has become a popular pastime for visitors and locals alike looking for the most haunted places in Texas.
If you’re into an experience that keeps you on your toes, this is definitely something to try out.
The complicated and often brutal history of Texas makes it a hotspot for paranormal activity, and even some smaller towns like Granbury have also started to host tours specifically for ghost sightings.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer, you’re bound to have fun checking out these haunted locations in Texas!
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Bragg Road
Bragg Road is located in Big Thicket National Preserve, which is a huge, heavily forested region that spans over 110K acres.
This area is frequented by hikers and is perfect for explorers looking for ghosts!
The imagery of this area is right out of a movie, let us set the scene for you.
The forest itself gets pitch black at night. Bragg Road is essentially an unpaved, dirt road that leads through the thick forestry. I
n 1902, railroad tracks were laid in this area to transport cattle and oil.
The story goes that a railroad worker was decapitated while working and that the light that is seen in the forest is the light from his lantern as his ghost searches for his head.
Junglecat, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsU.S.S. Lexington
The U.S.S. Lexington is quite literally nicknamed “The Blue Ghost” if that doesn’t convince you of its paranormal notoriety, nothing else will!
This ship was decommissioned and preserved in Corpus Christi as a museum in 1992.
According to the staff at the museum, there are hundreds of reports each year of supernatural or paranormal activity such as feelings of being touched or mysterious figures in the distance.
There are certain “characters” that are most frequent aboard the ship such as a man on the deck, or a sailor in the engine room.
The stories have been so intensely corroborated that this museum has been featured on popular shows like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Lab.
San Antonio Ghost Tracks
The ghost tracks in San Antonio are a fun spot to visit on the south side of San Antonio.
This location isn’t a specified attraction so there is no “check-in” per se but it is often included on a ghost tour if you choose to book one!
The legend behind the tracks says that an accident occurred on the railroad tracks and small children unfortunately perished.
If you go to the tracks and stop at a specific part and put your car in neutral your car will start to move.
The legend says that the spirit of those children moves the car and that their little handprints will show up as evidence. Some say that this legend has been debunked and some still believe it to be one of the most haunted places in Texas. Check it out to find out for yourself!
Yorktown Memorial Hospital
What’s creepier than an old abandoned hospital? Yorktown Memorial Hospital was a hospital in the 50s that was renovated into a drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation center.
It was run through the Catholic church by women called “The Felician Sisters”.
After the hospital was decommissioned in 1992, it is said some patients never left the grounds. In the sense that their spirits remain there to haunt the hospital.
Everything from talking dolls and door knocks being heard is evidence of the possibility of paranormal activity.
The hospital is currently on private property so if you want to explore, you will have to book a tour first!
Goatman’s Bridge
Goatman’s Bridge, otherwise known as Old Alton Bridge, near Denton, is a popular spot for runners and hikers… during the day, of course!
It got its name from the demonic entity in Greek mythology. The Goatman is also tied to the story of the ghost at the bridge.
Back in the 1930s, there was a goat farmer named Oscar Washburn, who grew to fame in the area. Due to his race, several people began to grow infuriated at his success.
In an attempt to remove the competition it is rumored the Klan kidnapped him on the bridge and threw him over, when they looked over the bridge Mr. Washburn had disappeared.
It is believed that if you drive across the bridge without headlights on, you will be greeted by The Goatman himself.
Hotel Galvez
The Hotel Galvez is a beautiful, historic hotel in Galveston. It is still fully operational but is also quite popular for ghost tours. There are some floors of the hotel that are more active than others.
Residents who have gone purely for a recreational trip don’t seem to have any issues.
However, some residents report drawers opening or apparitions being seen at night in certain areas.
There are legends of several spirits such as a ghost bride looking for her husband and a hotel worker that still haunts the hallways.
Want to stay in one of the most haunted hotels in Texas?
Book your stay at the Hotel Galvez for your next trip to Galveston!
Nicolas Henderson from Coppell, Texas, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsMarfa Lights
The Marfa Lights are a random phenomenon out on Route 67, and while it’s a bit of a stretch to call them a haunted Texas destination, they’re certainly mysterious and perhaps paranormal.
This area is pretty much open desert land, there isn’t much happening for miles.
First documented in the 19th century, these mysterious orbs of lights show up in varying colors year-round.
They can be of varying sizes, some people seem to feel they are miles away from them, and others have reported them as up close and personal. Some people report them to fly at rapid speeds and then just disappear into thin air.
The physics of it has never really been explained, so the spirit legend has lived on.
Baker Hotel
The Baker Hotel is an old spa-and-resort style hotel located about half an hour from Fort Worth in a town called Mineral Wells.
This hotel used to cater to the rich and famous in a former life.
Throughout the damaging impacts of war, the hotel stood as a steadfast part of history.
The hotel was closed following a long stint of misfortune and vandalism.
Recently, however, it has had a resurgence, and in 2010 there were plans to reopen the hotel to visitors.
This area is still reported to be one of the most haunted locations in Texas and was featured on a Ghost Adventures episode.
La Carafe
You often hear a lot about haunted hotels and abandoned sanitariums, but what about a haunted bar?
I suppose ghosts might need the odd shot of tequila every once in a while!
This Houston landmark is one of the oldest buildings in Houston. It has seen the city grow and change from years to decades to centuries!
The bar is frequently featured on Houston ghost tours and the vibe definitely caters to that.
The bar is still operating, although it’s cash only.
The cash register is known to start clicking on its own, glasses fall with no one touching them, it’s definitely an interesting place to grab a drink with friends.
You might make new ones…of the ghost variety, obviously!
The Jefferson Hotel
The Jefferson Hotel is also a newly renovated hotel that has preserved its charm and apparently its ghosts.
The hotel is frequently part of a walking ghost tour and the actual room that is said to be the most haunted can be rented out!
The legend says that a jilted bride died in that room out of anguish that her beloved never met her at the altar.
The room she continues to haunt is Room 19, now named the Haunted Bride room (there’s even a wedding dress hanging in it!).
Residents describe an odd blur in photos, other employees say that they experience technology issues like phone switchboards going haywire and electronics turning on and off on their own.
Demon’s Road
Demon’s Road is a name that sounds scary enough on its own.
What makes this place even scarier is the fact that it bypasses a cemetery near Huntsville.
Most folks in this area don’t like to pass by here if they don’t have to, especially at night.
There is a story of a sighting that is particularly eerie, a woman once reported going to the cemetery and seeing a man in the distance.
Thinking nothing of it, she went home. Later that day when she went to take a shower she saw the man in the doorway of her bathroom. When she screamed the man disappeared into thin air.
Stories like this fuel the fire for the adventurous souls who come to explore the scariest places in Texas!
Magnolia Hotel
This hotel is one of the most popular haunted locations in all of Texas.
Situated in the small town of Seguin, about an hour’s drive out of Austin, this little bed and breakfast has enough power to scare the wits out of you.
This venue is available for rental through Airbnb but you could also get a guided tour with the owners of the property for a more detailed look into the hotel’s history.
The owners mention that the hotel has 13 spirits that have been identified.
These spirits have scared away every attempt to have the building restored. Several workers on the property have alleged ghostly interactions.
Nonetheless, the owners chose to lean into the presence of ghosts and have welcomed several camera crews onto the property to film their experiences at one of the most haunted places in Texas.
You can’t drive in Goatman’s Bridge, but there is a place to park and you can walk on it. It’s a popular ghost hunting destination and you probably won’t be the only one there when you visit.
really should have had the Haunted Hill House in mineral Wells Tx