12 of the Spookiest & Most Haunted States in the United States

As a paranormal author and investigator, I've been lucky enough to explore some of the most haunted states in the United States. If you're dying (ha — see what I did there?) to experience a haunting, the good news is that every state has its haunts, so no matter where you are,  you probably don't have far to travel to potentially meet up with a ghost. But some states just seem to have more hauntings — or at least more well-known haunts. Region by region, these are some of the most haunted states in the United States. 

The turning point of the Civil War was fought at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Today, the National Park System maintains the Gettysburg National Military Park, where the battle raged on for three days in July of 1863 with more than 50,000 casualties. And it's probably all the energy from that battle that left behind a huge imprint on the land — and one of the most famous hauntings in the United States. Not only is the entire military park haunted, but nearby locations throughout the area also contain the energetic imprint of the war.

And while it may be the most famous haunt in Pennsylvania, it's far from the only one. You'll also find one of the country's most haunted prisons, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, the Aaron Burr House in New Hope, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia, and Fort Mifflin, also in Philadelphia. Because it's steeped in American history, if you're looking to meet a ghost that rubbed elbows with America's Founding Fathers, it seems like Pennsylvania might just be the place to do it.

New York is no slouch as a haunted state, and it's easy to see why. From America's most infamous haunted house, The Amityville Horror house on Long Island, to the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery (yes, that Sleepy Hollow) in Westchester County, New York, is practically overrun with ghosts.

Related: 14 Most Haunted Places in America to Visit

Louisiana often receives top billing as a haunted state because of New Orleans. The city is infamous for its hauntings. Visitors can stay in haunted hotels, visit haunted houses in the French Quarter, stop by the haunted Lafayette Cemetery, or learn about NOLA's voodoo and black magic roots. Whether you stay at the haunted Myrtle's Plantation in St. Francisville or sip a famous Hurricane cocktail at Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans, if you keep your eyes peeled, you just may see a ghost.

As someone who has wandered the halls and body chute of the Waverly Hills Sanitorium, I can definitively say that place is all that it's hyped up to be. Super duper haunted. And that's but one place in Kentucky, with many other spooky haunts, as well, including the infamous Bobby Mackey's Music World in Wilder and the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville. 

Topping the list for the Midwest's most haunted state is Ohio. With its industrial background and plenty of tragedies, Ohio has haunted houses, haunted amusement parks, and haunted prisons, and it is rich with urban legends, lore, and creepy ghost stories.

So where do you go to see a ghost in Ohio? Lots of places, apparently. For example, the supremely haunted Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield is a spooky former prison that was the site of a violent riot, and it's said that angry ghosts remain. And Boston Township, an abandoned town colloquially known as Helltown, is a place steeped in lore and cloaked in mystery that includes urban legends about chemical spills, government coverups, and Satanic worship.

Whenever you have an entire island that's haunted, it makes the whole state a contender for one of the most haunted states in the United States. Case in point: Mackinac Island. Add in the River Raisin National Battlefield Park, where a series of skirmishes known as the Battle of Frenchtown occurred in 1813 (the War of 1812) and Detroit's spooky Fort Wayne, and you have a super haunted state. 

As a West Coast gal, I can confidently say that California is a ghost lovers' paradise, from the notorious Alcatraz to all sorts of haunted ships (like the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach or the USS Hornet in Alameda). Many of the hauntings extend back to the Gold Rush, but you can also find storied haunted houses like the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose and the Whaley House in San Diego. From the mystique of Old Hollywood and the megastars of the movie industry to the rugged coastline that has seen numerous shipwrecks, no matter what part of the Golden State you visit, there's likely to be a haunted place nearby.

If California wasn't out West, then Nevada would be a shoo-in as the most haunted state. And there's more to Nevada than Las Vegas, including a rich history that seems to have generated a lot of hauntings. Along with the Silver Rush and Gold Rush and the legendary Las Vegas mob bosses, Nevada has a number of creepy haunts, including the old boomtown, Virginia City (home of the haunted Washoe Club), Hoover Dam, Boulder City, haunted mines, and the Goldfield Hotel, first made famous on the television show Ghost Adventures. So if you visit for the bright lights of the big city, stay for the ghosts. You won't be disappointed.

Everything's bigger in Texas, including the haunts. Remember the Alamo? Yeah — the ghosts do, too, because they never left. The state is rich in history and strife, making it fertile ground for hauntings. In fact, San Antonio is one of America's most haunted cities with ghosts around every corner.

In Galveston, you can stay at the haunted Grand Galvez (stay in room 505 if you dare!) or head to Saratoga and keep an eye out for the Bragg Road Ghost Lights. Want to belly up to the bar next to a ghost? Then the La Carafe Wine Bar in Houston is not only one of the oldest buildings in town but also one of its most haunted. So saddle up, ghost cowboys! If it's spirits you seek, then Texas is definitely the place to be.

A lot of spooky stuff happens in the desert, as people who live in and visit Arizona can attest. The state is packed with Wild West history that seems to have left behind some residual energy.

Southeast of Phoenix and Tucson, you'll find Tombstone — even the name is kind of ghosty. And ghosts you'll find here, for this is the site of the historic gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the home of the historically haunted Bird Cage Theater. Or, head up in the hills yonder overlooking the Verde Valley to visit haunted Jerome, the "wickedest town in the West." It's home to a ghost town and The Asylum Restaurant, a haunted hospital turned dining establishment. Whether it's the Wild West or ancestral cave dwellings, there are a lot of haunted hotspots to explore in Arizona.

Head out into Big Sky Country, and you may not see a ton of people, but there are definitely a ton of ghosts. I've had some downright scary experiences at the Old Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge, which is teeming with ghosts. You'll also find plenty of hauntings throughout the state, including Helena's Grandstreet Theater and one of the many ghost towns that have actual ghosts, like the Bannack State Park Ghost Town. 

I recently stayed at one of Colorado's haunted hotels, the Strater Hotel in Durango (it def a little spooky), but it's hard to talk about haunted Colorado without the grand-daddy of haunted hotels, The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. I've stayed there, too, and we had the weirdest thing happen — a bag I laid on the bed went missing and showed up in a closet we had never entered. So that was strange.

Hotels aside, Colorado's rich history makes it ripe for hauntings, and there are lots of creepy haunted hotspots like Denver's Cheesman Park (it used to be a graveyard) or the Boulder Theater. 

All throughout the United States, you'll find some pretty spooky locales. So, if you'd like to experience a ghost, the best way to do it is to find a haunted location near you that's open to the public and stop by for a visit. Fortunately, every state has ghosts if you know where to look.