Most Haunted Asylums in America You Can Visit (Ghost Stories, Tours & Paranormal Encounters)
- Desirae-Haunted Traverse
- 12 minutes ago
- 7 min read
Across America, abandoned asylums stand as monuments to forgotten lives, untreated suffering, and unanswered questions. Many of these buildings remain open to visitors today—not as hospitals, but as historic sites, museums, and some of the most haunted locations in the United States.
Visitors report footsteps in empty corridors, voices echoing from sealed rooms, shadow figures moving behind shattered windows, and unexplained emotional sensations that linger long after leaving.
For paranormal investigators and curious travelers alike, these locations offer something rare: the opportunity to stand inside spaces where thousands lived, suffered, died—and perhaps never truly left.
This guide explores the most haunted asylums in America you can visit today, including true ghost stories, investigation opportunities, and how to experience them safely.
Why Asylums Are Among the Most Haunted Places in America
Psychiatric hospitals were often isolated, overcrowded, and emotionally intense environments. Many patients lived entire lifetimes within their walls.
Common factors believed to contribute to paranormal reports include:
• emotional trauma and suffering
• isolation and abandonment
• sudden or unattended deaths
• experimental treatments
• long-term institutionalization
These environments created intense emotional imprints—conditions that paranormal investigators believe may contribute to unexplained phenomena.
Even skeptics acknowledge that these buildings create powerful psychological experiences simply by being present inside them.
Most Haunted Asylums in America You Can Visit
1. Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum — Weston, West Virginia
One of the largest hand-cut stone buildings in North America, Trans-Allegheny housed over 2,400 patients at its peak—nearly ten times its intended capacity. Once known as the Weston State Hospital, this Kirkbride architecture is a popular ghost hunting location because of the wide range of paranormal activity unfolding here.
Reported hauntings include:
• shadow figures in hallways
• disembodied voices
• knobs spinning and doors slamming on their own
• sudden cold spots
• intelligent EVP responses
• disturbing burn marks and scratches on the body*
*The last type of haunting symptom is concerning. This is a spirit or darker force that has no reservations hurting those it encounters. Visitors have been warned.
Famous ghost story: Lily
Visitors frequently report encountering a child spirit known as Lily. Investigators claim she responds to toys placed in certain rooms and interacts through EVP recordings.
Some visitors report hearing laughter or feeling a small hand brush against their clothing.
2. Waverly Hills Sanatorium — Louisville, Kentucky
Originally built to treat tuberculosis patients, Waverly Hills witnessed thousands of deaths during epidemics in the early 1900s.
It remains one of the most famous haunted locations in the world.
Reported hauntings include:
• shadow figures on upper floors
• voices calling investigators’ names
• moving objects
• unexplained footsteps
• Smell of antiseptic attached to the Man in White
• A spirit is witnessed on the 5th floor with cut wrists screaming
Famous ghost story: The Nurse in Room 502
This room is located near an old nurses's station. A nurse, Mary Hillenburg, reportedly died by a hanging suicide after becoming pregnant under tragic circumstances. Visitors report seeing her apparition standing near windows or hearing footsteps approaching and stopping suddenly. Some contest this story, that a suicide is impossible in this room. You will have to enter room 502 to make that determination for yourself.
Famous ghost story: The 3rd Floor and Timmy
If you see a blue ball rolling down the hall of the 3rd floor, you just might look up and see the spirit of a young boy named "Timmy." This boy spirit is only witnessed on this floor. Ghost Hunters often bring toys for Timmy to play with. In addition to the manifestation, it is told that he will play with toys brought to him.
Planning on visiting for a ghost hunt? Go prepared and I can help you.
Explore my recommendations for ghost equipment and ghost hunting techniques here:
3. Pennhurst State School and Hospital — Spring City, Pennsylvania
Pennhurst housed patients with developmental disabilities under conditions later exposed as abusive and neglectful.
After its closure, paranormal reports increased dramatically.
Reported hauntings include:
• screaming sounds from empty rooms
• shadow figures in tunnels
• sudden emotional distress in visitors
• EVP recordings responding to questions
Many investigators describe Pennhurst as one of the most emotionally intense paranormal locations in America.
Ghost story: The Tunnels and Philadelphia Buildings
I love haunted houses and each fall and during special events throughout the year, Pennhurst turns into a terrifying one. One of my favorite ghost stories were the haunt actors in the tunnels. They would tell of being hugged, touched, and played with my a young, girl spirit.
The Philadelphia Building reports guests and staff being pushed, hit, attacked to where the fall, get mysterious bruises on their body. Many believe that its the children spirits that were abused here. Toys are brought to the sight for these spirits, and some reported seeing the toys moved and played with.
4. Rolling Hills Asylum — East Bethany, New York
Rolling Hills operated as an asylum, poorhouse, and tuberculosis hospital.
Thousands died on the property.
Reported hauntings include:
• full-body apparitions
• intelligent EVP responses such as the "Please don't go" Roy EVP
• physical sensations of being touched
• doors opening and closing
Famous ghost story: Roy
Roy is believed to be a former patient who appears as a tall, 7 foot tall, shadow figure and responds to investigators verbally. This spirit's personality feels kind and gentle when those that have encountered Roy describe him. Areas of interest Roy seems to be attached to includede room 113 and the Shadow hallway-second floor in the East Wing.
5. Eloise Asylum — Westland, Michigan
Eloise was once one of the largest psychiatric complexes in America, housing over 8,000 patients. Today, parts of the complex remain open for tours and investigations.
Reported hauntings include:
• shadow figures in corridors
• unexplained cold spots
• voices captured on recordings
• feelings of being watched
• a lot of electronic failure at this particular asylum
Visitors often report emotional heaviness in certain sections of the building, feelings of being watched, and EVPs.
Planning a Haunted Visit to an Asylum
If you’re not ready to book immediately, consider saving or bookmarking this page. Ghost tour availability changes frequently, and having this guide bookmarked makes it easy to return when you’re ready.
Paranormal Gear for Investigators
Many visitors choose to document their experiences.
Beginner tools include:
• EMF meters
• digital voice recorders
• flashlights
• night vision cameras (not all cameras are equal when it comes to capturing great photos of paranormal phenomenon)
These tools help capture evidence and document unusual experiences.
Why People Continue to Visit Haunted Asylums
Most visitors are not seeking fear. At times, they are seeking connection. Understanding the history of the asylums. Explanations or answers to what lies beyond our plane of existence. Even solace.
Standing in these abandoned spaces reminds us how thin the line between past and present truly is. The extreme and frequent cases of tragedies at this locations can cause a uptick in hauntings. The odds seem to increase of a chance encounter with a paranormal event or haunting.
Whether paranormal or psychological in the seeking out asylums, the experience leaves a lasting echoes of the spirits attached to these locations.
Explore More Haunted Locations
Continue your paranormal travel journey:
Conclusion
Asylums represent some of the most emotionally charged environments in American history. Whether viewed through a paranormal or historical lens, they remain places where stories continue to unfold.
Visitors leave with questions, memories, and sometimes unexplained experiences.
Not every visitor encounters something unusual.
But enough do to ensure these places are never truly lost to time. Proving they are timeless locations for profound hauntings.
Thank you for visiting this article!
Wishing You Safe and Spirited Travels, my Dear Readers. ~Dez
Let's Explore More if You Have Time!
I explore the emotional and personal side of haunted travel and spiritual curiosity in my Substack reflections->Substack Here 🌙
More Haunted Destinations to Explore
Haunted travel doesn’t stop here. I’m continuing to explore some of the most paranormally active destinations across the U.S., including Savannah, Salem, Charleston, and beyond.
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If haunted travel draws you in, these destinations are known for their ghost tours, paranormal history, and unexplained encounters.
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