British Columbia is full of abandoned places. In the remote and rugged mountains of the interior, former mining boom towns have been left to slowly be taken over by nature, many disappearing completely at the hands of time and the elements. In the forgotten corners of British Columbia's most populous cities, huge medical complexes sit empty and obsolete, dust drifting down their silent hallways. These are the ghosts of bygone eras; places that remind us of our impermanence and whisper to us from the past.
Some of British Columbia's abandoned places can be accessed by a city bus – others require a four-wheel drive vehicle and careful planning. All have something unique to offer curious adventure lovers, from old mining artifacts to ghostly apparitions. With Halloween just around the corner, we thought we would put together a list of our favourite, and creepiest, abandoned places in British Columbia.
Kitsault
Located on the shores of a remote inlet north of Prince Rupert, this town was built to house employees of a nearby molybdenum mine and their families. A shopping mall, swimming pool, bowling alley, pub and more sought to provide big-city amenities for this community of just over 1,000. But, with the crash of molybdenum prices, the town was abandoned just 18 months after it was built.
What makes this ghost town unique is that it has been preserved over the years – most of Kitsault looks just like it did when people were living there (minus the people), making for a surreal visit. Be advised that Kitsault is privately owned, and tourists are not encouraged to visit the ghost town.
Parkhurst
- Photo courtesy of Art of Living by Summit Lodge / BC Archives
This once thriving logging community sits on the north shore of Green Lake in Whistler. The ghost town was abandoned in the 1960s, and its buildings, vehicles and machinery have become intertwined with surrounding forest – trees grow around, on top of and through the remains of the town, creating a surreal co-mingling of natural and man-made objects.
When the sun begins to set and the fog rolls in, you'll feel like you have stepped into a parallel reality. This is one of the easiest-to-access and most scenic ghost towns in British Columbia.
Phoenix
- Phoenix BC around 1912 - Photo courtesy of the Boundary Historical Society.
Little remains of what was once one of British Columbia's most explosive boom-towns. Dubbed “the highest city in Canada,” Phoenix once had 20 hotels, a brewery, opera house and a hockey team that challenged for the Stanley Cup. This raucous city was a place of dreams, fortunes and debauchery, but the end of WWI saw a sharp decline in copper prices, bringing an abrupt end to Phoenix's short-lived golden age.
Visitors to the Phoenix townsite can explore the old cemetery, where many of the tombstones show the date 1918 – returning soldiers brought an influenza epidemic to the isolated mountain town. The site of the town itself is now an abandoned open-pit mine. If you listen closely, you may still be able to hear the echoes of Phoenix's glorious heyday.
Riverview Hospital
Constructed during the 1910s and formerly known as Essondale, this abandoned psychiatric hospital is located not far from Backroad Mapbooks' headquarters in Coquitlam, BC, and is straight out of your favourite Halloween horror movie. In fact, it may have even been filmed there – the hospital's unsettling appearance makes it a popular shooting location.
Massive turn-of-the-century hospital wards, complete with caged verandas and staircases, sit upon the 400 hectare (1,000 ac) grounds. There are even underground tunnels that connect many of the buildings. Stories of paranormal activity are common here – we wouldn't recommend this one for the faint of heart.
Tranquille Sanitorium
Tranquille Sanatorium, Canada (Sunken Garden) | Image via pbase.com
Originally built as a tuberculosis treatment centre in 1907, this facility was converted to a psychiatric hospital in the 1950s, then abandoned in the 1980s. Orbs of light, shadowy figures, unexplained noises and more have been reported over the years at this abandoned facility just outside of Kamloops. Just like Riverview, there are underground tunnels that connect the various buildings here – you can even go on a tour of the tunnels for an extra creepy Halloween adventure.
Stave Falls Powerhouse
- Stave Lake Powerhouse - Image Courtesy of BC Hydro
According to the Vancouver Paranormal Society, the Stave Falls Powerhouse is the most haunted place in the lower mainland. Constructed in the early 1900s, the Powerhouse is reported to have been the site of a number of deaths over the years, and some of the deceased have apparently refused to move on.
While it is known for paranormal activity, the Powerhouse is also home to a not-so-creepy visitor centre and museum, including interactive displays and a Tesla coil electricity demonstration.
You can find your way to these sites and many more with the help of our BC Backroad Mapbooks and BC GPS Maps! Whether you’re chasing ghosts, historic sites or scenic lookouts, we wish you the best of luck!