A disabled writer’s unforgettable journey into Wyoming’s lost mountain town.
High in Wyoming’s Absaroka Mountains lies Kirwin, one of the most haunted and untouched ghost towns in the American West. Tucked away at 9,200 feet, this abandoned mining town has endured avalanches, gold rush dreams, and even a visit from Amelia Earhart. Its silence hums with history.
I had dreamed of seeing a real ghost town for years—one untouched by modern life. In 2021, that dream seemed within reach, as we went on our big go west trip, but our first searches ended in disappointment. Every “ghost town” Google led us to either had people living there or no trace of old structures left. On our last attempt, we ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, stranded on an empty stretch of road, rescued only by a miner in the one vehicle heading home and then by a kind sheriff’s deputy. That night, safe in our RV again, we decided no more ghost towns, for now.
The experience taught me something: don’t rely on GPS or Google searches. Real research—old maps, local museums, and historical societies—is what leads you to the real thing.
A Personal Mission
By 2023, my life had changed drastically. I’d become disabled after developing an inoperable blood clot in my brain, along with Bell’s palsy, and both affected my balance and my left side. Every day brought dizziness, but my determination to see Kirwin never faded. Living in Cody for the season, knowing we had to leave at the beginning of October, I realized this might be my only chance. So, in September, with my husband’s help and support from our RV neighbors, I decided to make the journey—walker, eye patch, and all.
To make the bumpy mountain trip possible, I took three prescriptions, two for nausea, some ginger, and my last Valium. “Do it dizzy,” I told myself. If I was dizzy sitting still, I might as well be dizzy chasing my dream.
The drive into the mountains was breathtaking and rough. We crossed three rivers, and climbed up the bumpy mountain roads carved into the mountainside. Finally, we reached the parking area and from there, I had to walk in—no small feat on uneven ground even with a walker. My husband held onto me as we picked our way toward the weathered wooden buildings that had stood more than a century waiting for us to see them.
I didn’t make it into every cabin, but I touched the doorframes, peered inside, and breathed in the mountain air. While others hiked up to the Wolf Mine house, I sat on my walker, listening to the wind and birds, feeling proud that I’d made it this far. I had finally found my ghost town.
Kirwin sits in the Shoshone National Forest, about 34 miles southwest of Meeteetse. Gold and silver were discovered here in 1885 by William Kirwin and Henry Adams, and the town boomed briefly from 1904 to 1906. Around 200 residents called it home, complete with cabins, stores, a hotel, and several busy mines. Unlike most mining towns, Kirwin had no saloons or brothels—just hardworking folks who read books and hosted parlor games.
But life at high altitude was brutal. In 1907, a devastating avalanche destroyed several buildings and killed three people. By spring, the survivors had packed up and left, leaving behind their dreams and wooden homes to the snow and silence. A few mining efforts continued through the 1940s, but the town was never fully revived.
Kirwin’s most surprising chapter came decades later. In 1934, Amelia Earhart visited the nearby Double D Dude Ranch and fell in love with the area’s wild beauty. She asked the ranch owner to build her a mountain cabin near Kirwin as a personal retreat. Construction began—but after her mysterious disappearance in 1937, the project was abandoned. The remains of her unfinished cabin still stand, a quiet monument to dreams left undone, and is an additional hike if you want to see it.
How to Visit Kirwin
Getting to Kirwin is an adventure. The site is accessible only by high clearance 4x4 vehicles via Forest Service Road 200, with three unbridged river crossings and no cell service. Weather determines accessibility, typically from mid-May through November. Bring paper maps, extra gas, food, and supplies—you’ll be far from help if anything goes wrong.
If off-roading isn’t your thing, or you don’t have the right vehicle, guided tours are available from outfitters in nearby Meeteetse. Always check road and water conditions before heading out.
Essential Tips:
• Drive a 4x4 and carry extra gas.
• Check river levels before crossing.
• Bring water, snacks, a spare tire, and a first-aid kit.
• Expect zero cell service— (our GPS went out)
• Leave no trace; take only photos
.
Visitors can explore:
• The Wolf Mine shaft house
• Log cabins and a former manager’s home
• The remains of an assay shop, sawmill, and stables
The town is protected by the Shoshone National Forest and Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, so please tread lightly. Each weathered board and rusted nail tells a story.
Gateway: Meeteetse, Wyoming
Before heading up, stop in Meeteetse, a charming Western town that serves as the last stop for supplies. Visit the Meeteetse Museum for mining history, grab a map, a bite to eat, and stroll its old wooden boardwalks. Don’t miss the Cowboy Bar, where Butch Cassidy was once arrested. More info: www.meeteetsewy.com
Why Kirwin Is Worth the Journey
Kirwin isn’t just an abandoned town—it’s a place where history, nature, and determination meet. Standing among its weathered timbers, you can almost hear the echoes of miners’ hopes, the roar of avalanches, and the whisper of the wind through the pines.
For me, reaching Kirwin became more than a travel goal—it was proof that even after illness and disability, there are still adventures to be found. The trip was rough, dusty, and emotional. But as we bumped our way back down the mountain, I knew I’d carry Kirwin with me forever.
Have you ever visited a ghost town? Share your story—I’d love to hear it.
For more pictures of Kirwin and more personal details visit my travel blog: https://beautifuldaytraveler.wordpress.com/2025/10/17/kirwin-wyoming-discovering-one-of-americas-most-haunted-and-well-preserved-ghost-towns/
One of my writing projects this winter is a memoir about our first year living full-time in the motorhome. I expect to finish it and publish it in 2026.
If you have questions about our fulltime motorhome lifestyle, send me an email, and they may appear in a future Tales from the Trailer article.
I’m wishing you happy reading and a beautiful day, until next time, when I return with more Tales from the Trailer.
Debra Parmley is an adventurous, multi-genre author and world traveler who, after living for 23 years just outside Memphis, in Bartlett, suggested to her husband that they not wait for his retirement to follow one of their dreams. In 2020, they sold their house and everything in Memphis to move into a 43-foot motorhome full-time to travel the U.S. Today she writes as they travel.
Published since 2008, this bestselling, award-winning author has more than 38 books in print. A Gemini, born June 7th, and sharing a birthday with Prince, Debra loves purple, polka dots, imagining stories, and playing with words.
Debra married her high school sweetheart, whom she asked out on a five-dollar bet. She has been married to her Air Force veteran husband for 43 years. Debra enjoys writing military romantic suspense and making sure her veteran heroes have a happy ever after that will last.
She also writes historical romance, contemporary romance, dystopian romance, urban fantasy romance, fairytale romance, holiday romance, poetry, and nonfiction.
Being an adventurous author and world traveler, Debra has visited over 13 countries and has even escorted a bus full of clients through Scotland when she worked as a travel agent. She has swum with dolphins off the island of Moorea in French Polynesia, sailed on several seas on many cruises, ridden the cog train to the top of Pike’s Peak, and lived in their motorhome on the sandbar called Hatteras Island. She likes to climb lighthouses because she is afraid of heights, and she is always determined to try.
You will find danger, action and adventure, and romance in her stories, backed by the belief that “every day we are alive is a beautiful day” which is a part of everything she does with her writing and her life.
In her Tales from the Trailer articles for Fresh Fiction, she shares the RV lifestyle and travel adventures in the U.S. from the point of view of a working author.
As Debra Bishop, she writes fairytales and children’s stories.
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