Top 50 Ghost Towns In Ontario (2026)

Ontario is known for its vibrant cities, scenic lakes, and rich history, but hidden across the province are fascinating ghost towns that tell stories of prosperity, decline, and abandonment. These once-bustling communities were often built around railways, mining, lumber, or agriculture. When industries collapsed or transportation routes changed, many residents left, leaving behind haunting reminders of the past.

From crumbling sawmills to abandoned mining settlements, ghost towns in Ontario attract historians, photographers, adventure seekers, and curious travelers. Some are nearly swallowed by nature, while others still preserve ruins that whisper stories of another era.

In this guide, we explore the Top 50 Ghost Towns in Ontario, highlighting what made them thrive, why they disappeared, and what visitors can still find today.

Top 50 Ghost Towns In Ontario

1. Balaclava

Balaclava is perhaps Ontario’s most iconic ghost town and often considered the “classic” ghost town of the province. Located in Renfrew County, this once-thriving lumber settlement grew around its famous water-powered sawmill built in the mid-1800s. The sawmill became the heartbeat of the town, supporting local families and attracting workers from surrounding areas.

At its peak, Balaclava was a busy industrial and farming center. However, it suffered from two major problems: it was bypassed by the railway system and the surrounding timber supply gradually ran out. Without strong transport links and enough lumber to sustain the economy, the town slowly declined.

The sawmill continued operating until the 1960s before finally shutting down, marking the end of Balaclava as a functioning town. Today, visitors can still see the old sawmill, blacksmith shop, general store, and scattered outbuildings. The weathered structures create a perfect “movie-set” ghost town appearance that draws photographers and urban explorers. Many consider Balaclava the best preserved ghost town experience in Ontario.

2. Depot Harbour

Depot Harbour is one of the largest ghost towns in Ontario and one of the most historically significant. Located near Parry Sound on Wasauksing First Nation territory, it was once a major shipping and railway hub built by lumber baron J.R. Booth in the 1890s.

The town flourished because of its deep-water port on Georgian Bay and its strategic railway connection to Ottawa. By the late 1890s, Depot Harbour had grain elevators, hotels, churches, stores, boarding houses, and over a thousand residents. It became one of the most important Great Lakes shipping ports in the region.

Its decline began after railway ownership changes and the Great Depression reduced shipping demand. Later, a devastating explosion involving stored cordite destroyed much of the area. Over time, businesses closed and the population disappeared.

Today, only foundations, concrete steps, loading docks, and remnants of the railway roundhouse remain. Despite the ruins, the historical significance of Depot Harbour makes it one of Ontario’s most fascinating ghost towns to visit.

3. Burchell Lake

Burchell Lake is a remote ghost town in Northwestern Ontario that once thrived because of gold mining. During the mining boom, the settlement attracted workers, businesses, and families hoping to benefit from the precious metal industry.

The town had homes, commercial buildings, and the infrastructure needed to support mining operations. However, like many resource-dependent communities, its survival depended entirely on the success of the mines.

When the gold deposits were exhausted and mining became unprofitable, residents had little reason to stay. Businesses shut down, homes were abandoned, and Burchell Lake gradually faded into silence.

Today, little remains beyond foundations, scattered ruins, and the memory of its once-promising future. Its isolated location adds to its eerie atmosphere, making it especially appealing to explorers who enjoy off-the-grid historical destinations.

4. Swords

Swords is a well-known ghost town in Central Ontario with a history tied to farming and small-scale commerce. It was once a rural settlement with homes, a general store, and a church that served the surrounding agricultural community.

Unlike mining towns that collapsed suddenly, Swords declined slowly over decades. As younger generations moved to larger cities for better opportunities and transportation routes shifted away from the village, the population steadily shrank.

Eventually, businesses closed, farms consolidated, and the town lost its identity as a functioning community. Today, the abandoned church and remnants of former buildings remain as symbols of a vanished rural lifestyle.

Swords is often described as peaceful rather than frightening, offering visitors a quiet reflection on how modernization can erase entire communities.

5. Vroomanton

Vroomanton is one of Ontario’s lesser-known ghost towns, but its story is equally compelling. Established as a farming settlement, it once had schools, churches, homes, and a close-knit community built around agriculture.

Unfortunately, poor farming conditions and changing economic realities made it difficult for residents to remain. As nearby towns offered better infrastructure and services, families gradually relocated.

Over time, Vroomanton lost its population and eventually became abandoned. Nature slowly reclaimed the land, leaving only traces of its former existence.

Today, Vroomanton is remembered mainly through local history and scattered ruins. For visitors interested in forgotten farming communities rather than industrial ghost towns, it offers a unique perspective on Ontario’s rural past.

6. Newfoundout

Newfoundout is famous not only for its unusual name but also for its ghost town legacy. It was originally established by settlers hoping to build a farming community in a promising rural area.

However, the land proved difficult for successful agriculture, and residents faced harsh living conditions with limited economic opportunity. As farming failed to deliver prosperity, families began leaving in search of better lives elsewhere.

The town gradually emptied until it was effectively abandoned. Today, there are very few visible remains, but the name itself continues to attract curiosity.

Newfoundout represents a common story across Ontario—settlements founded with optimism but defeated by geography and economic reality.

7. Falkenburg

Falkenburg was once a busy settlement tied to the lumber industry. Surrounded by forests, it relied heavily on timber production and sawmill operations to support the local economy.

As the lumber supply declined and industrial activity slowed, Falkenburg’s economic foundation weakened. Without sustainable employment, people moved away, and the community lost momentum.

The town’s abandonment happened gradually rather than through a single dramatic event. Today, only fragments remain, but local historians continue to preserve its memory as part of Ontario’s lumber heritage.

Falkenburg reminds us how many Ontario communities were built on natural resources that could not last forever.

8. Indiana

Indiana was once a thriving village with schools, homes, and businesses that supported local farming families. It served as a small but important center for trade and social life in the surrounding countryside.

As urbanization increased and transportation improved, residents found better opportunities elsewhere. Like many small settlements, Indiana struggled to compete with nearby towns that offered stronger economies and better services.

Gradually, the village lost residents and businesses until it became largely abandoned. Today, the ghost town status of Indiana reflects the broader story of rural migration in Ontario.

Though less dramatic than mining ghost towns, Indiana offers a valuable example of how social and economic shifts can quietly erase communities.

9. Allan Mills

Allan Mills was a milling town that depended heavily on local grain production and milling operations. Its economy centered around agriculture and the essential role mills played in early rural life.

As technology changed and larger industrial operations replaced small mills, Allan Mills became less relevant. Residents relocated to areas with stronger economic prospects, and the town slowly emptied.

The abandoned remains of mills and buildings tell the story of a place once vital to daily survival in the region. Today, Allan Mills stands as a reminder of how quickly industrial progress can make small communities obsolete.

10. Eldorado

Eldorado is one of Ontario’s most historically significant mining ghost towns, famous for its brief but powerful gold rush. In the 1860s, gold discoveries attracted miners, investors, and fortune seekers hoping to strike it rich.

The sudden influx of people created a boomtown atmosphere with shops, homes, and services appearing quickly. However, the gold deposits were limited, and once the excitement faded, so did the town’s prosperity.

Without sustained mining success, Eldorado rapidly declined. Though it never reached the size of some northern mining towns, its importance in Ontario’s gold rush history remains strong.

Today, the area serves as a historical reminder of how quickly wealth can appear—and disappear—in resource-driven communities.

Comprehensive List

No.	Ghost Town	Main Industry	Reason for Decline	Notable Remains
1	Balaclava	Lumber/Sawmill	Timber depletion, bypassed by railway	Sawmill, blacksmith shop
2	Depot Harbour	Railway/Shipping	Economic decline, explosion, railway closure	Foundations, roundhouse ruins
3	Burchell Lake	Gold Mining	Mine closure	Foundations, mining ruins
4	Swords	Farming	Rural migration	Church ruins
5	Vroomanton	Agriculture	Poor farming conditions	Scattered ruins
6	Newfoundout	Farming	Harsh conditions, failed agriculture	Minimal visible remains
7	Falkenburg	Lumber	Timber depletion	Small ruins
8	Indiana	Agriculture	Urban migration	Village remnants
9	Allan Mills	Milling	Industrial replacement	Old mill remains
10	Eldorado	Gold Mining	Gold depletion	Historic mining traces
11	Cobalt	Silver Mining	Mining decline	Old mine structures
12	Gowganda	Mining	Economic downturn	Abandoned buildings
13	Silver Centre	Silver Mining	Ore depletion	Mine shafts
14	Beaver Mills	Lumber	Industry collapse	Mill ruins
15	Bell’s Corners	Farming	Urban expansion	Old foundations
16	Blezard Valley	Agriculture	Population migration	Farm ruins
17	Brent	Logging	Logging decline	Old railway remains
18	Cooper’s Falls	Milling	Fire and economic collapse	Mill remains
19	Dufferin Bridge	Railway	Rail decline	Bridge remnants
20	Foymount	Military/Radar	Base closure	Military buildings
21	Grant	Farming	Rural depopulation	Home foundations
22	Hartney	Lumber	Resource depletion	Logging remnants
23	Heisey	Railway	Transport route changes	Station remains
24	Jeromeville	Farming	Migration to cities	Village remnants
25	Kiosk	Railway/Logging	Rail decline	Railway ruins
26	Michipicoten	Trading/Mining	Economic collapse	Foundations
27	Nicholson	Mining	Mine closure	Mining ruins
28	Opeongo	Logging	Timber depletion	Logging traces
29	Palmerston Junction	Railway	Rail service ended	Track remains
30	Quadeville	Mining	Mining decline	Old mine traces
31	Ramsey	Silver Mining	Mine exhaustion	Mine ruins
32	Rock Lake	Logging	Resource decline	Logging remnants
33	Scotia	Farming	Poor agricultural output	Scattered ruins
34	Sellwood	Lumber	Mill shutdown	Mill foundations
35	Sherwood	Farming	Population decline	Abandoned homes
36	Spence	Gold Mining	Mine closure	Mining structures
37	Star City	Gold Mining	Gold depletion	Old mine remains
38	Steenburg	Farming	Economic migration	Church ruins
39	Stove Mountain	Mining	Industry decline	Foundations
40	Umfraville	Agriculture	Urban migration	Farm remains
41	Van Hiseville	Railway	Railway abandonment	Rail remnants
42	Wainfleet Bog	Peat Industry	Industry decline	Peat operation ruins
43	Westree	Mining	Mine closure	Mining remains
44	Wilno Junction	Rail/Farming	Route changes	Junction ruins
45	Wooler	Milling	Industrial decline	Mill remains
46	Yarker Mills	Milling	Mill closure	Stone foundations
47	Zorra Hamlet	Agriculture	Rural depopulation	Village traces
48	Achray	Railway/Tourism	Railway decline	Old station
49	Basingstoke	Farming	Failed settlement	Foundations
50	Cummer	Milling	Urban redevelopment	Historic ruins

Comparison Table of Top Ghost Towns in Ontario

Ghost Town	Main Industry	Reason for Decline	Notable Remains
Balaclava	Lumber/Sawmill	Timber depletion, bypassed by railway	Sawmill, blacksmith shop
Depot Harbour	Railway/Shipping	Economic decline, explosion, railway closure	Foundations, roundhouse ruins
Burchell Lake	Gold Mining	Mine closure	Foundations, mining ruins
Swords	Farming	Rural migration	Church ruins
Vroomanton	Agriculture	Poor farming conditions	Scattered ruins
Newfoundout	Farming	Harsh conditions, failed agriculture	Minimal visible remains
Falkenburg	Lumber	Timber depletion	Small ruins
Indiana	Agriculture	Urban migration	Village remnants
Allan Mills	Milling	Industrial replacement	Old mill remains
Eldorado	Gold Mining	Gold depletion	Historic mining traces

Related

• Top 50 Ghost Towns In Oklahoma 
• Top 50 Ghost Towns In Ohio 

Conclusion

The ghost towns of Ontario offer far more than abandoned buildings—they preserve the forgotten stories of ambition, hardship, industry, and change. Whether built around lumber mills, gold mines, railways, or farming communities, each town reflects a unique chapter in Ontario’s development.

Places like Balaclava and Depot Harbour remain especially popular because visitors can still experience visible traces of their former life. Others, such as Newfoundout and Vroomanton, survive mostly in memory and local history, reminding us how quickly entire communities can vanish.

For travelers, photographers, and history lovers, these ghost towns provide a powerful journey into the past. They show that progress often leaves places behind—and sometimes, those forgotten places become the most fascinating of all.