Are you looking for the most haunted places of New Mexico?
New Mexico is a state with an incredibly rich history, which can be seen in its ancient archaeological sites, abandoned ghost towns and forgotten battlefields. Along with all this come stories of lost spirits that wander through the halls and citadels of New Mexico’s past – tales of apparitions and mysterious occurrences.
If you’re looking for a unique adventure then heading to some of these haunted places will undoubtedly give you an experience like no other! From underground mine pits to eerie train cars, this guide provides a comprehensive look at some of the most noteworthy haunted places across New Mexico so get ready to be creeped out!
Things To Do in Haunted New Mexico
Day 1 – 2: Albuquerque
We recommend starting your trip in Albuquerque, New Mexico. You can easily spend two or even three days here checking out the local sites and haunted locations! Since are so many places to see in Albuquerque, we made an article you can check out!
👻➡️Check out our 22 Haunted Places in Albuquerque article here!
🚗➡️This trip takes you throughout a large portion of New Mexico. Best way to get around is by rental car which you can book here!
Day 3: Mountainair – Mesilla
Mountainair
1. Shaffer Hotel
The first thing you’ll notice about the building are the large swastikas painted onto the facade. Please be mindful, when right facing and laying flat, it is a Hindu symbol and has no relation to the Nazi symbol.
The Shaffer Hotel was established in 1923 by Clem “Pop” Shaffer, who is reputed to still stroll its lobby and hallways. There might be other visitors hanging out there as well.
Forms of eerie shadows on the second floor, flashing lights, and cold spots in the conference room are most of the paranormal sightings found here.
Today, it is still a operating hotel and dining hall. You don’t need to spend the night here, but maybe stop by for a quick bite of American Mexican cuisine.
Los Lunas
2. The Luna Mansion
The Santa Fe Railway constructed the mansion in the 1880s as a gesture of gratitude to the Luna-Otero family for allowing a right-of-way across their sizable property. The building’s adobe construction and Victorian Southern Colonial design are distinctive to New Mexico.
Many people think Josefita Otero never left her house since she loved it so much and died there in 1951. According to all accounts, she was a kind person in real life, and witnesses have reported seeing her ghost in two upper bedrooms as well as on the stairs.
The venue has adopted these eerie rumors, renaming the space where she appears as The Spirit Lounge. She has been spotted by staff and visitors dressed in 1920s glitz before disappearing.
Additionally, a young man in vintage attire has been spotted relaxing nearby.
Today, the Luna Mansion is home to a wonderful restaurant. We recommend going on a Sunday morning so you can enjoy their Sunday brunch, especially their Rio Grande Rancheros or the Banana Foster French Toast.
If you come on a weekday, make sure you check out The Spirit Lounge for a quick drink.
Truth or Consequences
The “Truth or Consequences” exit sign on Interstate 25 is a popular spot for people to stop and take pictures. It’s not everyday you see a city with such an outlandish name.
It is situated beside the Rio Grande in the heart of the vast deserts of southwestern New Mexico. Even while the name is intriguing in and of itself, exploring the town reveals even more oddities.
Hot Springs, named for the numerous geothermal spring-fed baths that came to dominate the town, was the original name of Truth of Consequences. A rather appropriate name for such a town.
In March 1950, the well-known NBC radio program “Truth or Consequences” offered free advertising to the first American community to call itself Truth or Consequences. Hot Springs opted to accept the invitation and was given the honors.
On April 1st, 1950, the “Truth or Consequences” radio program debuted in Truth or Consequences, which was a significant occasion for such a tiny town.
Truth or Consequences has appeared on numerous “strange place name” lists since then. Another famous TV show, Doctor Who, used the city in the episode “The Zygon Invasion,” whose premise was inspired by the city’s peculiar moniker.
This is a great place to rest and take a dip in one of the many hot springs!
💧➡️We recommend BlackStone Hotsprings where you can book a private bathing area in advance!
🏨➡️If by chance your looking to extend your time here to really enjoy the hot springs, and wanting to explore the near by Ghost Towns, check out Riverbend Hot Springs for overnight stays!
👻➡️If you are planning to stay overnight, check our this ghost tour in Truth or Consequences!
Las Cruces
3. Dona Ana County Courthouse & Jail
The 1937 construction of the jail and courthouse for Dona Ana County. It has grown considerably in popularity in Las Cruces since it was abandoned. Its eerie halls play a part in its appeal.
Considered to be one of the terrifingly haunted places of New Mexico, numerous ghosts are rumored to inhabit the old courthouse. People claim that the structure is eerie, and most have unusual experiences there. Unidentified voices, footsteps, and the slamming of jail cell doors have all been heard.
👻➡️Contact Southwest Expeditions if you’re interested in a tour or conducting your own paranormal investigation at the jail!
Mesilla
4. Double Eagle Restaurant
The Maeses, a wealthy family who gained their money by importing items from Mexico City, had an opulent residence here. The family’s matriarch was quite proud and anticipated that her son Armando would marry into high society in Mexico City.
However, Armando developed feelings for the family’s gorgeous servant Inez. Both Inez and Armando fell in love, and the two maintained their secret connection under the protection of other servants and the residents of Mesilla, who thought Seora Maes was snooty.
Seora Maes ultimately discovered the two in Armando’s room. She attacked Inez with a pair of scissors, and when Armando tried to defend her, he too was stabbed. Both passed away for their wounds.
It is reported that Seora Maes went insane after realizing what she had done and stopped speaking altogether. Armando’s room is now the Carlotta Salon, a private dining room off the main dining room, and the house is now the Double Eagle Restaurant.
In spite of being roped off to keep people from sitting in them, two velvet-covered chairs are placed in a corner of the room. However, the velvet on the seats is strangely worn. In addition to being accused of pulling practical jokes on other patrons of the restaurant, including moving tables and glassware and whispering names, Armando and Inez are thought to still be in the chairs.
This beautiful restaurant is one of the most haunted places in New Mexico and is a must do. We absolutely loved our dinner here! Between the Green Chile Cheese Wontons, Lobster Mac n’ Cheese, the different cuts of steak, and tableside Banana Foster, you’ll definitely have an unforgettable meal. Hopefully the ghosts of Armando and Inez will also make it an unforgettable night!
🏨➡️When your done eating your delicious dinner, enjoy a good night sleep at the Hacienda de Mesilla!
👻➡️Since you’ll be staying the night in Mesilla, our friends at Southwest Expeditions has a ghost tour here as well!
Day 4: Cloudcroft – Roswell
Cloudcroft
5. The Lodge Resort & Spa
There are rumors that a ghost haunts the Lodge Resort in Cloudcroft. Her name is Rebecca and she had previously worked as a chambermaid at the hotel. She met an unexpected and brutal end when she was slain by a rejected lover.
She now haunts her previous job and has been accused of switching on and off lights, moving furniture, and lighting fireplaces. In fact, it sounds a lot like she is just going about her business as usual despite having passed on.
Just like the Double Eagle Restaurant, The Lodge acknowledges the presence of their resident ghost. They even decided to name the resort’s restaurant after here, which is a great place to stop for breakfast if you are there Wednesday to Sunday.
Artesia
6. Atoka School
The fact that Atoka School essentially closed over night without anyone ever knowing why is one of its creepiest features.
Was there a horrific incident there? Is that the reason it’s so eerie? Nobody knows!
It should be noted, the school is not the only business in this building to shut down suddenly. It has served a variety of roles over the years, and each time it has closed abruptly and largely overnight.
Anybody approaching or entering the school is supposed to feel a strong black energy encircling the facility. Screaming and wailing have been reportedly been
The abandoned building can be found at 26 East Atoka Road.
Roswell
Roswell, the most famous city in the U.S. when it comes to Aliens!
Because there is so much to do, we recommend staying the night here and checking out all there is to do. You can read our article on Roswell below!
👽➡️Check out our article on Roswell, New Mexico!
Day 5: Fort Sumner – Cimarron
Fort Sumner
If your into the history of the Wild West, this is where the infamous Billy the Kid is buried. Head to the Old Fort Sumner Cemetery, to see his gravestone where he was buried next to two of his comrades. There is also a small museum dedicated to him close by.
Clayton
Clayton is considered the most haunted town in the state. Given the state’s wild west heritage, it is not surprising that a number of its cities have some ghost tales. There have been reports of ghostly activity in the museum and a few other locations.
7. Herzstein Museum
The Herzstein Museum, which was originally constructed in 1919 as a Methodist Episcopal church, has its own ghostly occurrences.
You can examine relics that were discovered along the Santa Fe Trail while you browse the museum. They’ll provide you with a window into local life in the past.
Then visit the “Black Jack” Ketchum exhibit. Black Jack has a history with Clayton as he was the only person ever hung for railway robbery in New Mexico.
An elder woman’s ghost roaming the Herzstein Memorial Museum in New Mexico by a team of paranormal investigators. She uses a variety of methods to alert others to her presence, but one of the most frequent is the sound of her high heels moving over the kitchen floor.
8. Union County Courthouse
The Union County Courthouse is a hotspot for numerous lingering ghosts.
According to legend, the hallways are haunted by Black Jack Ketchum, whose execution took place in front of the original courtroom. It is said that the prison where he was held until his hanging was extremely cold.
Ketchum, a notorious member of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang who had robbed trains, may still be haunted by his bungled execution in 1901 and his humiliating interment in two different cemeteries.
According to folklore, Catholics and Protestants had separate sections of the cemetery at the time. Black Jack’s burial sits in the dirt lane separating the two sides because neither party wants Ketchum on their side.
9. Hotel Eklund
This hotel is haunted by numerous ghosts, which is not surprising given that the structure is over a century old.
Irene, the ghost of a former maid, claims Room 307. She makes ominous faces out of the walls and squeaks the flooring. Irene isn’t the only spirit in the house, though.
Cimarron
10. St. James Hotel
Henri and Mary Lambert opened the St. James Hotel in 1872 in the sleepy town of Cimarron in the northeastern region of New Mexico. Henri, who served as Lincoln’s personal chef, established a saloon along the Santa Fe Trail which connected St. Louis and Santa Fe. It has seen the likes of Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Doc Holliday, Kit Carson, Pat Garrett, and possibly Jesse James using a false identity.
There were a considerable number of outlaws that dropped by for whiskey and a room, and because of their sour personalities, excessive gambling, and alcohol use, several gunfights broke out here. The lower floor’s ceiling still has a few gunshot holes in it.
There were 26 murders committed here in total, with some of the victims maybe never checking out. Some people think Mary Lambert, who passed away naturally in the hotel in 1926, is still present because her scent lingers in the halls.
Although other ghosts have been seen, most ghost hunters are drawn to Room 18. The room where James “TJ” Wright was shot and killed in 1881 had so intense poltergeist activity that it had to be eventually walled off.
The hotel acknowledges its ghostly history and knows it’s one of the most haunted places in New Mexico. This is also great place to grab dinner and a drink at the bar. Lambert’s has delicious burgers and regional favorites and we enjoyed some beers at the bar. Try to get some shut eye, that is if the rowdy ghosts of cowboys don’t keep you up.
👻➡️Book your room on their site here
Day 6: Dawson – Santa Fe
Dawson
11. Dawson Cemetery
Except for the cemetery, not much of Dawson’s ghost town is still visible. In fact, finding Dawson can be a little tricky considering it isn’t a city anymore. That doesn’t stop this cemetery from being one of the most haunted places in New Mexico.
In Dawson, there was a sizable coal mining facility run by the Phelps Dodge Corporation. One of the worst coal mining disasters in American history occurred in 1913, when an explosion killed 263 workers. A second accident struck ten years later, killing 121 miners. A feeling of unease is still pervasive in the area around Dawson today.
It should come as no surprise that this place has ghost stories after such a terrible catastrophe.
Spectral lights that are thought to be the lights on the miners’ helmets and a variety of apparitions prowling around the graves are two common stories.
Dawson Cemetery is about 17 miles north of Cimarron.
Elizabethtown
12. Elizabethtown Ruins
You might see some historic remnants of a now-abandoned town along highway 38 between Red River and Eagle’s Nest. At its height in 1870, this formerly prosperous mining town known as Elizabethtown had a population of roughly 7,000 people, the most of whom were miners employed in the surrounding gold and copper mines. At first appearance, you wouldn’t know that this location had housed a brutal serial killer.
Charles Kennedy, a notorious serial murderer who murdered at least 14 weary visitors passing through the area, once called this place home. Charles would lure victims inside his cabin by promising them a free lunch. The unfortunate passengers will meet their untimely death there.
Driving through the town, you can still see the ruins of the ancient structures where Charles Kennedy formerly prowled around looking for unsuspecting victims.
Taos
One of the most spooky tiny towns in New Mexico is said to be Taos. Even though Taos seems to be a tranquil little mountain town, as they say, things are not always as they seem.
There are many myths and tales concerning ghosts, hauntings, and paranormal activity, both in the city and on the outskirts. When you add it all up, Taos ranks among the most haunted places in New Mexico.
13. Taos Pueblo
Taos Pueblo has been inhabited for almost a thousand years. It is believed that the pueblo was constructed between 1000 and 1450 A.D., making it one of the country’s oldest continually inhabited settlements.
The pueblo was a neighborhood containing houses, trading posts, and temples.
The first Catholic church in Taos, San Geronimo de Taos, was built by the time the Spaniards arrived in the 1500s. The local Native Americans did not welcome this act of colonialism favorably.
The local priest had been murdered by the natives by 1660, and the church had been demolished. It was restored, but was later destroyed again during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, which also claimed the lives of the two priests who had been residing there. There are now a lot of ghosts and other unexplainable paranormal activities on these premises.
14. Kit Carson Cemetery and Museum
American frontiersman Kit Carson is regarded as a symbol of the American West’s frontiersman era.
He is interred beside three other unmarked graves at the cemetery bearing his name. According to a tale, these graves are thought to be those of Taos’ brujas, or witches. To keep the witches or any remaining effects of them contained, their graves are separated from the others and the area is covered in blacktop.
Kit Carson’s presence has also been felt at his former home which is a museum now.
15. Alley Cantina
Alley Cantina, allegedly Taos’s oldest bar, the owners of the cantina have claimed paranormal activity such as objects moving on their own, candles lighting up on their own, and other occurrences.
Additionally, they claim that customers in the ladies room have experienced a ghostly arm wrapping around them.
Stop on by to have a drink and some tamales with some chips and salsa!
16. Taos Inn
At the Taos Inn is where the grizzly murder of Arthur Manby, a wealthy man so hated that when he was murdered, his head was removed and never found. If you can ignore that fact, stop at the Inn’s bar and restaurant, Doc Martin’s. We had the nachos and enchiladas, which were to die for.
🏨➡️Best to book a room at the Taos Inn, so you can be in the heart of the historic district!
Day 7: Las Vegas – Santa Fe
Las Vegas
17. Plaza Hotel
The 1882-built Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas combines Victorian beauty and great dining. The hotel was bought in 1918 by lawyer Byron T. Mills, who successfully maintained it until his death by natural causes in 1947.
Some claim Mills never left his hotel because he loved it so much. Guests in Room 310 have reported seeing him at the foot of their bed, making it a particularly busy room. Staff members claim that they occasionally get a sight of him in the doorway of his namesake bar, Byron’s, off the lobby, only to see him disappear.
This is a great place to stop for breakfast or lunch depending on when you arrive. Prairie Hill Cafe’s breakfast is absolutely delicious as we had the Prairie Hill Hash and Big Ass Breggfast Burrito and Byron T’s Saloon has a great selection wonderful craft beers to choose from.
Santa Fe
18. The Old State Penitentiary
Some of the worst criminals in New Mexico were held at Santa Fe Penitentiary when it was in use.
Before we even consider the deaths that would have happened during regular jail life outside of the riot, people were burned alive, savagely attacked, and murdered in cold blood just during the riot!
Additionally, it was the scene of the bloodiest prison uprising in American history. Records show that 33 persons were killed during this incident, and more than 200 prisoners required significant medical attention.
Many tourists claim that they have been followed home by some of the evil spirits that reside here in Santa Fe State Penitentiary, and tours are offered in both conventional and paranormal formats!
19. La Fonda
The only hotel on the historic strip, and our favorite hotel!
Captain William Becknell established the Santa Fe Track in 1821, and while doing so, he stopped in a la fonda where the trail came to an end at the town’s main square. Trappers, traders, mountain men, soldiers, and others grew attracted to the La Fonda as more and more settlers used the Santa Fe Trail.
The inn was bought by Anglo-American proprietors shortly after New Mexico became a U.S. Territory in 1848, and they changed its name to the U.S. Hotel. However, the gambling Hall remained a significant attraction, offering amusement to military officials and the occasional professional gambler.
Here, fortunes were won and lost, and sometimes the cause for many of the unhappy spirits to stick around. One unhappy guy lost his life in 1857 at the end of a rope that a lynch mob had hung up in the hotel’s backyard. Another, a unnamed salesman, who was upset after losing his company’s money in a card game plunged to his death down a deep hole near the Exchange Hotel’s gambling area more than a century ago.
Being killed in a fit of rage or hatred might make others feel uneasy. When a victim was anticipating a life with others, it is difficult for them to accept their death. A young bride was slain by a spiteful ex-boyfriend while she was on her honeymoon.
A politician from Santa Fe entered the bedroom to find his wife and a man having a passionate hug in bed. The man was killed by the politician. The politician was hanged from a tree in the then-public courtyard off the lobby of the La Fonda Hotel, which is now the enclosed restaurant La Plazuela.
John P. Slough, a Supreme Court’s Chief Justice, was assassinated in the hotel lobby ten years later, in 1867. The reason? During an argument with a Captain Rynerson Slough referred to him as a liar and a crook.
Angered, Rynerson shot Slough, who later succumbed to his injuries. Rynerson was put on trial, but ultimately found not guilty.
With so many known spirits lurking in the halls of this beautiful hotel it’s no wonder it’s considered one of the most haunted places in New Mexico. If your hoping to see any paranormal activity it’s sure to be here!
20. La Posada Hotel
Wealthy traders Abraham and Julia Stabb built their living in the 1880s by importing items along the Santa Fe Trail. They were well-liked in Santa Fe society, gave to neighborhood groups, and hosted events in their palatial Victorian home.
After multiple miscarriages and the loss of her kid, the mistress of this mansion turned hotel plunged into a severe depression and practically became a hermit. According to legend, Julia Staab’s spirit resides in the La Posada Hotel.
Maybe even after she passed away, Staab’s grief was strong enough to keep her bound to the house. Over the years, both staff members and visitors have reported seeing her spirit.
Her ethereal likeness can be recognized in the original structure, and occasionally glassware will mysteriously fly across the bar. There is occasionally a rose aroma in the Rose Room, so named because of the stained-glass rose and Julia’s love of her rose garden.
👻➡️To get the best out of your night in Santa Fe, book a pub crawl ghost tour here!
Haunted Places of New Mexico: FAQs
Where is the scariest place in New Mexico?
There are plenty of frightening occurrences in New Mexico, including ghost towns, haunted hotels, and other spooky events. New Mexico takes pride in being odd and have no problem sharing their scary tales.
What in New Mexico is the scariest location, then? Albuquerque has so many haunted locations, you’d have to spend a couple of days there just to appreciate all of them. Taos, on the other hand, is slowly becoming considered the most haunted “small town” in New Mexico.
Are There Haunted Restaurants in New Mexico?
Yes! And with so many to choose from, it might be the reason you will end up spending a full week…or two…in New Mexico.
The Luna Mansion in Los Lunas has delicious meals to go with a unique history. IN Mesilla, the Double Eagle Restaurant has the most chilling love story to go with their great food and atmosphere. Finally, in Taos, Doc Martin’s at the Taos Inn, is a great place to get food and drinks while wondering about the spirits who roam their halls.
Are There Haunted Hotels in New Mexico?
There plenty to choose from and they are some of the most haunted places in New Mexico to boot! Hotel Parq Central in Albuquerque, La Fonda in Santa Fe, Taos Inn in Taos, St. James Hotel in Cimarron not only have a reputation for being haunted, but these hotels acknowledge their haunted history with pride.
Are There Haunted Bed and Breakfasts in New Mexico?
Painted Lady Bed & Brew and Bottger Mansion in Albuquerque are two of the most haunted Bed and Breakfasts in New Mexico.
What Is The Most Haunted Cemetery in New Mexico?
One of the Land of Enchantment’s most stunning cemeteries is also one of its most haunted places in New Mexico.
Taos, a charming mountain town, is home to the Kit Carson Memorial Historic Cemetery. The land for this cemetery was provided in 1847 in order to bury American soldiers and civilians who perished during the Taos Rebellion.
What Are The Best Ghost Tours in New Mexico?
👻➡️Check out our list of essential ghost hunting equipment make your night even more memorable!
👻➡️The Ghost Tour Of Old Town Albuquerque
👻➡️Santa Fe Haunted Spirits Tour
Check out our guide to 22 Haunted Places in Albuquerque, NM here!
Want more to do in New Mexico? Check out our article on Roswell Aliens!
Conclusion: Haunted Places of New Mexico
If you’re looking for a thrills and chills, New Mexico has its share of haunted locations that are sure to give you goosebumps. From hotels and restaurants to graveyards and battlefields, there’s no shortage of places where the spirits may still linger. So if you’re feeling brave enough, why not use our itinerary to plan the ultimate road trip for Haunted New Mexico? And who knows, maybe you’ll have your own paranormal encounter while you’re there…
