Entry No. 58 — the Seattle file — filed under: ghost town

Franklin Ghost Town

Established in the 1880s as a coal mining town, Franklin was once a bustling community of over 1,000 residents before declining and being abandoned in 1919. Today, hikers can explore the forested site to find concrete foundations, a rusted coal cart, and a 1,300-foot-deep mine shaft sealed with a safety grate. A quiet, overgrown cemetery on a nearby hillside contains weathered headstones of miners, including some who perished in a tragic 1894 mine fire.

The move: Hike the 2.5-mile round-trip trail together to photograph the historic coal cart, peer down the gated mine shaft, and pay respects at the peaceful, moss-covered cemetery.

📍 Before you go The site is legally accessible via a public hiking trail within the Green River Gorge Conservation Area. While the trail itself is free and open, visitors must pay a $5 cash parking fee at a private lot at the trailhead, and the deep mine shaft is securely fenced and grated for safety.

• 📍 Black Diamond
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Low-key
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Black Diamond, WA 98010, USA

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current access before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · wta.org

last checked: 2026-07-20