I Stayed in a Haunted Hotel in a Small Town in Nevada — Here's What It Was Like

I recently went on a road trip through " The Loneliest Road in America ," officially known as Highway 50, that took me through the state of Nevada and its many small towns. And while towns like Fallon and Ely have a noticeably small-town feel, you can still find a coffee shop, a range of restaurants, and even a casino. But Eureka? That's a different story.

I felt myself entering a living time capsule when I arrived. The town was riddled with run-down storefronts, which accurately spotlighted that this once-booming town of over 20,000 residents now stands at a mere 315. (The decline of Eureka came as the silver boom began to wane in the early 20th century. As mining slowed, so did the town.)

I stayed at The Jackson House , which once had a bustling saloon and restaurant. It eventually became a relic of its former glory being passed around among different owners, ultimately closing for years before reopening in 1998.

According to local legend, some of the original guests of The Jackson House never left. The ghostly apparitions and unexplained phenomena reported by both visitors and staff include sightings of a "Lady in Red," a cowboy, and a young girl. Guests visiting The Jackson House include thrill-seekers, paranormal enthusiasts, and travelers who enjoy historical architecture.

I walked through the hotel with my luggage a bit spooked, even nervous to look at myself in the mirrors thinking there'd be someone else behind me in the reflection. My room — The Jackson Suite — wasn't modern at all. It had two entrances (one from inside the hotel and the other leading out to the back porch three stories up), and was spacious, with a living area, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and ornate decor. The suite reminded me of my grandparents' house — something out of the 70s that was purposely left in that period.

I spent the night watching MTV's Video Music Awards which wasn't very scary at all. But I woke up at 2:30 am with the suite door knob clamoring, as if someone was trying to enter. There were creaking footsteps right outside my bedroom, and within seconds the light in the hallway was now on.

Am I getting robbed? Was it a ghost? My heart pounded as I lay still, now wide awake, listening for any more sounds. Could it really be a person? Or something else entirely? I had to find out, but part of me didn't want to know the answer.

I built up the courage to open my bedroom door only to find no one there. The deadbolt was still on both of my doors. I pulled the hanging string attached to the light bulb to turn off the hallway light and said goodnight to whatever energy I may have just encountered.

I would later learn that the Jackson Suite has the most reported paranormal activity in the building.

The next morning I visited a local antique shop, Afterlife Antiques & Oddities owned by Kristan Umina, who opened the shop in 2022 with her husband. The shop is one of the only places in town that still has underground tunnels beneath the building — tunnels that once connected the small town including routes to Jackson House Hotel. Once Highway 50 was built, the majority of the tunnels were collapsed for the new construction.

The shop's name is inspired by her experience with spirits. "I have seen apparitions, experienced being touched by things not there, and felt energy flow around me while speaking with spirits," she told Travel + Leisure. "That is partly what inspired the name of our place, Afterlife. Some things left behind after death shouldn't be forgotten and still have some life left in them."

Umina has experienced paranormal activity in the tunnels but none to scare her away from her shop. "We have had small items moved around at times, children's blocks left overnight have formed the words hello the next day, our two restroom doors randomly shut at times like someone was going in or out of them when no one would be in the shop except myself," she said. "I usually just laugh and say 'hello or good morning to you too' out loud when that happens."

I told her about my experience in the Jackson Suite and she confirmed that rattling doorknobs are pretty common among guests only to find no one is there. She, herself, only made it partially through the doorway of the suite four years ago. "Inside I felt like someone was choking me and I couldn't breathe," she said.

As a local resident, Umina has heard plenty of stories. "Guests have also reported waking up being completely tucked into their beds, having their faces stroked and feet massaged by something and the sheets start to come off so they have immediately left their rooms and slept in their vehicles," she added. "Visitors have noted seeing the same 'Lady in Red' between midnight and 2:30 am wandering from the kitchen and going up the stairs."

Loading my luggage into my car and driving along Highway 50 with Eureka in the rearview mirror, I felt like I was living in the final scene of a horror movie. Looking back, in a very strange way, I felt lucky to have potentially encountered a spirit because I doubt every hotel guest will get the luxury.