Last Updated on December 18, 2022
Santa Claus, Arizona is one of the most unique ghost towns you can find in the US.
First envisioned in 1937 as a year-round holiday-themed attraction along Route 66, this once-festive town in Mohave County has been completely abandoned for decades, leaving the festive spirit to rot in the desert.
Earlier this year, the remains of the ghost town has been dismantled, with most vandalized buildings removed.
A (Failed) Festive Experiment
Santa Claus (or the Santa Claus Acres) was officially launched in 1937 by an ambitious estate agent who was operating a motel in the area with her husband.
Envisioned as a resort town centered around the theme of Christmas, where children could send letters and visit Santa Claus at any time of the year, the town was only known for its Santa Claus Inn and restaurant, and was eventually sold by the founder in 1949.
The new owners ran the inn with moderate success until the 1970s, when the popularity of Santa Claus started to decline altogether. By 1983, Santa Claus had been removed from the official Arizona maps and the entire town had been listed as for sale — unsuccessfully.
Decades later, Santa Claus is officially considered a ghost town, home to families of rattlesnakes, vandalized buildings and a children’s train tagged with holiday-themed graffiti.
Photo Gallery: Santa Claus Then and Now
Your n°1 source of information on the world of sandsports and desert adventure travel. Our articles are the result of extensive research, personal experience, and knowledge-sharing within the global sandboarding community.
You must log in to post a comment.