The Best Ghost Tours in Fort Worth, Texas

Cowtown's darker ledger

Fort Worth grew from an army fort into a stop on the Chisholm Trail, and the cattle money brought gunslingers, gamblers, and outlaws with it. A whole section of downtown earned the name Hell's Half Acre for its crime and violence, and the Stockyards that made the city rich are now counted among the most written-about locations in Texas for reported paranormal activity. The tours above are our honest picks, strongest first.

Today the city sells itself as Cowboys and Culture, with museums and a music scene to match the rodeos. The ghost walks are the shortest path between the two: real western history with the unsettling parts left in.

Which Fort Worth tour fits you

The Cowtown Ghosts walk is the straight ghost tour: one hour through the haunts of this Wild West city with the stories told properly. The Stockyards ghost and pub tour is app-directed, so you set the pace and take a drink where the cowboys, gangsters, and ladies of the night once did. The two remaining picks are games rather than ghost tours, a zombie-themed scavenger hunt and a fairy tale puzzle adventure, good for groups with kids or anyone who wants competition over chills.

The stories the guides reach for

The Stockyards Hotel, built in 1904, where guests have reported Colonel Thannisch himself, rodeo cowboy C.D. Colwell, and echoes of the days Bonnie and Clyde stayed there. The White Elephant Saloon, site of Fort Worth's last gunfight, where Sheriff Longhair Jim is said to still patrol the street out front. Miss Molly's, a former brothel turned bed and breakfast with its own cast of reported residents. And at the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame, more than one visitor has reported a very tall apparition admiring the memorabilia. The guides will tell you who they think it is.

Questions people ask

Are the Stockyards really haunted?

They are among the most active and most written-about locations in Texas for reported paranormal activity, which is as close to a yes as an honest answer gets. The district's century of history gives the reports plenty to stand on.

What was Hell's Half Acre?

A notorious section of downtown Fort Worth where outlaws and criminals ran the streets in the cattle-drive era. It anchors many of the darker stories told on the city's tours.

Which stops come up on most tours?

The Stockyards Hotel, the White Elephant Saloon, and Miss Molly's, with the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame close behind. Wear comfortable shoes, the Stockyards routes involve real walking.

Are there options that are not scary?

Yes. The zombie scavenger hunt and the Witch's Tower puzzle adventure are game-style activities that work for families and groups who want fun over frights.

Keep planning your Fort Worth trip

Read our ranked list of the top ghost tours in Fort Worth, then browse haunted Fort Worth, things to do in Fort Worth, and where to stay in Fort Worth, or see everything we cover in Texas.