Tombstone, Bodie, St. Elmo, Silver City. These are some of the enduring legends of the Old West- ghost towns and mining camps that dot America's landscape and colour the history of the country. Literally thousands of ghost towns are scattered throughout the West, with some states boasting hundreds of these abandoned boomtowns These relics, whether falling down or revitalised, attract thousands of visitors every year. Many of these ghost towns and mining camps are protected by the National Park Service or the Bureau of Land Management, and visits are carefully regulated in order to preserve the history of the once-thriving towns. In Ghost Towns of the Old West, writer and ghost towner Clint Thomsen explains the history of ghost towns, describes the various types of ghost towns, and discusses ongoing research and archaeological study into decaying towns and mining camps.