Crying in the showers Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
Cowboy State Daily reported in 2021 that the showers are considered the most active spot, with crying heard on approach and wet footprints found though the showers have not worked for years. It also noted a "Ghost Adventures" episode in which a camera appeared to move on its own. Source: Cowboy State Daily, 2021.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
The penitentiary opened in Rawlins in 1901 and moved to a new site in 1981. The old district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 (Wikipedia).
Inmate industries ran from a broom factory to a woolen mill and, from 1949, license plates. After closing, the prison sat empty until the 1987 film "Prison" was shot there (Cowboy State Daily, 2021).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
Then and now
Public access
Partly open The prison's own site offers guided tours and lists Haunted Halloween tours on Oct. 24, 30 and 31, 2026 (Wyoming Frontier Prison). Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Rawlins and Wyoming
- More haunted & abandoned prisons
- Nearby: Virginian Hotel (Medicine Bow, WY), Jeffrey City (Jeffrey City, WY), Wyoming Territorial Prison (Laramie, WY), Miner's Delight (Miner's Delight, WY)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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