Colchester Ghost Town
Fairfax County, Virginia38.6686, -77.2342
Can you visit?
Likely private land
Private or unlisted land · Ask the owner first
- Nearest town
- 1.7 miOccoquan, VA
- Mild months
- Mar–Nov9 of 12
- Next ghost town
- 9.3 miHickory Ridge
Colchester is a former settlement in Fairfax County, Virginia, listed among the ghost towns of Virginia.
On the map
- National Park Service
- Military, DOE
- Private or unlisted
Star: Colchester. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.
The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Occoquan, VA, about 1.7 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Dale City, VA, 6.2 miles away.
Ghost towns nearby
- Hickory Ridge9.3 mi southwest
- Joplin11 mi southwest
- Kopp13 mi southwest
- Good Luck31 mi northeast
- Wilson33 mi east
- Relay48 mi northeast
- Daniels50 mi northeast
- Weverton52 mi northwest
Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.
Who owns the land
Private or unlisted land
The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Old Colchester Preserve and Park. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.
The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.
Weather by month
Mild months here run March to November, judging by NOAA normals from Quantico Mcas. July brings 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal from December to March.
NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Quantico Mcas station (USW00013773), 12 miles away. About 40.9 inches of precipitation a year.
Facts
| Location | Fairfax County, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38.66860, -77.23420 |
| Also known as | Colchester, VA |
| Sources | Wikidata Q5142076 · Wikipedia article |
Questions
Where is Colchester ghost town?
In Fairfax County, Virginia, at 38.6686, -77.2342. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is Occoquan, VA, about 1.7 miles northwest in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Dale City, VA, 6.2 miles away.
Can you visit Colchester?
Likely private land. The point we have for this town is not on any public or protected parcel in PAD-US, the national map of public land. That usually means private land. Ruins on private land are off limits without the owner's permission, even when no fence or sign is visible. Look from the public road. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Old Colchester Preserve and Park. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.
When is the best time to visit Colchester?
Mild months here run March to November, judging by NOAA normals from Quantico Mcas. July brings 10 or more days at 90°F and up; snow is normal from December to March.
Are there other ghost towns near Colchester?
Yes. Hickory Ridge (9.3 mi), Joplin (11 mi), Kopp (13 mi), Good Luck (31 mi).
