Category: Beginner Guides | Reading Time: 6 Minutes
The most common question in the urbex community is, “Where is that?” The second most common is, “How do I find places like that?”
Experienced explorers never share locations publicly. This isn’t to be elitist; it’s to protect the site from vandals and scrappers. If you want to find incredible forgotten places, you have to become a digital detective.
The good news is that you have the most powerful scouting tool ever invented sitting on your desk: Google Earth. Here is how to use satellite imagery and historical data to find your own abandoned gems.
1. The “Rust Belt” Technique: Follow the Industry
Abandoned buildings don’t just appear randomly. They are the result of economic shifts. To find them, you need to look where industry used to be, not where it is now.
- Target the Right Cities: Focus your search on “Rust Belt” cities or areas known for former manufacturing, mining, or textile industries. Think Detroit, Pittsburgh, or post-industrial zones in Europe.
- Look for Rail Lines: Trains were the lifeblood of industry. Scan along old railroad tracks on Google Earth. Large, sprawling complexes built right next to tracks are prime candidates. If the tracks look rusty or overgrown, there’s a good chance the factories next to them are too.
- Follow the Water: Before electricity, mills needed rivers for power. Scan riverbanks in older towns for large, multi-story brick buildings with smokestacks.
2. Signs of Decay from Above (The Satellite View)
Once you’ve found a potential industrial area, zoom in. You are looking for visual cues that a building is no longer in use.
- The Roof tells the Story: This is the number one indicator.
- Holes or Collapse: A caved-in roof is a 100% guarantee the building is abandoned.
- Discoloration: Look for large patches of rust, different colored tarps, or moss growing on the roof. A maintained building has a uniform roof color.
- Empty Parking Lots: A massive factory with a parking lot that is completely empty (or has grass growing through the asphalt) is almost certainly shut down.
- Overgrowth: Look for trees and large bushes growing right up against doorways, loading docks, or even inside courtyard areas. Nature reclaims territory quickly.
3. Using Google Street View for Confirmation
Satellite view is great for finding candidates, but Street View confirms them. Drop the little yellow man onto the nearest road.
- Boarded Up Windows: Plywood over windows is the universal sign of abandonment.
- Broken Fence Lines: Look for gates that are rusted shut or fences that have large gaps in them.
- No Signage: Active businesses want you to know who they are. An abandoned building will often have faded signs or empty sign frames.
- Check the Date: Look at the date of the Street View image in the corner. If the image is from 5 years ago and the place looked abandoned then, it’s definitely abandoned now.
4. Historical Maps and “Retro-Scouting”
Sometimes the best way to find what’s left is to look at what was.
- USGS Historical Topo Maps: In the US, the USGS has a free historical topographic map explorer. Compare a map from the 1950s to a modern map. Look for buildings, rail spurs, or entire towns that existed then but are gone now. Those are your targets.
- Historic Aerials: Websites like HistoricAerials.com let you view satellite imagery from decades ago. You can watch a massive complex get built in the 60s, expand in the 80s, and then see its roof start to collapse in the 2000s.
5. The Ethics of Scouting
Finding a location is exciting, but it’s just the first step.
- Verify It’s Truly Abandoned: Just because a parking lot is empty doesn’t mean it’s abandoned. It could be used for storage or be a seasonal business. Never assume.
- Don’t Be a Trespasser: Scouting is done from a computer or a public sidewalk. Never hop a fence just to “check” if a place is abandoned.
- Keep It To Yourself: When you find a great spot, the temptation to brag is high. Don’t post the coordinates. Share it only with close, trusted exploring partners. This keeps the location safe and preserves the thrill of the hunt for others.
Conclusion
Becoming a good scout takes patience. You will spend hours staring at satellite maps for every one good location you find. But the reward—walking into a forgotten world that you discovered yourself—is worth every minute of the search.
Happy hunting.