Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
about 20 hours ago
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.
1 day ago
Podcast: Finding ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Louisville
3 days ago
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Washington Spokane Greenwood Cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery

Local legend has it that an old, decaying staircase outside this cemetery is haunted by dozens of ghosts.

Spokane, Washington

Added By
Kyoki Charis
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Looking Up The Steps   PrahaPixie / Atlas Obscura User
Looking Up The Steps   PrahaPixie / Atlas Obscura User
Greenwood Cemetery   Ethan / CC BY 2.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

According to local legend, the staircase at the Greenwood Cemetery in Spokane, Washington, is more than just a little haunted. If you walk up the stairs without any lights on, the story goes, you will see the faces of men, women, and children when you reach the top. Those brave enough to climb the stairs will also hear, they say, the shrieks and cries of the dead and they will feel something akin to rain on their skin.

Supposedly the site of satanic rituals, the staircase, dubbed "1000 steps" because nobody can make it to the top, according to the legend, leads from the side of an access road up to the cemetery. Renovations made years ago have rendered the staircase unnecessary and it sits decaying and rarely, if ever, used by standard visitors stopping to spend time with the cemetery's residents.

Even if you are able to make it to the top of the staircase without being overcome by fear and don't experience the presence of ghosts, you will still see beautiful landscaping and hundred-year-old tombstones.

The staircase is located on private property and entering it without the permission of the property owners is considered trespassing. Local police and security officers regularly patrol the area to specifically catch trespassers.

 

Related Tags

Memento Mori Catacombs Stairs Catacombs And Crypts

Know Before You Go

Located near Spokane Falls Community College. The staircase itself is in disrepair and even with permission it's not safe to try and climb.

Community Contributors

Added By

Facebook100000564774157

Edited By

PrahaPixie, Michelle Cassidy

  • PrahaPixie
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

September 9, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Associated Content: Haunted Places in Spokane, WA: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/617443/haunted_places_in_spokane_wa.html
  • Unearthly Realms: WA: Spokane: Greenwood Cemetery: 1000 Steps: http://unearthlyrealms.com/reports/haunting-reports/436-wa-spokane-greenwood-cemetery-1000-steps
  • JPG: 1000 Steps (Photo Essay): http://jpgmag.com/stories/5478
Greenwood Cemetery
211 North Government Way
Spokane, Washington, 99224
United States
47.659838, -117.465943
Get Directions

Nearby Places

The Campbell House

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Monroe Street Bridge Bison Skulls

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Big Red Wagon

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spokane

Spokane

Washington

Places 9
Stories 2

Nearby Places

The Campbell House

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Monroe Street Bridge Bison Skulls

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Big Red Wagon

Spokane, Washington

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Spokane

Spokane

Washington

Places 9
Stories 2

Related Stories and Lists

13 U.S. Cemeteries Where Apparitions Abound

List

By Kerry Wolfe

Related Places

  • Dargavs

    Dargavs, Russia

    Dargavs Village

    This ancient village and its adjoining cemetery have a beautiful history of death and remembrance.

  • “Ecce mors” (“Behold death”) in bones

    Melnik, Czechia

    Melník Chapel of Bones

    Underneath this small church are 15,000 bones, arranged by an obsessive academic.

  • Mural at the lot where the mass grave is located

    Brooklyn, New York

    First Maryland Regiment Mass Grave

    The mass grave of a heroic Revolutionary War regiment sits below an empty lot near the Gowanus Canal.

  • Brooklyn, New York

    Most Holy Trinity Cemetery

    A burial ground of rusting metal grave markers.

  • Amiens cemetery, tomb of Jules Verne.

    Amiens, France

    Jules Verne's Tomb

    Science fiction's grandfather has a fittingly marvelous tomb.

  • Cambridge, Massachusetts

    Old Burial Ground

    This cemetery served as the only official burial grounds in Cambridge for nearly 200 years.

  • You can make out individual letters and portions of words.

    San Francisco, California

    Buena Vista Park Tombstones

    Gold Rush-era tombstones line the park's paths.

  • Cemetery in 2015

    New Orleans, Louisiana

    Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1

    The oldest cemetery in New Orleans, resting peacefully for over 200 years now.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.