Golden

Golden is a ghost town in Okanogan County, Washington, born from a mining rush that began around 1887. The discovery of gold in the area drew prospectors and settlers quickly, and within a few years the site had grown into a functioning community. By 1892 more than thirty buildings had taken shape between the mines and Wannacut Lake, and at its peak the town supported a population of around 300 people.

At its busiest, Golden offered residents and miners a general store, a restaurant, a saloon, a post office, and a row of false-fronted commercial buildings — the classic architecture of a Western boom town. The town's very name reflected the optimism of its founders, who believed the surrounding hills held continuing promise.

Visitors today come to experience what remains of that brief chapter of Washington history. The setting near Wannacut Lake provides scenic context for exploring the site, and photography of any surviving remnants and the broader landscape is the primary draw for most travelers.