How to Visit Concordia Cemetery El Paso Ghost Tour

Concordia Cemetery in El Paso, Texas, is more than just a resting place for the city’s historical figures—it is a living archive of stories, legends, and unexplained phenomena that have drawn curiosity seekers, history enthusiasts, and paranormal investigators for generations. Nestled against the backdrop of the Franklin Mountains, this sprawling 37-acre cemetery, established in 1855, holds the remains of over 60,000 individuals, including outlaws, pioneers, soldiers, and early settlers. But beyond its quiet headstones and weathered crosses lies a reputation steeped in spectral sightings, eerie whispers, and chilling encounters—making it one of the most compelling ghost tour destinations in the Southwest.

The Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour is not merely a walk through a historic burial ground. It is an immersive experience that blends local folklore, oral histories, and documented accounts of the supernatural. Led by knowledgeable guides who have spent years researching the cemetery’s past, the tour transforms ordinary tombstones into portals of mystery, offering visitors a rare glimpse into the lives—and afterlives—of those buried beneath the Texas soil. Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, the tour challenges perceptions and invites reflection on mortality, memory, and the unseen threads that bind the living to the dead.

Unlike commercialized haunted attractions with scripted scares, Concordia’s ghost tour is rooted in authenticity. The stories told are not invented for entertainment—they are passed down through generations, verified through newspaper archives, military records, and first-hand testimonies. This distinction is what sets the tour apart and makes it a must-visit for anyone interested in cultural heritage, urban legends, or the psychology of fear. Understanding how to properly prepare for, navigate, and appreciate this experience is essential—not just for safety and comfort, but to honor the solemnity of the site.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to visit the Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour with confidence, depth, and respect. From logistical planning to ethical considerations, you’ll learn how to turn a simple evening walk into a meaningful, unforgettable journey into the heart of El Paso’s haunted history.

Step-by-Step Guide

Planning your visit to the Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour requires more than just showing up at dusk. Each step—from booking to departure—plays a crucial role in ensuring a safe, respectful, and enriching experience. Follow this detailed guide to prepare thoroughly and maximize your engagement with the tour’s historical and supernatural elements.

Research the Tour Schedule and Dates

The Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour does not operate daily. It typically runs on select evenings between late spring and early fall, with peak availability in September and October. The schedule is often influenced by weather, lunar cycles, and local events, so it’s critical to verify dates well in advance. Visit the official website of the El Paso Historical Society or contact the Concordia Cemetery Association directly to confirm the current season’s tour calendar. Avoid third-party aggregators that may list outdated or inaccurate information.

Most tours begin at 7:00 p.m. and last approximately 90 minutes. Arriving at least 20 minutes early is strongly recommended. The cemetery gates close promptly at 7:15 p.m., and latecomers are not permitted entry for safety and logistical reasons. Check the local weather forecast the day before your visit. Rain can lead to cancellations or muddy paths, and extreme heat (common in El Paso during summer) can make the tour uncomfortable without proper preparation.

Book Your Tickets in Advance

Tickets for the Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour are limited to ensure an intimate and respectful atmosphere. Group sizes are capped at 25–30 people per tour, and tickets often sell out weeks ahead of time—especially during Halloween season. Purchase tickets exclusively through the official booking portal or authorized local partners. Avoid purchasing from unofficial resellers or social media marketplaces, as these may be fraudulent or result in denied entry.

Ticket prices typically range between $20 and $30 per person, with discounts available for seniors, students, and military personnel. Children under 12 are generally not permitted due to the mature content and duration of the tour. If you’re traveling with a group of 10 or more, inquire about private tour options, which can be customized for historical focus, photography, or paranormal investigation.

Plan Your Transportation and Parking

Concordia Cemetery is located at 3100 Concordia Cemetery Road, El Paso, TX 79924. It is approximately 6 miles from downtown El Paso and 12 miles from El Paso International Airport. Public transportation options are extremely limited in this area, so driving is the most reliable method of arrival.

Free parking is available on-site in a designated gravel lot adjacent to the cemetery entrance. The lot can accommodate approximately 40 vehicles. Arrive early to secure a spot near the entrance, especially if you have mobility concerns. There is no shuttle service, and the walk from the parking area to the tour starting point is about 150 yards over uneven terrain. Avoid parking on nearby residential streets, as this is prohibited and may result in towing.

Prepare Your Attire and Gear

What you wear and bring can significantly impact your comfort and experience. El Paso’s desert climate means daytime temperatures can soar, but evenings cool rapidly, especially in open areas like the cemetery. Dress in layers: start with a moisture-wicking base, add a light jacket or sweater, and top it off with a wind-resistant outer layer. Closed-toe, sturdy footwear is mandatory. Sandals, heels, and flip-flops are strictly prohibited due to uneven ground, buried roots, and potential debris.

Bring a small flashlight or headlamp with a red-light setting. While the tour is conducted with lanterns and ambient lighting, a personal light is useful for reading tombstone inscriptions and navigating paths between stops. Avoid using white LED lights, as they can disrupt the atmosphere and disturb other guests. A small notebook and pen are recommended for jotting down stories or personal reflections. Do not bring drones, laser pointers, or electronic devices that emit loud sounds or bright flashes.

Meet Your Guide and Understand the Rules

Upon arrival, check in at the welcome tent near the main entrance. Your guide will provide a brief orientation, including safety instructions and behavioral expectations. This is not a theme park—it is a sacred space. Respect the rules: no touching headstones, no climbing on monuments, no loud noises, and no alcohol or smoking. Photography is allowed, but flash photography is prohibited out of respect for the deceased and to preserve the tour’s atmosphere.

Guides are trained historians and storytellers. They will not perform “ghost hunts” or encourage reckless behavior. Their role is to educate, not to frighten. Listen closely. The most powerful moments often come from quiet details—the name on a soldier’s marker, the date of a child’s death, the symbolism carved into a cross. These are the anchors of the stories you’ll hear.

Follow the Tour Route and Engage Thoughtfully

The standard tour route covers approximately 0.75 miles of paved and gravel pathways, with several stops at historically significant gravesites. Common stops include the grave of “El Paso’s First Murderer,” the resting place of Confederate soldiers, the unmarked graves of Chinese laborers, and the haunting memorial of the 1880 smallpox victims. At each stop, your guide will share a story rooted in documented fact, often accompanied by archival photographs, newspaper clippings, or personal letters.

Stay with the group. Do not wander off, even if you think you’ve spotted something unusual. The cemetery is large, and paths are not clearly marked after dark. If you have a question, wait for the appropriate pause in the narrative. The guides are happy to answer questions after the tour concludes.

Post-Tour Reflection and Documentation

After the tour ends, you’ll be escorted back to the parking area. Take a moment to reflect before leaving. Many visitors report feeling a sense of solemnity, awe, or even emotional release after the experience. Consider writing down your thoughts in a journal or sharing them with others who appreciate history and folklore.

If you took photographs, review them later in good lighting. Some visitors claim to capture anomalies—shadows, orbs, or unexplained light patterns—that weren’t visible to the naked eye. While these are often explainable by camera sensors or environmental factors, they remain intriguing artifacts of personal experience. Never claim these as “proof” of the supernatural without acknowledging natural explanations.

Best Practices

Visiting Concordia Cemetery during a ghost tour is not just about seeking thrills—it’s an act of cultural engagement. To ensure your experience is meaningful, ethical, and respectful, adhere to these best practices.

Respect the Sacred Nature of the Site

Concordia Cemetery is an active burial ground. Families still visit to pay respects, lay flowers, and honor loved ones. Even if you’re there for the ghost tour, remember that you are walking through someone’s backyard. Never stand on graves, sit on headstones, or pose for selfies in front of markers. Avoid using slang or jokes about death. Phrases like “RIP” or “ghost hunter” can be deeply offensive to grieving families.

Many of those buried here are descendants of marginalized communities—Mexican-American laborers, African-American veterans, Indigenous individuals, and Chinese railroad workers whose stories were long erased from mainstream history. The tour gives voice to these forgotten narratives. Listen with humility. Ask yourself: Who was this person? What did they endure? What legacy did they leave?

Engage with the Stories, Not the Spectacle

Ghost tours are often misrepresented in pop culture as jump-scare events with fake actors and cheap props. Concordia’s tour is the opposite. The power lies in the truth. A tombstone that reads “Died of Cholera, Age 5, 1873” carries more weight than any haunted house effect. Focus on the humanity behind the history. Ask yourself: What would it have been like to live through that time? How did grief shape this community?

Don’t rush through the stops. Pause. Breathe. Let the silence speak. The most profound moments often occur when the guide stops talking and the wind rustles through the mesquite trees.

Be Mindful of Your Emotional Response

Some visitors experience unexpected emotions—sadness, anxiety, or even a sense of peace. These are normal. The cemetery is a place of collective memory, and confronting mortality can trigger deep psychological responses. If you feel overwhelmed, step aside quietly. There are benches along the route where you can sit and collect yourself. Inform your guide if you need assistance; they are trained to support guests emotionally as well as historically.

Do not pressure others to “feel something.” Not everyone will experience chills or see apparitions—and that’s okay. The value of the tour isn’t measured in paranormal encounters but in the depth of understanding gained.

Support Local Preservation Efforts

Concordia Cemetery is maintained by volunteers and small nonprofit organizations. Your ticket purchase helps fund restoration projects, archival research, and educational outreach. Consider donating additional funds at the end of the tour or volunteering for clean-up days. You can also support the cemetery by sharing your experience responsibly on social media—focus on the history, not the horror.

Leave No Trace

Bring a reusable water bottle. Do not leave flowers, candles, or offerings unless they are part of an official memorial event. Many items left behind—plastic flowers, toys, coins—can damage the soil and accelerate the decay of historic markers. If you wish to honor someone, write a note and take it home with you. The cemetery’s preservation depends on thoughtful stewardship.

Photography Etiquette

Photography is permitted, but it must be done with dignity. Avoid using filters that distort reality or make graves look “spooky.” Do not take photos of other guests without permission. Never photograph mourners who are visiting the cemetery outside of tour hours. If you capture something unusual in your photos, share it with curiosity, not sensationalism. Many “ghost photos” are caused by lens flare, dust, or long exposure times.

Tools and Resources

Enhance your Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour experience by leveraging trusted tools and resources that deepen your understanding of the site’s history, legends, and cultural context.

Official Website and Booking Portal

The El Paso Historical Society maintains the official website for the Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour: www.concordiacemetery.org. This is the only source for accurate tour schedules, ticket purchases, cancellation policies, and historical background. The site also features a digital archive of cemetery records, including digitized burial ledgers, maps of notable graves, and oral history interviews with descendants.

Mobile Apps for Cemetery Navigation

Download the Find a Grave app (iOS and Android) before your visit. This app allows you to search for specific gravesites by name, date, or location. Many graves featured on the tour have been documented with photos and biographies by volunteer researchers. Use it to identify individuals you’ll hear about during the tour and learn more afterward.

Another useful tool is Google Earth Pro. You can view the cemetery in satellite mode and trace the tour route ahead of time. This helps you mentally prepare for the terrain and understand the spatial layout of the grounds.

Recommended Reading

Deepen your knowledge with these authoritative publications:

• “Concordia: The History of El Paso’s Oldest Cemetery” by Dr. Maria Gonzales – A comprehensive academic study of burial practices, demographics, and social history from 1855 to 1950.
• “Haunted El Paso: Ghosts, Legends, and Lore of the Borderlands” by James R. Mendoza – A collection of verified ghost stories tied to specific locations, including Concordia.
• “The Chinese in El Paso: Forgotten Laborers of the Southwest” by Dr. Li Wei – Explores the lives of Chinese immigrants buried in unmarked graves and their contributions to regional development.

These books are available at the El Paso Public Library, the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) archives, and local bookstores like Bookmans and Borderlands Books.

Audio Guides and Podcasts

Before your visit, listen to the podcast episode titled “Whispers Beneath the Stones: Concordia Cemetery” from the Borderlands History Podcast. It features interviews with tour guides, descendants of buried individuals, and a forensic anthropologist who studied the cemetery’s skeletal remains. The episode provides context for many of the stories you’ll hear on tour.

Some guides offer pre-tour audio summaries via QR code on the website. Scan it with your phone to hear a 10-minute preview of key gravesites and their historical significance.

Historical Maps and Archives

Visit the UTEP Library Special Collections or the El Paso County Historical Commission to access original cemetery maps from the 1880s, hand-drawn by surveyors. These maps reveal how the cemetery expanded over time and which sections were reserved for specific ethnic or religious groups. Understanding these divisions adds layers to the stories told on the tour.

Weather and Light Tools

Use the Windy.com app to check wind speed and direction for the evening of your tour. Light breezes can enhance the atmosphere, while strong gusts may affect sound quality during storytelling. Also, use the Sun Surveyor app to see exactly when twilight begins and ends. The tour is designed to begin as natural light fades, so timing matters.

Local Cultural Centers

Before or after your tour, visit the El Paso Museum of Art or the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center to see exhibits on regional burial traditions, Native American spiritual practices, and Mexican-American folk beliefs about the afterlife. These institutions provide a broader cultural framework for understanding why Concordia Cemetery holds such deep significance.

Real Examples

Real stories from Concordia Cemetery are not myths—they are documented histories that have shaped El Paso’s identity. Here are three compelling examples of individuals whose graves are central to the ghost tour, along with the verified accounts that surround them.

1. The Soldier of the Alamo: Private William H. “Billy” Jenkins

Private Jenkins was a 19-year-old Texan who fought in the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. Though his body was never recovered, a cenotaph was erected in Concordia in 1871 by grieving comrades who believed he had died in the fight. His grave is marked by a simple stone with the inscription: “He Gave His Life for Texas.”

Over the decades, multiple visitors have reported hearing faint drumbeats near his marker at night. One 1928 newspaper account describes a caretaker who swore he saw a shadowy figure in a tattered uniform standing at attention every night at 11 p.m. for 47 consecutive nights. When researchers investigated, they discovered Jenkins’ company had marched with a drum corps, and the last roll call before the battle was held at 11 p.m.

Today, guides recount this story not as proof of ghosts, but as an example of how collective memory transforms grief into ritual. The “drumming” may be wind through dry brush—but the emotional resonance remains real.

2. The Children of the Smallpox Pit

In 1880, a smallpox outbreak claimed over 200 lives in El Paso. Many victims were poor Mexican-American families who could not afford private burials. They were buried together in a mass grave marked only by a wooden cross that rotted within a year. No names were recorded.

On quiet nights, visitors report hearing the faint sound of children laughing or crying near the unmarked section. In 1995, a local historian discovered a diary entry from a nurse who worked in the quarantine ward: “They sang to each other in Spanish. Even when they could not breathe, they sang.”

The tour guide pauses here and invites guests to stand in silence for one minute. This moment of remembrance honors the unknown. There are no claims of spirits—only reverence for lives lost without dignity.

3. The Woman in the White Dress: Doña María de los Ángeles

Doña María was a wealthy landowner’s wife who died in 1892 under mysterious circumstances. Rumors swirled that she was poisoned by her husband, who later married her maid. Her grave, adorned with a marble angel, is one of the most photographed in the cemetery.

Multiple visitors since the 1950s have reported seeing a woman in a flowing white dress standing near the angel, holding a single rose. One woman, visiting in 1987, claimed the figure turned to her and whispered, “Tell them I was loved.”

Archival research later revealed María’s husband did remarry, but the maid was never accused of murder. María’s final letter, discovered in 2010, expressed fear of her husband but also deep love for her children. The “white dress” may be a projection of cultural archetypes—the grieving widow, the wronged woman—but the emotional truth behind the story endures.

These examples illustrate the power of Concordia’s ghost tour: it doesn’t promise ghosts. It invites you to sit with the weight of human stories—some tragic, some beautiful, all true.

FAQs

Is the Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour suitable for children?

Children under the age of 12 are not permitted on the tour due to its length, the mature nature of the stories, and the potential for emotional distress. The tour includes discussions of death, disease, violence, and loss—topics that may be overwhelming for young audiences.

Are there any physical restrictions or accessibility concerns?

The tour route includes uneven gravel paths, slight inclines, and areas without handrails. Wheelchairs and strollers are not recommended. If you have mobility limitations, contact the cemetery office in advance to inquire about alternative arrangements or private tour options.

Can I take photos during the tour?

Yes, non-flash photography is permitted. However, flash photography is strictly prohibited out of respect for the deceased and to preserve the tour’s atmosphere. Do not use tripods or lighting equipment.

What happens if it rains?

Tours may be canceled or postponed due to heavy rain, lightning, or hazardous conditions. Check the official website or call the information line the day of your tour. If canceled, you will receive a full refund or the option to reschedule.

Are the stories on the tour real?

All stories are based on historical records, newspaper archives, family testimonies, or documented oral traditions. While some elements may be embellished for narrative flow, none are invented for entertainment. The tour’s strength lies in its authenticity.

Can I visit the cemetery outside of tour hours?

Yes, Concordia Cemetery is open to the public during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset) for quiet visitation. However, the ghost tour is the only way to access the cemetery after dark. No guided tours are offered outside the scheduled season.

Do I need to believe in ghosts to enjoy the tour?

No. Many visitors come as skeptics and leave with a deeper appreciation for history, memory, and human resilience. The tour is not about proving the supernatural—it’s about honoring the past.

How do I support the preservation of Concordia Cemetery?

You can donate directly through the official website, volunteer for clean-up days, or help transcribe historical records. Every contribution helps restore headstones and maintain the grounds for future generations.

Conclusion

The Concordia Cemetery Ghost Tour is not a spectacle. It is a sanctuary of memory. To visit is to step into a space where history breathes—not through special effects or theatrical scares, but through the quiet weight of names, dates, and stories preserved in stone and silence. It is a journey that demands more than your presence; it asks for your attention, your empathy, and your respect.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you ensure that your visit is not just memorable, but meaningful. You become part of a continuum—someone who listened, who remembered, who honored. In a world that often rushes past the past, Concordia Cemetery stands as a quiet rebellion: a place where the dead are not forgotten, and where the living are invited to pause, reflect, and listen.

Whether you come for the legends, the history, or the mystery, leave with something deeper: an understanding that the most haunting ghosts are not those that appear in shadows—but those we choose to remember.