Where to go for tricks, treats and spooks!

Fill your month with autumn festivals and creepy haunts in Southern WV.

In Southern West Virginia, Halloween lasts much longer than a day. Tour abandoned parks, race zombies and live fall to the fullest!

Haunted houses and cursed attractions

Looking for goofy thrills or something even scarier? There’s a Halloween treat lurking around the corner for you.

Lake Shawnee Dark Carnival

Fridays and Saturdays in October

This abandoned amusement park’s 3 layers of tragedy makes Halloween truly bone-chilling with their Dark Carnival. Take a photo tour around the overgrown rides, then gather around the campfire for spooky stories about this place’s real haunts and dark past, or journey through the Lake Nightmare tour.

Fright Nights

Oct. 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29

Fright Nights at Glade Springs pulls out all the stops for Halloween. Protect your friends from a demented scientist during a game of Biohazard Laser Tag, puzzle your way out of a haunted escape room or try your nerves on the haunted trail! There’s even an immersive 3D Nightmare with mind-twisting effects like floating walls and shifting floors.

For something a little less scary, there’s also Spooky Golf and trick-or-treat night.

Haunted Coal Mine

Oct. 21-22, 28-31

Ride the mantrip underground into what once was an operational coal mine . . . or maybe it’s the battle ground for the local clowns and zombies – who will win?  Visitors will ride underground the whole time on a “mantrip”, a train of sorts that is open on all sides. It will be very dark, very safe, but……very scary.

 

Nightmare on the Gorge

Oct. 21-22, 28-29

Shuffling monsters inhabit the Minden woods at Nightmare on the Gorge Haunted Trail. You’ll have to creep past them! ACE Adventure Resort will also have a haunted, abandoned property for you to explore. You can also fly through the forest on a nocturnal zip line ride! This event is especially popular, so definitely make reservations.

Fear the Forest Haunted Hayride

Oct. 22, 28-29

Clamber onto a wagon and creak past a bloodcurdling carnival campground! There’s a high likelihood you’ll meet spirits and other unnatural creatures along the way, too. Are you game?

Zombie 5K

Oct. 22

Burn off all those Halloween calories! The Zombie 5k Run at ACE Adventure Resort gives you an additional incentive to run: keep your brain! You’ll start the race with 3 flags, which zombies will try to remove. Avoid their grasping hands, and you (or your team) will survive— even if you just have 1 sash left. Prizes go to the top finishers.

Want to be a zombie instead? Sign up and you’ll get a complete makeover. If you capture the most flags, you’ll win a prize, too!

Terror on Tams

Oct. 21-22, 27-29, 31

Hunting season has begun  on Burning Rock’s Tams Mountain and YOU are the prey.  Are you ready to run?

Foot traffic only, no motorized vehicle traffic.

Other autumn festivities

If you’d rather skip the whole bump-in-the-dark business, there are plenty of spook-free & paranormal only events, too.

Whipple Company Store Haunted History Tours

Oct. 21-22, 28-29

Explore the dark corners and hidden spaces of this century old, last of its kind Coal Miners Company Store. This is not a haunted house of smoke and mirrors, nothing is rigged or faked. The history and folklore surrounding this building lends itself to authentic haunted history.

Annual Ghost Walk in Historic Bramwell

Oct. 22

In this historic boom town, spirits return from their wanderings to tell their own tale to onlookers.  Ghosts include coal barons, coal miners, and children whose apparitions are still seen today.

Haunted Beckley

Oct. 21-22, 28-29, 31

The best ghost stories are always based on history . . . stories of sightings and inexplicable encounters have long surrounded the historic downtown area of Beckley.  Find out what building is the most haunted; if the spirit of John McCreery still wanders his former home; and who exactly is the lady in red?

Pumpkin Run

Oct. 29

Don’t like monsters? Trot to the Pipestem Pumpkin Run instead! The state park will have running races at 10k and 5k meters, plus a 5k walking event. Kids can join in, too! Sign ‘em up for the 800-meter fun run. Wear a costume; maybe you’ll win a prize at the finish line.

Tailgate Halloween & The YMCA Spooktacular 

Oct. 29

Tailgate Halloween is a calm alternative to the spookier attractions. Dress everybody up in costumes and head out to the Beckley Intermodal Gateway for candy. No tricks, just treats! (11-1pm)

After the tailgate head to the YMCA of Southern West Virginia for some Scary Good Fun! Dress the kids in their costumes and bring them to the Y for an afternoon of Halloween themed activities that will get them active and moving. The event is FREE and open to the public! (1-3pm)

How are celebrating fall in Southern West Virginia?