Camping, whether in a tent or in an RV, is spooky in itself… Don’t tell us you’ve never wondered about what lurks in those dark, thick woods at night while trying to fall asleep. Now that spooky season is in full swing, why not bring your trip to the next level by visiting one of the most eerie campgrounds in North America this Halloween?

We’ve researched the most haunted campgrounds in Canada and the United States for you and compiled a list of the spots we think are a must-see. 

 

 

1. The Screaming Tunnel (Bruce Trail), Niagara

Niagara Falls is one of the most well-known natural attractions in the entire world. Every year, travelers from all over visit the site and marvel at its breathtaking beauty. However, the views might not be the only thing that takes your breath away if you visit. What most people don’t know is that Niagara Falls City is also home to a haunted hiking trail, known as The Screaming Tunnel. 

According to the legend, the hiking trail, but specifically the tunnel, is haunted by the ghost of a little girl who tragically passed away in the tunnel, after a barn close by caught on fire with her in it. The legend goes that if you light a match in the tunnel at midnight, you might hear the dying screams of the young girl. Do you dare visit?

If you do, then we suggest you hurry and book a spot at the nearby campground for Halloween. 

 

 

2. Fort Worden State Historical Park, Washington

Fort Worden State Historical Park is described as a beautiful “432-acre multi-use park with more than 2 miles of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities”. Sounds wonderful, right? Well, wait until you hear about the chilling backstory of this park. Over a century ago, Fort Worden State Historical Park served as a military base and a juvenile detention center. When visiting, you’ll see the original fortifications that still stand tall, along with miles and miles of underground tunnels and rusting jail cells. Visitors from all over the country have reported hearing and seeing unexplainable activity that sent chills down their spines. 

After you’re done exploring the historic (and possibly haunted) landmarks, the park also offers more serene attractions, such as a golf course, Marine Center and a museum.  

Photos sourced here

 

 

3. Big Moose Lake, New York 

Imagine this: It’s the early hours of the morning when all of the sudden, a scream wakes you up from a deep sleep. You venture out to see what it was, and lurking in the woods, you see a young girl. Her long, white dress is completely soaked and she is crying while holding her belly. As swiftly as she appears, she is gone. 

This story is not too far off from what visitors of Big Moose Lake have reported seeing, according to AdironDack. Big Moose is home to one of the most infamous murders to happen in upstate New York, and the ghost of the victim reportedly still haunts the grounds. Although some details of this account have not been confirmed, the story is as follows: 

It was 1906 when a 20 year old woman, Grace Brown, fell pregnant to Chester Gillette, a man she was not married to. Wanting to avoid the shame that came with being an unwed mother at the time, Brown pleaded with Gillette to marry her. Gillette organized a romantic getaway for the two, which Brown took to mean that he would be proposing on the trip. On the third day of their trip, the couple arrived at Big Moose Lake. They decided to spend the day canoeing on the lake. What Brown didn’t know was that Gillette had brought a tennis racket with him on the canoe, which he would later use to hit her in the head, causing her to fall unconscious and plunge into the lake. 

The tragic history of Big Moose Lake makes it a magnet for paranormal activity, which you might experience yourself if you’re lucky (or unlucky) enough. 

Photo sourced here

  

4. Holy Ghost Campground, New Mexico 

Its name is not the only ghostly thing about this campground. 

Located in Santa Fe National Forest, Holy Ghost Campground is home to incredible scenery of nature. This campground, however, is said to be haunted by a Catholic Priest who was killed on the property over 300 years ago by the Indigenous tribe of the land, the Pueblo People. According to the tribe, the spirit of the priest still haunts the campgrounds today, and if you dare visit, you might be able to confirm that yourself.

Reposts have been made of campers seeing UFOs, shadow figures, and hearing unexplainable things. If that wasn’t enough, tragic events like mysterious disappearances and car accidents are not uncommon in the vicinity. 

 

    

Photo sourced here

 

Photo sourced here

 

 

5. Parkhurst Ghost Town, British Columbia 

Whistler is a charming town usually swarming with tourists, and home to one of the largest Ski Resorts in North America. Not far from it, however, stands an eerie ghost town that is hidden deep in the woods. Parkhurst Ghost Town, which has been abandoned since the 60s, is littered by items such as old cars, cabins, and kitchen appliances that have stood the test of time, and that are now littered with peculiar graffiti. The town was born as a logging outpost in the 1920s, and served as such until 1966, when the remaining inhabitants vacated the town due to the declining industry. Although not officially haunted, the creepy ambiance of the town will surely spook you. 

You can visit Parkhurst as a day trip, while staying at one of the many surrounding campgrounds where you can camp in your RV or tent. 

Photo sourced here

 

Photo sourced here

 

6. Hermit Park, Colorado

Horror lovers are surely familiar with The Stanley Hotel: the inspiration behind the infamous book, The Shining, by Stephen King. The hotel is known for being a paranormal hotspot, and people visit from all over the world with the hope of experiencing this supernatural activity first hand. However, even the biggest horror connoisseurs may not be aware that the entire area surrounding The Stanley Hotel is supposedly haunted as well. Just 10 minutes from the hotel is Hermit Park, another location rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a man who was lynched there in the early 1900s. The legend goes that a man named Dutch Louis was captured and killed by cowboys because he reportedly was squatting in the area and stealing their cattle. 

This Halloween, make your way to the Stanley Hotel and take their Ghost Tour for a chance to experience paranormal activity for yourself. Then, spend a night in Hermit Park where you might still hear the cries of the man who haunts its grounds. 

   

Photo sourced here

Photo sourced here

 

7. The Weekend From Hell 

Even after reading about haunted campgrounds with eerie backstories, we still consider the story of The Weekend From Hell to be a top contender. The story goes as follows:

A young couple decided to bring out their RV and go camping for the weekend. The excitement must have gotten to both of them, as when they were half way to their destination, they made the sudden realization that they had forgotten their Lynx Levelers at home. Having driven too far to turn back, they decided to proceed. How bad could having an unlevel RV be anyways?

 

After the first night spent in the unlevel RV, the couple woke up in dismay: The wife had woken up with a terrible migraine, and her husband was in awful pain from a stiff neck he had acquired overnight. They realized that their discomfort was probably caused by sleeping on unlevel ground. The scorching summer heat was only making their aches worse, so they went to grab some refreshing water. If that wasn’t bad enough, they made the dreadful discovery that their refrigerator had stopped working overnight. After a quick Google search, they learned that an unlevel RV can cause your appliances to stop working too! Upset about how their first day on the trip had turned out, they decided to try to use wood to level their RV for the following night. It was not as good as their Lynx blocks, but it would have to do. However, the second night also did not go down smoothly, as the couple was startled out of bed in the middle of the night when the wood suddenly succumbed to the incredible weight of their RV and fragmented. 

After this weekend, the couple vowed to never forget their  Lynx Levelers ever again, and that trip still haunts them to this day. Even though we’ve encouraged you to experience all the other terrifying ghost-flooded locations, THIS is an experience we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemies and will surely scar you for life! So make sure you bring along your Lynx Levelers to whichever spooky location you choose this Halloween.