This time of year, as the days grow shorter, colder, and darker, it’s easy to let your imagination run away from you. Mother Nature’s third act is breathtakingly beautiful, but there’s a tension underlying the season, as the foliage and landscape are quite literally dying right before our eyes. And this is what sets the tone for Halloween – and all its frightening fantasies. The U.S. is full of abandoned places and ghost towns; these sites are accessible, well-known, and widely explored by folks of all ages. We’ve already covered the best haunted houses, but today we’re turning our attention to the darkside: actual haunted places in the US that most wouldn’t dare explore. If you’re up for trespassing upon these haunted grounds, be warned: they aren’t for the faint of heart.
The Shanghai Tunnels – Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon, was one of the most dangerous ports in the U.S. during the early 19th century; this PNW town was the epicenter of an illicit and inhumane maritime practice known as shanghaiing. While originally designed for storage and transportation, the Shanghai Tunnels were also used to traffic — or “shanghai” — men from the streets of Portland to work as unpaid laborers on ship crews. The men were drugged and then dragged into the tunnels; many toiled for years before being released, and some perished deep in this underworld. This is a very dark and violent time in Oregon’s history, so it should come as no surprise that these tunnels are now said to be haunted by the aggrieved spirits of the captives who died in the dark recesses beneath the city.
One of the scariest places in the US can be found in Portland. Learn more about and explore the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland, Oregon, in this video from TLC Australia:
The Queen Mary – Long Beach, California
Long Beach may be known for its pristine sands and SoCal surfer vibes, but there’s a place off its shores that’s shrouded in darkness and mystery. The Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner that sailed the Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967; during her first three years at sea, she carried dignitaries and Hollywood celebrities, including General Dwight Eisenhower, Elizabeth Taylor, and Audrey Hepburn. The ship also served as a “Grey Ghost” in WWII, before returning to recreational duties off the California coast. The vessel hung up her captain’s hat for good in 1967 and today operates as an event venue and hotel in Long Beach. But more popular than the events aboard this ship are the ghost tours of the Queen Mary. This liner is listed as one of the most haunted places in the country and is a hotbed for paranormal activity. As such, the Queen Mary is considered to be a bucket-list must for history buffs and ghost hunters alike.
The Clown Motel – Tonopah, Nevada
Coulrophobia is real — and even those who aren’t afraid of clowns will likely change their tune after a visit to this Nevada nightmare. The Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada, has been unsettling guests since 1985, with a collection of over 2,000 clowns from just about every era and part of the world you could imagine. Spending the night in this hotel makes for a unique and utterly terrifying experience that’s absolutely no laughing matter. The motel is located adjacent to a cemetery, too, so there’s nowhere to run when you wake up in the middle of the night surrounded by scores of creepy clowns.
The Stanley Hotel – Estes Park, Colorado
There’s something wholly unsettling about the Stanley Hotel, an iconic 140-room resort located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. While most known as the inspiration for the hotel in the classic horror film “The Shining,” the Stanley carries a haunted reputation all its own. In 1909, a Massachusetts couple, F.O. and Flora Stanley, opened the isolated resort — and reportedly never left. According to staff, Mrs. Stanley can be heard playing her Steinway piano in the music room at night, and Mr. Stanley occasionally shows up in photographs. There have also been rumors of bags being unpacked, lights flickering off and on, and children’s laughter echoing in the hallways. Paranormal experts regard the Stanley Hotel as one of the nation’s most active ghost sites — and if you’re brave enough to visit, you’ll understand why.
San Fernando Cathedral – San Antonio, Texas
The oldest church in the country has a haunted reputation as big as the Lone Star State where it’s located. San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio was built before 1750 and is a striking example of Gothic Revival architecture. Over 5,000 people attend mass here each week, but this gilded cathedral isn’t just popular with the living. Tourists come to San Fernando Cathedral in droves to marvel at a tomb in which the remains of Davy Crockett himself lie. While the validity of that claim is questionable, the cathedral did play a role in the bloody Battle of the Alamo. Whether or not you believe the San Fernando Cathedral is haunted is up to you, but this historic church is certainly a bucket-list-must for historians and ghost hunters alike.
LaLaurie Mansion – New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is certainly no stranger to the paranormal; its iconic French Quarter is a hotbed of hauntings and nefarious spirits, with many a ghost story surrounding LaLaurie Mansion. Back in the early 19th century, Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie was a Louisiana socialite known for hosting ritzy soirees in her lavish French Quarter mansion. Guests gorged on fine food and champagne, oblivious to the horrors that were happening above their heads. When local police responded to a kitchen fire in 1834, they discovered the bodies of several horribly mutilated enslaved people in the attic. When the public learned of LaLaurie’s grotesque secret, a mob stormed the house, prompting her to flee to France. Soon after LaLaurie disappeared from New Orleans, people claimed to hear the phantom screams of her victims echoing from the house at night. Today, only the bravest of souls dare to pass by LaLaurie Mansion at nightfall.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park – Mandan, North Dakota
One of the most popular state parks in North Dakota is Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, located near Mandan. It has a rich history, beautiful views of the Missouri River, trails, campgrounds, and the state’s only working trolley. But there’s more to this popular park than meets the eye — much, much more. Particularly intriguing is the Custer House, once the home of the same general who was slain at Little Big Horn. The general’s wife is said to roam their preserved home in the fort complex in a black dress, slamming doors, and showing up for no other reason than to give people chills. Some believe Custer himself roams the grounds, too, though others think that the ghosts in blue are soldiers who never got mortally discharged from duty. If you don’t believe in ghosts, you just might after a visit to this historic state park.
Villisca Ax Murder House – Villisca, Iowa
There is no way around it: the home in Villisca, Iowa, that’s become known as the Villisca Ax Murder House is one of the scariest spots in the country. On the evening of June 10, 1912, an entire family and their two overnight guests were brutally murdered in their beds with an ax — and to this day, the killer was never caught. The main suspect in the murders was a traveling minister who had taught at a nearby church that night and skipped town early the next morning. Today, tours and overnight stays are offered in the very rooms that were the scene of a bloody massacre, experiences reserved for only the most gung-ho ghost hunters.
Old Joliet Correctional Center Prison – Joliet, Illinois
There’s little more haunting than an abandoned prison, and the Old Joliet Correctional Center in Illinois certainly is just that. This gothic, castle-like prison complex first opened to prisoners in 1858 and had its fair share of nefarious events and notorious inmates. It was even featured in the 1980 hit movie, “The Blues Brothers,” the more recent television series “Prison Break,” and several other shows and films. Today, the Joliet Area Historical Museum oversees the preservation of the Old Joliet Prison and hosts several themed tours, including the fascinating Haunted History Tour, where you can hear grim stories of what happened behind the prison walls… if you dare…