Exploring local hiking trails and waterfalls amid the chilly temperatures of fall in North Carolina is one way to give yourself goosebumps and make the hair on your arms stand up.
But visiting any of the various haunted attractions and haunted houses in NC can also offer chills, thrills, and a pulse-pounding adventure you won’t soon forget!
With October just around the corner, the time for mysterious and spooky scares is almost upon us. And sometimes horror movies alone aren’t enough to do the trick.
Visiting haunted houses for Halloween is a favorite fall activity for many people, and there are plenty of haunted houses in North Carolina happy to help provide a “fright night” to remember.
With so many to choose from, finding the perfect one to suit your own nightmares (and preferred level of scariness) can be a daunting task.
Read on for our list of the 10 Best North Carolina Haunted Houses to visit, including haunted attractions in Asheville, Charlotte, Greensboro, Hendersonville, and various other small towns in NC.
READ MORE: The 10 Most Haunted Places in North Carolina
Best North Carolina Haunted Houses Guide
- The Haunted Trail (Asheville)
- Pinhead’s Graveyard (Canton)
- The Haunted Farm (Hendersonville)
- Lake Hickory Haunts (Hickory)
- The Haunted Pyramids (Lawndale)
- Hickory Grove Haunted Trail (Gastonia)
- The 13th Acre (Monroe)
- The Original Hollywood Horror Show (Snow Camp)
- Spookywoods (Archdale)
- Woods of Terror (Greensboro)
READ MORE: Apple Picking in North Carolina: The 15 Best NC Apple Orchards
Haunted Houses in Asheville NC & Nearby
1. The Haunted Trail
85 Expo Dr, Asheville NC • 828-808-3341
Located at The Adventure Center in Asheville NC, the Haunted Trail will be open for those who dare to enter on weekends in October (Oct 7-8, 14-15, 21-23, and 27-30). Show times are from 6:30-9:00PM.
The 10th Annual Haunted Trail is ideal for younger thrill-seekers, particularly those ages 3 to 12. General admission for guests ages 3+ is $18.
The family-friendly attraction allows visitors to walk through the Asheville trail, with relatively gentle scares provided along the way via live actors and spooky effects.
This NC haunted attraction opens early, for those who prefer a scare-free tour before it gets dark. Their Sensory Friendly Night is also an option for youth and adults with sensory issues who want to experience The Haunted Trail.
The attraction is proud to partner with the Manna Food Bank‘s “Boo To Hunger” campaign, donating $1 from every ticket to help provide meals to less fortunate members of the Asheville community.
READ MORE: The 35 Best Things to Do in Asheville NC
2. Pinhead’s Graveyard
562 Main St, Canton NC • 828-670-8228
Voted one of the best haunted houses in North Carolina, Pinhead’s Graveyard is the best Asheville haunted house for anyone who’s ever dreamed of being scared by Pennywise, Freddy Kreuger, or Michael Myers.
Presented by Otice Productions, the attraction is located inside an old building in Canton NC that’s rumored to be one of the genuinely haunted places in Western North Carolina.
The interior features new and elaborate sets, animatronics, and the occasional orb or two, not to mention the list of famous horror icons waiting to scare the dickens out of you!
Pinhead’s Graveyard opens September 30, with special dates and times throughout November. 2022 ticket prices had not been announced for this haunted attraction as of our deadline, but parking is free.
Note that this NC haunted house accepts cash only, but there are multiple ATMs around downtown Canton NC.
READ MORE: The Top 10 Treehouse Rentals near Asheville, NC
3. The Haunted Farm
624 Townsend Rd, Hendersonville NC • 828-702-7911
Voted “Best Haunted House in North Carolina,” The Haunted Farm in Hendersonville NC purportedly has a long history of deadly scares.
Locals date the blood feud back more than 100 years, to the time when the deranged, brokenhearted Missy Mae Lively disappeared into the forest after the death of her lover.
Afterwards, countless individuals went missing after being seen around the Lively family’s farm. It ultimately became a forbidden place known as the Haunted Farm.
Visitors to the farm today can choose to visit one or all of the haunted attractions offered, including The Meathouse, The Farm, The Woods, The Demon Hay Shed, The Slaughterhouse, and the Deathyard Attraction.
The 12th season of the Haunted Farm is set to open October 1, with 11 weekend dates set throughout the month. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate starting at $35, with Fast Pass Admission and group rates available online.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Hendersonville NC
Haunted Houses in Charlotte NC & Nearby
4. Lake Hickory Haunts
520 Carolina Ave, Hickory NC • 828-212-1442
Not just another NC haunted house, Lake Hickory Haunts is a spooky theme park attraction centered around one of the smaller North Carolina lakes in the area.
The fright-filled fun includes the Midway of Mayhem section of the property, whose endless entertainment options include live music, a 4D Asylum Simulator, a horror-themed scary escape room, and much more.
For 2022, Lake Hickory Haunts has added several new attractions to its already long list of frightful attractions, such as “Shipwrecked 2.0” and “Voodoo Bayou”.
Horror fans can test their limits with spooky attractions like Descent, a 100-foot-long cave buried 12 feet underground, which visitors can explore and crawl around in.
Their 2022 season of scares starts September 17, with nights open through November. Ticket prices start at $32, with Fast Pass and VIP passes available for purchase as well.
READ MORE: The 20 Best North Carolina Music Festivals
5. The Haunted Pyramids
2745 Toney Rd, Lawndale NC • 704-477-6783
Located in Lawndale NC, the Haunted Pyramids boasts myriad chilling attractions for visitors to explore.
Known for their special effects, this NC haunted house has 6 indoor attractions as well as outdoor attractions like The Carnival of Terror, The Abandoned, and Dr. Venom’s Snake Pit.
Their biggest attraction is the Haunted Pyramid itself, which is widely considered the scariest haunted house in NC. We love that it’s ever-changing, with professional actors and effects that leave visitors screaming in delight (and fear).
The Haunted Pyramids were created by Special Effects master Ray Bivins, who worked on Hollywood sets for movies like Children of the Corn II and Talladega Nights.
In their 25th season, The Haunted Pyramids promise that 2022 will be better than ever, with more celebrity guests, famous cars, and live musical performances at the haunted attraction.
This year’s season is set to open on September 25, with general admission tickets starting at $25 per person, and VIP Fast Passes starting at $40 per person.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Fairs in North Carolina to Visit
6. Hickory Grove Haunted Trail
4064 Mountain View St, Gastonia NC • 704-201-4762
For over 20 years now, the Hickory Grove Haunted Trail has been a haunted attraction in NC that’s well worth taking a day trip to visit.
It has been voted one of the top haunted houses near Charlotte for two years in a row!
Located in Gastonia NC, the haunted trail leads visitors down the dark, windy trail into a forest full of “deep, eerie” suspense (not to mention a few crazy clowns and monsters here and there).
What started as an idea among a couple of friends has now turned into a popular local tradition. Members of the community show their support by contributing time and effort to making each year’s attraction better than the last.
The Hickory Grove Haunted Trail’s 2022 season runs from September 24 through Halloween night, open on weekends and select weeknights.
Tickets can only be purchased at the gate on the night you visit, and cost $20 for adults and $15 for kids ages 12 years and under.
READ MORE: The 25 Best Pumpkin Patches in the NC Mountains (2022)
7. The 13th Acre
3718 Plyler Mill Rd, Monroe NC • 704-709-7000
Located at the back of the Aw Shucks Farm and Corn Maze in Monroe NC, The 13th Acre is a haunted trail where fear fanatics can experience their worst nightmares and see how far they can make it through the forest.
Those brave enough to enter the woods will encounter the deadly creatures that reside there and discover the chaos that lies in the 13th Acre… all while trying to find their way off the haunting hiking trails.
With only one chance to exit, The 13th Acre is a true test of courage for all who dare to enter.
Opening night for this haunted North Carolina attraction is September 23, and it runs on weekends and select weeknights through October 31st.
Tickets to The 13th Acre start at $20 per person, or $28 for combo tickets to the farm. Fast Pass tickets are available for an extra $15.
READ MORE: The 20 Best Western NC Christmas Tree Farms
Haunted Houses in Greensboro NC & Nearby
8. The Original Hollywood Horror Show
6333 Bass Mountain Rd, Snow Camp NC • 336-513-6938
Voted “Scariest Haunted Attraction” by the Travel Channel, The Original Hollywood Horror Show is one of the NC haunted houses that deserve be on every horror-lover’s bucket list.
Created by Hollywood producers in 1989, this one-of-a-kind haunted attraction (the largest in NC) ranks among the best haunted houses in North Carolina.
Located in Snow Camp NC, the attraction includes award-winning effects and sets. Visitors can explore areas featuring the Hellraiser Vortex, American Horror Story’s Twisty the Clown, and Ghosts from Pirates of The Caribbean.
The attraction also presents annual events such as the Hollywood Horror Show Festival and the Bad Ass Hearse Show.
The opening night for 2022 is September 29, running on select weeknights and weekends through Halloween.
Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online via their website. But they’re also available at the gate, starting at $30. Fast Pass tickets are only available to be purchased at the gate.
READ MORE: The 10 Best North Carolina Distilleries to Visit
9. Spookywoods
1615 Kersey Valley Rd, Archdale NC • 336-431-1700
This haunted attraction near Greensboro NC has been rated one of the Top 5 Haunted Attractions in America for 38 years running. Spookywoods has even been featured on the Travel Channel due to the frighteningly good time they offer.
As soon as guests drive on the property, they become fair game to all the creepy creatures that reside there.
Brave visitors can roll down their windows to experience the eerie atmosphere, but beware of the questionable liquid substances you may also come into contact with along the way!
Spookywoods boasts a full-time art department, and the theme of the attraction evolves annually to fulfill their wildest, most horrifying dreams.
This year’s spooky season runs on specific weekends and even some weeknights from September 24 through November 6. Visit their website for more details.
Guests are encouraged to purchase their tickets online, and prices start at $30 for General Admission. Other ticket options include VIP and Immediate Access.
READ MORE: Appalachian Folklore, Monsters and Superstitions
10. Woods of Terror
5601 N Church St, Greensboro NC • 336-643-3558
Presented by McLaurin Farms, Woods of Terror is a haunted trail in the forest of Greensboro NC.
This haunted North Carolina attraction starts each night with a Monster Parade at 7PM before opening up for chilling experiences such as Arachnophobia, Night Stalkers, The Blood House, Blackout Terror, and more.
New for 2022, visitors can add to their experience and go to the haunted Brookhaven Memorial Hospital.
On the nights of November 4 & 5, they’ll be presenting “Terror In The Darkness” a totally light-free experience.
The Woods of Terror will be open for haunting on weekends and select weeknights from September 16 through November 5.
General admission tickets can be purchased via their website or at the gate, starting at just $30 per person. Fast Pass and All Access tickets can be purchased for an additional charge. -by Molly Frazier; lead image via Canva
