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Haunted Housewives with Tish and Lily, Pittsburgh, PA (2025)

11/05/2025

Crawford School of Terror
Over 18 Night
Connellsville, PA
November 1, 2025

Back when I was in college, one of my Halloween rituals was going to see Rocky Horror on Friday nights. My friends and I threw toast and toilet paper and yelled dirty jokes at the screen. We laughed and screamed and (in the words of the movie’s main character) gave ourselves over to absolute pleasure. It was vulgar. It was a little scary. It was a lot of fun.

Now, imagine that you are not going to see Rocky Horror; imagine instead that you’re in it. Your car has broken down outside a looming abandoned schoolhouse and you have to seek shelter for the night. Imagine that you’re dragged inside by a pair of guys in gimp masks and placed at the mercy of the funny, creepy, oversexed, unhinged maniacs that dwell in these dark halls. That’s Over 18 Night at Crawford School of Terror.

During most of the Halloween season, Crawford School is diabolically dark, an exercise in pure terror. But for one night, the monsters let their ids out to play. With Over 18 Night, the hauntrunners at Crawford have crafted a HIGHLY interactive adventure that’s filthy and funny. Guests are invited – nay, required – to participate in a range of scenes. At the start of the evening, you’re given a prop bag that includes several objects you might need throughout your journey, including money that will allow you to buy your way out of one challenge. But with that one safeguard aside, all bets are off. You may have to swallow something nasty, crawl on all fours, stick your hand into a body cavity, or bark like a dog. The innuendos and insults are constant; the challenges are ribald and gross. (You should know what you’re in for when you see that your prop bag includes a condom and a baby wipe.) Bring a sense of humor and leave your fancy clothes (and your inhibitions and your dignity) at home.

If you’re a haunt enthusiast, this post-season romp will give you a chance to appreciate the design at Crawford School of Terror, the claustrophobic corridors, the winding paths, the halls hung with pages ripped from books or covered with stuffed animals. Long stretches of the building are still spine-chilling. One of the members of our group alternated between yelling “No” and “EFF NO” at the eerie collection of toys in the decrepit daycare. (This is not the place to visit if you have a fear of haunted dolls.) Honestly, Lily and I TRIED to pay attention to the clever layout of the rooms, the exquisitely dreadful details. But that’s a little hard to do when you’re being ordered to drop to your knees and take a shot of some suspiciously thick white liquid “like a good girl.”

The School sticks (sort of) to its regular themes. The health teacher has some vital lessons to impart, for example. As you pick your way through the halls, you have to help the science teacher with her experiments; you may be asked to try the lunch lady’s latest concoction. The janitor needs some assistance in the restroom while the school nurse needs to conduct a thorough examination, and the VICE principal has some punishments to dole out. But wait! There's more! Lily and I are forced to participate in a, um, hands-on group project. There's also a deranged shop teacher and an administrator who has his mind on bodies other than the student body. The performances are laugh-out-loud funny and completely feral. The monsters clearly enjoy this chance to stretch their muscles; the format allows them to banter and improvise. It also allows them to torment the dumb humans at their mercy. (Gomez still isn’t sure how he ended up in the stirrups, but I think he enjoyed it.) The scenes are immersive but briskly paced, offering little down time between the dizzying, demented encounters.

Down in the basement, the Over 18 theme allows Meemaw and her kids to really cut loose. These backwoods cannibals were born for events like this. There’s a creepy scene where two of her in**ed children alternate lust and violence, while her oldest son just wants to make some friends. Don’t bother to ask him his name – he’ll grin, stick out a paw and say, “Don’t rightly know. Meemaw always calls me F**kin’ Ugly!” Meemaw herself trails us through her cabin and offers us a little bite to eat. (Gomez was pretty lucky with Meemaw’s selection; Lily not so much.) There’s also a moment of pure terror in the maze of animal pens when something that looks like a prop…isn’t. Because it’s Crawford, you can count on some thrilling jump scares in between the raunchy scenes.

You can opt to wear a glow necklace, which signals to the demons and deviants that you’re willing to be touched. Do so at your own risk. Crawford School of Terror works to ensure that this event engages ALL your senses. Over 18 Night is all in good fun, but this IS an extreme event. While I was waiting in line, I was kidnapped by two masked thugs. I was blindfolded, restrained, covered in silly string, and forced to sing for my freedom. When I was finally released, I stumbled into a crowd that was torn between slack-jawed horror and howling laughter.

The scene outside the schoolhouse adds to the party atmosphere. An elderly grandma and grandpa shuffle through the crowd, offering hard candy and advice while a weirdo in a latex romper offers treats of a different kind. Performers in fabulous outfits strut and twirl on a stage in the schoolyard while customers sip elaborate coffee drinks. The air vibrates with all the energy.

The entire event is a ridiculous rush, a no-holds-barred party for the end of spooky season. If you want something that’s freaky and fun, interactive and engaging, check out Crawford’s next Over 18 Night. It’s the kind of gleefully over-the-top creepy event that’s sure to gain a cult following.

Cost: $25 for general admission.

Safety Protocols, Group Size, Etc.: You’ll go through the haunt in groups of 5 to 6, working together. You have to sign a waiver, and you opt in to the more extreme elements of the attraction. Not everyone in our group chose the touch option, but we all got to interact with the monsters.

Concessions: Coffee at Crawford, the onsite coffee cart, was operating when we were there, serving themed coffees and other beverages. You can also get ice cream and other goodies..

Other Stuff To Do: A stage outside the school hosted a lively lip synch/drag show for people waiting in line. Crawford School of Terror has a pleasant fire pit, and a merch cart where you can browse the jewelry and vintage t-shirts.

Other Stuff To Know: When we say this is interactive, we mean it. Be prepared to be part of the show.

11/04/2025

Hallowfest at Regal Vineyards
Madison, OH
October 31, 2025

Lamplight flickers softly around us; the glow is surprisingly warm. Still, Lily and I are both on edge, our ears alert to the slightest whisper of movement. We’ve been warned that this winery is haunted, and we’ve already seen and heard some things in the rooms and corridors above, but nothing prepares us for the graceful, lanky figure who leaps down from a wine cask, his pet spider cradled in his arms. Lily flinches – spiders rank high on her list of phobias, second only to chainsaws. He grins at us, thrusting his pet toward us. We scurry past and then we feel it: many legs pattering lightly up our backs, across our shoulders. Hallowfest at Regal Vineyards is very, very pretty, but that doesn’t mean this place is light on scares.

Hallowfest, held annually at a winery in the heart of northeastern Ohio’s wine country, is one of the most visually striking events we’ve seen. Imagine Halloween in Stars Hollow, all twinkling lights, cozy fire pits, pumpkins and chrysanthemums piled against hay bales, comfy chairs and benches clustered together. It’s so pretty, so picturesque, that you could be forgiven for wanting to just absorb the vibes. But if you did that, you would be very, very wrong.

Set back from the starry lights of the midway, there are four haunted attractions: the Haunted Winery, the sLaughter House, the Cult of the Scarecrow, and Backwoods Nightmare. Each attraction is beautiful in its own way; everywhere you go, there’s something striking or spooky or spectacular to look at, whether you’re picking your way through a lamplit wine cellar or creeping past the scarecrow guardians in the moonlit cornfield. The hauntrunners at Hallowfest have made sure that this place is breathtaking from every angle. This is just one of many reasons to spring for an All Night Fright pass – multiple visits allow you to appreciate the scenery and set dressing. Because lord knows you’ll need more than one look at the scenery. You’re going to be attacked and chased aggressively enough that a single visit won't give you a chance to breathe, let alone a chance to absorb the sights and sounds of this terrific attraction.

The Cult of the Scarecrow is Hallowfest’s version of a classic corn maze. It’s all very scenic – long, looping trails through tall, rustling corn stalks under a bright, waxing moon. Grotesque, reedy scarecrows have been hauled aloft on tall poles, but we have our doubts about just what those ghastly figures are meant to scare away. The idea here is that the local farmers have begun to worship some dark god who feeds their fields and vines, and they are only too happy to recruit for their cult (or use intruders to water their fields). The angles of the trail and height of the corn stalks make it very hard to see if anything is ahead of you. Or behind you. Or beside you. Fair warning: the fields are overrun with cultists and creatures, and they are sneaky and brutal. I’m not ashamed to admit that at one point in this maze, I screamed a scream the likes of which had never before been heard in the wilds of Ohio. Lily was concerned that I was actually hurt. No worries – I had just been grabbed by one of the creatures who materialized out of nowhere.

Oh, yeah. Lily and I opted for the touch pass, an upgrade that adds a whole new dimension of fear to the experience. The touch pass delivers consistent and aggressive touch. The ghouls and lunatics drape an arm around your shoulders or push you forward or grab you. The monsters do an excellent job of ensuring that every member of the group gets special, loving attention. The touch pass also ensures a variety of experiences. Yes, I was grabbed in the corn maze, and creatures in Backwoods Nightmare pulled at our hair, but in the winery, one demented ghost poured bugs into our hands while that tall, gaunt phantom in the wine cellar traced spidery fingers along our spines. The actors and hauntrunners have put a lot of thought into these interactions, making sure that they are as varied as they are unsettling.

The culty cornfield gives way to Backwoods Nightmare, a junkyard maze haunted by a bunch of redneck freaks who have created a warren of shelters out of pallets and metal and anything else they can find. At one point, Lily and I are chased through a culvert and have to duck and dodge through piles of boxes and barrels. The structure of the maze lets you see glimpses of what’s waiting for you or stalking you. This section is intense and unsettling, filled with wild-eyed outcasts who REALLY don’t like intruders.

The indoor attractions, the Haunted Winery and the sLaughterhouse, fit together seamlessly. The Haunted Winery is weirdly charming – even if Lily and I are dragged into the house by a white-faced ghoul with a mane of scarlet hair and eyes the bottomless black of an open grave. You can tell that the house was pretty once upon a time; you can see the faded flowers on the peeling wallpaper and the walls are decorated with pictures. But the walls of the kitchen are splashed with blood and the stairs and cellars are hung with cobwebs. It’s all weirdly cozy…if you don’t look too closely. You will descend into an actual wine cellar where you will wind between barrels and shelving as you try to avoid the spirits (heh – see what I did there?) that haunt the casks and crates. The SLaughterhouse is a circus tent full of killer clowns,including props, actors, and animatronics. This is another tightly designed, confusing maze, with a group of relentless, giggling clowns. It's brutal and surprising, brimming with energy.

All the attractions are great to look at and deeply convincing, but aside from the lighting and sound design and sets, this event is energized by excellent actors. Their timing is flawless, leading to a series of legitimately shocking jump scares. They’re also very good at extended interactions. The creatures are distinct, from the rough beasts that slouch through the cornfield to the grinning maniacs in the junkyard to the sinister apparitions in the winery to the giggling fiends in the circus tent. It would be hard to single out the best performances, but I want to give a literal shout-out to the cornfield creeper who managed to startle me. Also, the woman who welcomed us to her Backwoods Nightmare, the lunatic who chased us through the pallets, the ghostly hostess in the winery, the woman rocking by the fire, the chortling cannibal chef, the Renfield-like bug eater, the spider prince down in the cellars, and the brutal maniac lurking outside the sLaughterhouse sent chills down our spines and sowed the seeds of nightmares. These monsters are a skilled bunch. Lily and I sprang for the All Night Fright pass, which allowed us to go through the attractions as many times as we wanted. We took full advantage of the pass, and the creatures took full advantage as well, adjusting their performances to our repeat visits. Every trip through the attractions yielded new scares, new nuances.

Okay, so maybe being grabbed by a ghost and thrown into a cornfield isn’t your idea of a good time. Hallowfest still has a lot to love. The Wine Barn offers local vintages and fun cocktails, and there are plenty of places to sit and chat while absorbing the flawless fall vibes. It’s the perfect place to celebrate Halloween.

Honestly, a place this charming could coast on atmosphere alone, but the Vineyard’s haunted attractions serve up a buffet of fabulous frights. If you’re looking for a balance of beauty and brutality, consider paying homage to the spiders and scarecrows of Hallowfest.

Cost: $26 for General Admission; $50 for RIP Pass (all four attractions plus an adult beverage at the Wine Barn); $52 for All Night Fright (repeat visits to all four attractions). A Fast Pass is $13. A touch pass is an extra $8, but hoo boy, is it worth it. You’re really drawn into the action throughout the experience.

Safety Protocols, Group Size, Etc.: You go through each attraction with only your immediate group.

Concessions: The concessions stand offers delicious fair food – hot dogs, pulled pork nachos, and other goodies. Plus, the Wine Barn has a list of local wines, beer, and yummy seasonal cocktails.

Other stuff to do: There’s a stage for live bands and DJs. And frankly, the whole place is a photo op.

11/01/2025

On a fall night
Everything is alright
Dressed up on the street out with your friends

Wishing you a night full of tricks and treats -- Happy Halloween from Tish and Lily!

10/31/2025

Scary Harry's Haunted Trail
Homer City, PA
October 26, 2025

Lily and I are confused. Of course, this is nothing new, since we seem to wander around in a perpetual state of befuddlement, but this situation is especially baffling. Moments before, we were in a dusty general store stacked to the rafters with knick-knacks and old clothing; now we’re in a beeping, buzzing underworld where chains dangle from the ceiling and pipes rattle around us. We walk into a room that seems empty. We can see the exit on the other side so we head toward the light. Just then,a figure in a mask and coveralls leaps into our path, wielding a saw on an articulated mechanical arm. I shout, “NOPE” and dash past him towards freedom. Lily shrieks and scuttles back into the tunnels.

This is absolutely typical of us. It’s also typical of Scary Harry’s, a haunted attraction that incorporates a variety of scenes and scares into one seamless spooky experience. Scary Harry’s is technically not a single haunted trail but several haunted trails that lead through a post-apocalyptic junkyard, a backwoods village, a mine shaft, a cannibal camp, a farm full of weird and aggressive animals, a ghoul-ridden cemetery, and a haunted house that Lily described succinctly as “really effed up.” What connects all these environments is a commitment to realism. This place doesn’t LOOK LIKE a creepy mountain settlement; it IS a creepy mountain settlement. Those dusty dresses and furs hanging in the general store? Those hollowed out cars in the junkyard? All real. (Although I imagine that at least some of the stuff hanging in the freezer has to be a prop, right?!) Scary Harry’s is the kind of place where you could spend long, leisurely minutes absorbing every well-thought-out detail…that is, you could do that if something hideous and violent wasn’t chasing you.

The trail begins in a junkyard where heaps of tires, barrels, and scrap metal have created a fortress that you have to navigate on narrow paths. The hauntrunners not only create a memorable, detailed environment here; they also staff it with high-energy actors whose aggressiveness and ingenuity will have you sprinting down the trail (if you can). One fiend followed us, singing softly and banging on pipes before charging at us while one of his buddies hid behind one of the junkyard’s deceptive walls before popping up multiple times in this maze. There are some great effects here using sound, light, and animatronics, but it’s the sheer panic of trying to make your way through this brutal landscape while being pursued that gets things off to a wild start.

Something chased us right into Harry’s “Master Bait” Shop; we didn’t even have time to giggle at the name before tiptoeing into the depths of a little store that seems to have been undisturbed by living customers since the 1930s. The tinkling music, the piles of antique goods, all tell a story. It’s very hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t, which sets up a couple of heartstopping jump scares. Behind the store, we find a grotesque storage area and below it, a series of industrial tunnels that look more like something out of Area 51 than the back of a general store. We end up being chased out of a horrific tool room and down a series of long ramps that descend deep into the hillside. These ramps are overrun by some nasty critters, so we’re relieved to board a mine elevator whose cheerful operator asks us how night is going and tries to start a friendly conversation before everything goes to hell.

The next trail releases us into a little settlement that looks like it’s been abandoned. (Spoiler – it hasn’t. Scary Harry’s alternates genuinely startling jump scares with more dread-soaked, slow-burn interactions.) The trail here winds past shacks and a playground area, and then through a series of lively haunted barns. This section with its squawking, spitting, ghostly animals is weird and original, and leads to a series of greenhouses full of surprises.

But Scary Harry’s does gothic horror just as well as it does rural horror, and the trail that winds through the barns ends at the gates of a cemetery. This cemetery is lit by flashes of lightning and filled with clouds of fog that obscures the path ahead – along with anything that might be crouched in the shadow of the mausoleums. The cemetery is a nerve-wracking cross between classic horror and “Night of the Living Dead,” beautiful and full of jump scares. Take a moment (if you can) to appreciate the effects and animatronics. Oh, who am I kidding? You’re going to be running.

There are still more dangers ahead, in the form of a stagecoach stop that has been overrun by the spirits of those who should have embarked on one last, long ride. The building is an extended, interactive walkthrough that begins in a gorgeously decrepit saloon. I pause to gape at an enormous winged figure that hovers overhead and I’m attacked by a malevolent ghost who cackles, “Oh, you don’t need to worry about him – it’s ME you need to worry about!” Lily and I aren’t sure where to go (other than AWAY), so we plunge into a baffling, lightless maze. We aren’t alone in there. Not only do we run into another struggling group of hapless intruders, but there’s a tall figure who chuckles softly and asks if we’re lost. The maze subjects us to some other nasty tricks before dumping us into the bowels of a house whose walls are lined with mirrors and creepy portraits. We wander through a disgusting bathroom (with a fun surprise in the tub), winding halls, and toy-filled bedrooms, as well as a room filled with coffins and a hallway that looks like it’s lined with bodies and flesh. There are also a few spectacular jump scares courtesy of actors and animatronics. The house is crammed with spooky detail and seems to go on and on, like a fever dream.

Scary Harry’s is a great-looking attraction, but this haunt is more than just another pretty face. Its monsters are aggressive and funny, hilarious and insidious. Performances range from the energetic (the junkyard killers) to the eerie (“Mother Ethel” out in the village). You can expect both jump scares and extended interactions here. Scary Harry’s recognizes that there’s more than one way to get a reaction from guests.

Scary Harry’s Haunted Trails is a bit like Scary Harry’s Master Bait Shop: you’ll find creepiness and humor, jump scares and atmosphere. Just like the bait shop, Scary Harry’s has it all.

Cost: $20 for general admission on this last night of the season. Get out there!

Safety Protocols, Group Size, Etc.: Most of the attraction is outdoors. You have to climb a very long, steep staircase to get to the head of the trail. You’ll go through with only your immediate group.

Concessions: The night we were there, a food stand was offering kettle corn. We could smell it all the way up the stairs.

Other stuff to do: There's a small gift shop with t-shirts and hats, picnic area with a fire pit.

Other stuff to know: Although it’s hilly and steep, the trail is broad and relatively well-lit even in the darkest, spookiest places. The whole journey takes about 35-40 minutes. And you have to climb a very long flight of stairs to get to the trail – it gives you plenty of time to think about your life and your choices.

10/30/2025

Duda's Haunted Farm
Brownsville, PA
October 25, 2025

We’re not that far from the farm market, not really. We can even see the cheerful glow of the lights from certain points on the trail. But out here, among the corn stalks, with the stars cold and distant overhead, we could be miles away from anything resembling safety. Our ears strain to hear footsteps on the path behind us; ahead of us, the corn stalks rustle as something pushes them aside. “Which way?” I whisper. Lily points off to the left. “I don’t think that we’ve tried this way.” We tiptoe to a clearing from which paths fan out like the points of a compass. In despair, we look from side to side, trying to decide which way to go. An apparition with a huge grin bursts from the stalks behind us. “This is my favorite part,” she declares, “Which way is it gonna be, ladies?”

It should surprise no one to hear that we picked the wrong way. It should also surprise no one to hear that we took a full hour to get out of the corn maze. Frankly, we count that as a win. Lily and I are famously terrible at mazes, and Duda’s corn maze is especially large and devious. The path loops through corn stalks that tower above your head, over the rolling terrain of the field. Paths intersect and radiate, inviting you to go astray. It’s built to disorient you. Also, I’m willing to swear that they move the exit.

But of course, you’re not just walking through a massive corn maze at night, as cool and picturesque as that is. Duda’s corn maze is dotted with eerie scenes and sets that bring you into close contact with some aggressive weirdos. Taken together, the scenes suggest a cursed village that has been left in the care of a bunch of bloodthirsty maniacs. You enter the maze through a dilapidated church, tiptoeing past abandoned pews and skewed stained glass windows. The town also includes a saloon whose customers couldn’t bring themselves to leave, a mine entrance, and a spider’s lair. The sets are rustic, creepy, and sometimes funny (take a look at some of the details in the saloon).

Oh, but the buildings offer no shelter…and you’re not alone in the corn.

Duda’s Haunted Farm fills its corn maze with a wide range of creatures who carry an even wider range of weapons. Some of the monsters simply make noises while others chase you, block your way, or offer “helpful” advice on which path to take. The lunatics will mock you or distract you when they’re not chasing you. We ran into HopHop, the farm’s killer bunny, a handful of clowns, a couple of redneck cannibals…and a dude on stilts. With a chainsaw. In case you’re wondering, yes, he can run.

This attraction succeeds thanks to the convoluted maze and the cannibalistic maniacs, the alternating moments of quiet dread and complete chaos. One minute you’re walking through the corn, jumping at shadows, trying not to disturb anything that lurks behind the rows and the next you’re screaming and trying to dodge a chainsaw. It’s atmospheric, it’s exhilarating, it’s perfect seasonal fun.

Duda’s Haunted Farm is low-tech, old-school, and old-fashioned in the best way. If you want a holiday happening that will put you in touch with the spirit of Halloween, try getting lost in the corn at Duda’s.

Cost: $20. And if you’re like us and spend a full hour out in the corn, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

Safety Protocols, Group Size, Etc.: You’ll go through the Maze with your own group – and you’re very unlikely to run into anyone else.

Concessions: Concessions include corn dogs, funnel cakes. There’s also an amazing beverage cart with fabulous seasonal drinks – I had the Hocus Pocus Punch, a delicious, glittery concoction that tasted like Fruity Pebbles.

Other stuff to do: There are photo ops, a fire pit, and several picnic tables. There’s also a DJ booth. It’s a nice place to just hang out.

Other stuff to know: The maze is dark, dark, dark, and disorienting. We walked approximately 32 miles trying to get out. We were happy to see our girl Mazey (now, apparently, SISTER Mazey) who welcomes guests to the maze, along with Father Mazey, who wants to show us a trick. The customer service here is second to none.

10/29/2025

Kragel's Pass
Richmond, OH
October 24, 2025

The clown is making fun of us.

To be fair, we probably deserve it. Klutzo the Clown, the tall, jovial host of the carnival games buried deep in the hillside labyrinth at Kragel’s Pass, has offered both Lily and me a chance to win a prize. All we have to do is sink a skull smeared with grave dirt into one of the irregular openings in Klutzo’s skee ball game. So far, we are both failing miserably – perhaps because of Klutzo’s helpful advice: “You realize you’re supposed to get it IN the hole, right? Ooooohh, so close. And by close, I mean not at all.” He keeps up a constant stream of patter as a circus full of freaks clusters around us, breathing (or, given their state of decay, not breathing) down our necks. Finally, Klutzo takes pity on us and allows us to compete in a horror movie trivia game (which is the kind of competition best suited to my athletic abilities). Our reward is that we get to stick our hands into a box full of gooey, dripping nastiness to pull out our gooey, dripping, nasty prize.

This interlude of weird humor in the middle of a haunted attraction is characteristic of Kragel’s Pass, an original and highly interactive haunted attraction in a memorable setting. All along the path, scares are interspersed with humor and delivered with energy as this relatively young haunt does the unexpected with its setting and scenes.

When you drive up to Kragel’s Pass, you might be forgiven for not realizing just how large it is. Only a narrow facade of shops and houses, the remnants of a small town founded by villagers fleeing Salem, Massachusetts, marks the edge of the Pass. But behind that narrow ribbon of buildings, Kragel’s Pass spills down a steep hillside, along a path that winds back and forth toward the valley below before climbing back up to the barns and outbuildings…and a looming gallows. Plenty of haunted attractions warn you not to run; here, you can’t break into a sprint without tumbling into the woods. You always feel like you’re slipping, about to plunge down the hillside into oblivion. But Kragel’s Pass uses this challenging landscape to create a confusing trail that offers its creatures plenty of places to hide. (We should also mention that Kragel’s enthusiastic monsters do double duty – they not only scare guests but they are posted around the trail to ensure safety.) The hauntrunners have built a series of shacks, bridges, and passageways along this hillside that their monsters can clamber over and through.

The Pass also makes excellent use of sound. If you look carefully, you may see speakers hung up throughout the attraction. This allows the hauntrunners to play a range of sound cues and audio effects, and Kragel’s Pass has some of the most aggressive and effective sound effects we’ve heard. Aside from that, though, Kragel’s monsters carry weapons that they use as terrifying percussion, dragging them along walls or banging them against different surfaces. (One smiling monster followed up throughout the attraction, whispering and beating her hands on the walls of the passageways to let us know that we weren’t alone, and we weren’t safe.)

Technically, Kragel’s Pass is an outdoor trail, but the hauntrunners incorporate a number of scenes and settings. Our journey started in a hospital (that doubles as the local undertaker’s office). This little maze is gory and bloody, with an unforgettable introduction. A quietly unnerving opening scene soon gives way to chaos. Oh, fair warning – Kragel’s Pass is sort of a touch haunt, in that a ghost might smack your arm and say, “Tag! You’re it!” or whatever’s happening in the operating room might end up affecting you. It’s not aggressive, but if you happen to be in the way of a spray of bodily substances, oh well.

At Kragel’s, you HAVE to interact with the setting. That may mean that you pull a lever, or play a game of skee ball with a murderous clown, or simply feel your way through a long, dark tunnel that runs along a hillside. Be warned: the walls are nasty to the touch, and will lead you out into the glowing light of a toxic sewer. There is also a spider’s lair hung with webs and massive arachnids, a cemetery hung with bells (someone here knows about 19th-century burial practices and uses that knowledge to good effect), and an absolutely harrowing, dark and intense finale.

Kragel’s sets the scene with some memorably gross, bloody props. The hauntrunners also do a wonderful job of executing (heh) their practical effects. At one point, a skeletal arm claws at us from a wall while in another area, a ghostly judge pronounces our doom. The settings are atmospheric and eerie, from rough shacks to candlelit rooms to crypts to a gorgeous covered bridge and a gallows that stands starkly against the night sky. All of the rooms are stuffed with props and set dressing that will convince you that you’re wandering through a frontier village founded by witches and populated by freaks. This is no bare-bones trail decorated with plastic cutouts but a creepily realistic maze of shanties and paths. Oh, the freaks also wield a terrifying range of weapons, from a burning shovelful of coal (this is a genuinely jaw-dropping effect) to chainsaws to pipes.

Kragel’s Pass is an intensely theatrical experience – even the setting is theatrical, what with ramps that lead nowhere and walls that enclose nothing. There’s a long, gorgeous covered bridge that sets up a scare and adds to the atmosphere. And there are the creatures: the ghosts in the hospital, the deformed clown, cheerful Klutzo, the judge’s vicious henchman, the red-cloaked sorceress who completely led us astray (what a great piece of acting that was – she switched from desperate to terrifying in a heartbeat). Even the actors who are there to offer jump scares or to prevent you from falling off the side of a mountain are interactive, funny, and scary.

Kragel’s Pass is a dramatic and creative haunt that makes the most of a weird, wild setting. This trail is more than meets the eye, offering up humor and horror in an immersive, innovative attraction. No matter how you fare in the games, no matter what Klutzo says, everyone here is a winner.

Cost: $13. For about 25 minutes of interactions and jump scares, this is a bargain.

Safety Protocols, Group Size, Etc.: You go through with only your immediate group.

Concessions: The concession stand is a bargain – you can get an iced tea for $1, and there are also chips, hot dogs, and candy.

Other stuff to do: There are photo opps and a bonfire. Also, when you’re in line, a voiceover will tell the legend of Kragel’s Pass. This place has a whole creepy mythology that should yield stories for years to come.

Other stuff to know: The trail is physically challenging, but the creatures are there to help you. Just wear good shoes and take your time.

Haunted Housewives with Tish and Lily

11/05/2025

11/04/2025

11/01/2025

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10/29/2025

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