The 10 best haunted houses and trails near Charlotte

Halloween season around Charlotte stretches from a theme park on the state line to a volunteer-run trail in Rowan County and a lakeside haunted park in Hickory. This list covers 10 haunted houses and haunted trails within about an hour of Charlotte that still have 2026 nights left, with the remaining dates, prices and age guidance for each. It is for teens and adults planning a scare before Halloween, groups looking for a night out and parents deciding what their kids can handle. Most of these attractions sell tickets online, several are cash only at the gate, and heavy rain can close the outdoor trails. Entries are listed alphabetically, not ranked.

How we chose

Every attraction here posted operating nights still to come after October 19, 2026, on the attraction’s own website or ticketing page. Picks are based on independent coverage, including The Scare Factor’s September 2026 list of must-see North Carolina haunts, WSOC-TV’s and the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority’s haunted attraction guides from the 2025 season, the Salisbury Post and Axios Charlotte, along with how long each haunt has operated and the drive from Charlotte. Rankings and awards that appear only on an attraction’s own site are left out. Several haunts were dropped because they had no confirmed 2026 dates. No attraction paid to be included.

The 13th Acre

Monroe, 3718 Plyler Mill Rd.

The walk at The 13th Acre comes in two parts, Coffin Creek and then The Forbidden Acre, and a Monster Midway outside the trail has a live DJ, fire pits, food, drinks and a horror selfie museum. The Scare Factor included The 13th Acre in a September 2026 list of 10 must-see haunted attractions in North Carolina.

General admission is $33, a Fast Pass is $48 and the $68 VIP ticket adds a fast line and the private Oddities Bar, which has a two-way scare window. Observer tickets cost $11, and private fire pits are $45, booked online for a set date and time. The haunt warns that the event may be too intense for children 12 and under, and tickets cost the same at any age.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 23 to 25 and October 30 and 31. Haunt tickets are good for any night of the season, and the haunt closes only for heavy, steady rain, with rained-out tickets good on another night. Wear real shoes for the wooded trail.

Boogerwoods

Rockwell, 725 Phaniel Church Rd.

Volunteers run Boogerwoods in Rowan County, and the proceeds go toward a cure for cystic fibrosis, according to the haunt, which bills Boogerwoods as a North Carolina tradition for 49 years. Wayne Trexler started Boogerwoods with his late wife, Robin, the Salisbury Post reported in 2017, when the haunt had about 90 volunteers and tour guides led groups on 35- to 40-minute shows through 14 scenes that mixed comedy with scares. The Scare Factor included the haunt in a September 2026 list of must-see North Carolina attractions.

Admission is $30, and every ticket is a fast pass for a timed group of 10. Tickets are sold only on site, cash only, from 2 p.m. on show days, with no online sales. Hot dogs and nacho cheese are sold on the grounds, and parking is free.

The remaining 2026 dates are October 23, 24, 30 and 31. Arrive 30 minutes before your ticket time, since late arrivals forfeit tickets with no refund. The current site posts no age rule, and in 2017 Trexler told the Salisbury Post he did not recommend the haunt for children under 12.

The Fear Farm

Blacksburg, S.C., 424 Ninety-Nine Island Rd.

Six attractions come with a standard ticket at The Fear Farm in Blacksburg, South Carolina: Abyss, Mineshaft Mayhem, The Coven, Confinement, Twisty’z and Farm House. The haunt has operated since 2011, according to the business, and puts the drive from Charlotte at 50 to 60 minutes south on Interstate 85.

General admission is $28 online, a four-ticket bundle is $90, a Fast Pass add-on is $15 and the Ultimate VIP ticket is $65. Children 10 and under pay $20, and a no-scare medallion costs $10. There is no age limit, and kids see the same show as adults, so the haunt leaves the call to parents.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 23 to 25 and October 30 and 31. The Fear Farm takes no reservations, so arrive in the 7 p.m. hour to avoid long waits or buy a fast pass. Parking is free, and the box office takes cards and cash but not American Express.

The Haunted Pyramids

Lawndale, 2745 Toney Rd.

One ticket at The Haunted Pyramids in Lawndale, in Cleveland County, covers five attractions: The Haunted Pyramids, The Abandoned, Carnival of Terror, Millbilly Manor and Dr. Venom’s Snake Pit. The haunt’s tagline celebrates 29 years of fear, and the 1313 Mockingbird Maze escape room costs $5 extra.

General admission is $30, VIP is $45 and a $60 season pass covers every open night, with cash, debit and credit accepted. Celebrity guests visit on some nights, and actor Eddie Deezen is scheduled for October 23 and 24, according to the haunt’s events page. A cafe and a Halloween store are on site.

The haunt runs Fridays and Saturdays through October 31, which leaves October 23, 24, 30 and 31. The website lists the season’s dates without a year, so call 704-477-6783 to confirm a night before driving out, and the site posts no age guidance, so parents should judge. The haunt stays open on most rainy nights and posts severe-weather closings on Facebook.

Lake Hickory Haunts

Hickory, 520 Carolina Ave. (entrance on Lake Hickory Haunts Dr.)

Thirteen attractions share one ticket at Lake Hickory Haunts, a lakeside haunted park in Hickory that has operated since 2012, according to the business. New for 2026 are Shipwrecked and expansions of the Descent cave and Aquaphobia. The Scare Factor named Lake Hickory Haunts among 10 must-see North Carolina haunts in September 2026.

Online prices follow a color code for each night: general admission is $33, $36 or $39, a Fast Pass is $49 to $58 and VIP is $68 to $75, plus tax, and tickets bought in person cost $1 to $6 more. Parking is $5, or $10 for premier spots. There is no child pricing, and the haunt says the attractions may not suit some young children.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 22 to 25, October 29 to November 1 and November 5 to 7. Buy online and pick a one-hour arrival window. Green nights are the cheapest and least crowded, and the homepage banner can lag, so check the Hours and Events page for dates.

Midway Wicked Woods

Statesville, 114 Midway Dr. (off Interstate 40 at exit 162)

A wagon ride carries guests to the entrance at Midway Wicked Woods, which marks a 30th year at a campground off Interstate 40 in Statesville, about 45 minutes from Charlotte by the haunt’s estimate. The unguided walk passes scary buildings, a 600-foot maze in total darkness, a spinning Tunnel of Terror, a 3D clown room and a haunted graveyard.

The website lists general admission at $25 and a VIP Fast Pass at $35, cash on site with an ATM available, and the online store sells them for $23 and $33 plus a fee. Parking is $10 per car. The haunt recommends visitors be 10 or older, and children 12 and younger must be with a parent.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 23 to 25 and October 29 to 31. Leave flip-flops, open-toed shoes, high heels and bags at home, and expect a metal detector check for everyone. Heavy rain closes the trail, closures are posted on the home page and the trail is not wheelchair accessible.

Reapers Realm Haunted Farm and Trail

Near Woodleaf, northwest of Salisbury, 5980 Woodleaf Rd.

Haunted houses, dark woods and cursed cornfields make up the walk at Reapers Realm Haunted Farm and Trail, which first opened in 2008, according to the business. The haunt started in China Grove before moving to an 86-acre farm with a Salisbury address, near Woodleaf in western Rowan County, The Scare Factor reported, and the outlet included Reapers Realm in a September 2026 list of must-see North Carolina haunts. The Salisbury Post reported that the haunt missed the 2021 season and returned at the Woodleaf Road site in 2022.

Online tickets start at $25. At the gate, prices run $25 to $35 depending on the night, with October 24 and Halloween night at the top, according to the haunt’s 2026 calendar. Onsite sales are cash only, with an ATM on the grounds, and parking costs $5 more. The site posts no age guidance.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 22 to 25 and October 29 to 31. Bring cash for tickets and parking, and plan to park, since drop-offs aren’t permitted in the busy lot.

SCarowinds

Charlotte, 14523 Carowinds Blvd., at Carowinds on the North Carolina and South Carolina line

The Halloween nights at Carowinds, called SCarowinds, run four haunted mazes plus the new JASON: Blood Reign in 2026, along with five scare zones and six live shows, according to Six Flags. The Conjuring: Beyond Fear is a separate ticket that the maze pass does not cover.

Tickets are sold online only. A bundle of park admission and the mazes starts at $55, and a Haunted Attractions Pass for the mazes starts at $10 and does not include park admission, plus a processing fee of up to $9.99 and tax. Six Flags does not recommend SCarowinds for children under 13, and every guest needs a paid admission ticket.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 22 to 25, October 29 to November 1 and November 6 and 7. Showtimes can change, so check the Six Flags app the night you go. Families with younger kids can come earlier for Tricks and Treats, the daytime event on weekends from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Scarrigan Farms

Mooresville, 1213 Oak Ridge Farm Hwy. (Carrigan Farms west entrance)

The Halloween trail at Carrigan Farms, called Scarrigan Farms, is a walk of at least 35 minutes and about a mile through the farm’s woods, according to the ticket page, and the FAQ warns of hilly, uneven ground. Carrigan Farms is a fifth-generation family farm that has worked the land in Mooresville for more than 100 years, about 30 minutes north of Charlotte by the farm’s estimate.

General admission runs $35 to $50 depending on the night, VIP front-of-line tickets start at $50 and must be prepaid online, and groups of 35 or more can book Thursdays and Sundays. General admission takes a $5 online deposit, and the balance is cash only at the door. The trail is for ages 12 and up, and the farm says plainly that the trail is not for kids.

The remaining 2026 nights are October 22 to 25 and October 29 to November 1. Thursdays and Sundays cost the least, and October 24, 30 and 31 cost the most. Use the west entrance, wear closed-toe shoes and pants, and expect no rain checks.

Trail of Terror at Shelby Corn Maze

Shelby, 120 Broadway Dr.

After dark on Fridays and Saturdays in October, part of Shelby Corn Maze turns into the Trail of Terror, which the farm says has been made over with new scenes. The family behind the farm bought the land in 1999 and opened the corn maze in 2001, according to the farm, which puts the drive at about an hour from Charlotte. Axios Charlotte included the farm in a September 2026 roundup of corn mazes.

The Trail of Terror costs $16, the daytime farm pass is $16 and a $23 combo covers the farm and the haunt on the same day, plus four activity tickets. The FAQ says the trail is designed for teens and adults and is not recommended for young children. Card payments carry a 3% surcharge.

The remaining haunted nights are October 23, 24, 30 and 31. The haunt runs rain or shine, pausing for lightning or severe weather, and weather updates are posted on Facebook. Group discounts don’t apply to the haunt.

This list was last checked on October 19, 2026. Spot something out of date or a place that belongs here? Send corrections through our contact form.