October is a time for scary frights and the darkest of nights. If you’re in the mood for a bewitching trip, make sure you check out these spooky fall camping spots! Hiker beware… these destinations are not for the faint of heart.
1. Hunting Island, South Carolina
Spend the night, if you dare, at the Hunting Island campground. Reputed to be the most haunted campground in South Carolina, this spooky camping spot is said to be the final un-resting place of a little boy who drowned, as well as the mournful lighthouse keeper, laden with guilt over the boy’s death. The lighthouse, which has been in its current spot since 1893, is replete with tales of otherworldly residents. Sadly, Hurricane Matthew caused extensive damage to this island and you’ll likely have to wait until next year for your ghostly encounter.
2. Camp Rutledge, Georgia
This spooky camping spot sounds truly terrifying. Ancient, dilapidated buildings are scattered throughout the woods, and the area is said to be home to not one, but two very active spirits. There’s Ethan, a young boy who appears and disappears, leaving only a trail of maniacal laughter behind…and sometimes a mysterious red ball. Then there is a man, one who seems very angry and aggressive. Campers have reported loud crashing noises late at night, as well as someone (or something) banging on their cabin walls.
3. Big Basin Prairie Preserve, Kansas
When camping or hiking the Big Basin area in Kansas, take a detour to gaze deeply into the bottomless pit known as St. Jacob’s Well. An innocent looking sinkhole, this devious depression is rumored to have claimed numerous lives, including that of wandering cowboy and his horse in the 1890s. After this event, the well garnered a reputation as being bottomless, tempting many to see if they could find the bottom, only to find themselves lured to a watery grave.
4. Lake Morena, California
Campers pitching their tents here for the night have reported hearing ghostly laughter and seeing a strange woman in a long white dress floating through the woods.
5. Crystal Lake Campground, California
First there’s the name, all too similar to Camp Crystal Lake (home of the fictional but no less frightening Jason Voorhees), but it’s the sights and sounds that make this one of the scariest spooky camping spots. Decades ago, a family of campers was attacked and killed by a pack of grizzly bears. Today, visitors say they have heard whispered conversations in the dark, and have seen apparitions of the slain family, shrouded in a red mist. As for the bears, even they won’t spend the night here anymore.
Wrapping up our post on 5 spooky fall camping spots, we thought you’d like Pumpkin Rock Trail: A Hiker’s Guide!
Featured Image from Nicole Tarasuk/Unsplash
