Spooky season is here! If you want to go to a haunted house with your friends and family, but don’t know which one is the right amount of scary for you — have no fear, your review of Utah’s haunted houses is here.
I rank these houses on a scale of 1 (👻 ) to 5 (👻 👻 👻 👻 👻 ). 1 is totally family-friendly — more cutesy than scary — and 5 is I screamed like I saw a ghost the entire time. I’ll let you know which ones I will be returning to and which ones I will forego. And so without further ado, turn on Monster Mash or Thriller and curl up with a mug filled to the brim with pumpkin spice hot chocolate, so that you can read about which haunted house you should frequent this Halloween season.
Asylum 49 Haunted Hospital
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻
Perhaps the spookiest part of this haunted attraction is that it is in a now-retired nursing home. Located in Tooele, Utah, you’ll likely drive miles of farm road at night if you’re coming from Utah county, which adds to the spooky aesthetic. The set itself is one of the best. It’s more traditional than techy and it really relies on the preexisting atmosphere, which is the best move given its location.
There is a full-contact option, so if you’re looking for that, this is a good choice. If you’re a haunted house enthusiast, this one is definitely worth the visit, but is probably not the best choice for young kids.
Haunted Forest
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻
I personally found this haunted attraction pretty scary. Expect a very long line (but hey, you’ll get to listen to “Thriller” and “Monster Mash” while looking at dancing skeletons), but it’s worth it. It takes about an hour to walk through the forest and you’re met with a variety of different scenarios. The actors really got into character and if you like being chased by a man with a fake chainsaw until you lose your shoe (happened to me), this is the place for you.
Of all the haunted houses here, I think this is the best one to go to with a group.
Fear Factory
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻 👻
Fear Factory is actually said to be haunted. No, really, their media kit provides several clips proving that several deaths have actually occurred there. This haunted house does require a waiver with options for full-contact (bonus points for having the most budget friendly full-contact option that I have seen) and will not disappoint.
This one provides the most psychologically terrifying experience. Other haunted attractions are heavier on the jump scares and contact than this one, but Fear Factory has the best design in Utah.
Nightmare on 13th
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻 👻
This is the best overall haunted house in Utah. From start to finish, Nightmare on 13th feels like you have entered into a horror story and you are confronted by a number of your fears. This year, they are adding an attraction where killer clowns have taken over an ice cream factory (along with five other new attractions) and if it’s anything like what they have done before, it is sure to be terrifying.
It doesn’t do any contact, but it is still terrifying. This one is probably best for teenagers and older. Even though I screamed more at the Haunted Forest, this one scared me the most overall.
Castle of Chaos
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻 👻
This is a unique spin on the haunted house experience because there are also escape rooms in addition to the traditional haunted house. As a general observation, this haunted house is heavier on killers than other ones are, so if that’s what scares you — this is your place.
The Castle of Chaos also has what they call an extreme immersive haunt: the Krusəb(ə)l Extreme Haunt. Full disclosure: I have not done the extreme haunt (yet — if I do it, I’ll review it!). It is considered a full-immersion, full-contact, overnight experience from 10 p.m. to sunrise. There are five levels that you can choose from and apparently only one person has finished it.
Dead City
Rating: 👻 👻 👻 👻
The animatronics in this vast haunted house are top-tier. This haunted house is unique because they have year-round, holiday-themed scares, but it definitely shines on Halloween. The devil is in the details and this place is intricately designed with several jump scares that feel like they came out of nowhere.
The props here are well-designed and this haunted house would work well for families with older children who love scares.
Haunted Halloween Haven
Rating: 👻
This is an honest review, so I’ll be real with you: this haunted house is not scary at all. But with that said, it’s the most family-friendly haunted house on this list. It does have the traditional scary elements that you would expect (like ghosts), but it is very mild. They describe themselves as a happy haunt and so this one is perfect if you are looking for a Halloween themed activity without much bite.
Ghost Tours
Rating: 👻 👻
Check to see which city closest to you has ghost tours, but two must-do ghost tours in Utah are in Provo and Salt Lake City. The Provo ghost tour is the only bicycle ghost tour in the United States. It is bring your own bicycle (but rental information is found on their website) and there are two possible routes. Guides tell you historically accurate ghost stories while you peddle through Provo. If you want to get into the Halloween spirit without being terrified, this is the best option for you.
The Grimm Ghost Tour in Salt Lake City is more graphic than the Provo ghost tour, but is less scary than a haunted house (in my estimation). Part of the tour is on the shuttle and part of the tour is walking. It is open year round and have options for Paranormal Investigations (i.e. more in-depth, inside haunted buildings touring).