10 most terrifying haunted houses in Michigan
From underground warehouse tunnels to multi-level scares, these haunted houses in Michigan will terrify even the most hardened of thrill seekers.
With miles of uncharted forests and unpredictable lakes, Michigan is full of ghostly stories and ghoulish visitors who have braved the elements—and lost. And while not everyone loves a good ghost story (sorry, I’m one of the scaredy cats), plenty of other Michiganders are looking to spend their Halloween season in the most terrifying haunted houses Michigan has to offer.
From real former abandoned asylums to multi-level warehouses full of terror, chainsaws, and creatures too horrifying to describe, we found the most highly-rated haunted houses in Michigan guaranteed to make you scream. So grab your friends, your rosaries if that’s your thing, and say your prayers, because there’s no telling what you might find in these haunted hallways.
1. Scarefest Scream Park
- Address: 34111 28 Mile Road, Lenox Township, MI
- Hours: Weekends, 7 p.m. – midnight
- Cost: $20-$95/person
- Average rating: 4.6 stars
The Scarefest Scream Park on 28-Mile Road isn’t just a haunted house—it combines four haunted attractions in one location, including a Forest of Darkness, Terror Zone Corn Maze, Castle of Dead haunted house, and a Hayride of Doom. The first three haunted attractions are all geared for older teens and adults, but the Hayride is family-friendly, so there’s something for everyone.
“Castle of the Dead was AMAZING as always!!!” gushed a recent Google review. “The group in front of us nearly tapped out they were so scared lol! Every monster gave it their all and it showed! Special shoutout to the Seance area and Toxic area, that was so so so cool! We had so much fun, we also decided to do the Forest and Maze. I’d never done the maze before and it was an absolute BLAST. We couldn’t stop giggling at every dead end, and the actors were amazing! The park itself has had big revamps since last season, with plenty more photo-ops and a fun 4D virtual reality experience! We had a really amazing time and we’re hoping to visit again this season!”
The Scream Park notes that lines can be long, so they recommend coming early, visiting on a Friday or Sunday as opposed to the busiest day, Saturday, or upgrading to a VIP wristband, which gives skip-the-line privileges to all attractions. There’s nothing scary about that!
2. The Howling Haunted Trail & Halloween Party
- Address: 13575 N. Fenton Rd., Fenton
- Hours: Weekends in October, 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- Cost: $20-$50/person
- Average rating: 4.9 stars
When you visit the popular Halloween attraction, The Howling Haunted Trail in Fenton, Mich., you might encounter a wait before you’re allowed in. However, this venue is professional—after checking in to secure your place in line, there’s plenty to do while you wait. For instance, you can enjoy adult or non-alcoholic beverages on the Midway, jam or dance to music, visit the food truck, warm up by the fire, or engage in some fun themed games or tarot card readings.
The Howling is not a haunted house per se, as the attraction is a trail that winds through the woods, but it’s one of the highest-rated haunted attractions in Michigan and not meant for kids or the easily scared. Groups are limited to six at a time per trek, so if you come with more than that, be advised that you will be split up. And one last definitely un-spooky thing about The Howling is that all proceeds go to Adopt-a-Pet in Fenton.
“Unexpectedly well done! The entire experience is well organized- the waiting area is great, multiple fire pits, a full bar, plenty of space—the check-in and ticketing is simple and efficient, the entire staff is friendly and helpful (all completely volunteer!) and most importantly, the actual haunted forest walk is incredibly well produced,” noted one satisfied custome in a Google review. “It’s legitimately creepy, even for adult haunted house aficionados, very creative and there are some great jump scares. 5 stars- definitely recommend! Oh, and it’s all for an animal welfare nonprofit so, win-win!”
3. Screams in the Dark: Blackwood Hollow
- Address: 5548 M-66, Kalkaska, MI 49646
- Hours: Weekends in October, 7:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m., exact hours vary by day
- Cost: $20-$50/person
- Average rating: 4.5 stars
As the largest haunted attraction in Northern Michigan, Screams in the Dark: Blackwood Hollow has expanded over the years, yet remains dedicated to its mission: to terrify visitors. The attraction recommends visitors be 12 years or up (with parental discretion advised), but does offer limited “no scare” tours that you can check the calendar for.
Screams in the Dark includes several attractions in one, including a haunted house, a haunted cabin that you have to escape from, a haunted trail, a maze, a haunted carnival, and more on the midway. The haunted house even features an attraction called “The Burial,” which puts brave souls through a simulated burial experience, complete with being loaded into a casket and a ride to the cemetery, all in utter, terrifying darkness.
On weekends, ticket sales must be completed online, and like other haunted houses, groups are kept in smaller sizes of 4-6, so plan accordingly. “I have been to at least 30+ in the state of Michigan,” wrote one Google reviewer. “And Screams In The Dark hands down takes the top place. Very detailed haunt with unique spaces. Fantastic actors and the overall environment is a vibe in itself. Most definitely recommend!”
4. Eloise Asylum
- Address: 30712 Michigan Ave, Westland, MI 48186
- Hours: Varies by attraction
- Cost: $35-$75/person
- Average rating: 4.5 stars
Eloise Asylum in Wesland, Mich., stands alone as one of the truly historic reported haunted houses. Built in 1839, the asylum really stood as a psychiatric hospital for the mentally ill. From its initial purpose, the asylum also served as a tuberculosis sanatorium and the Wayne County Poorhouse, functioning as a mini-city over 900 acres with its own bakery, farm, school, police, and fire departments. It’s said that over 7,000 souls have been buried, unidentified, in the unmarked cemetery near the former poorhouse, called Potter’s Field.
Needless to say, this is a property that has witnessed numerous tragic events, so the history and tragedy within the walls really add to the terrifying ambiance of the hospital during the month of Halloween. Some say Eloise Asylum is the best haunted house in all of Michigan.
“Eloise Asylum was INCREDIBLE,” read a Google review. “We will have to allow for more time next year to fully enjoy the food trucks, photo ops and merchandise, but we had a wonderful time even in a bit of a rush. The haunt is actually two different haunts, one was more medical themed and leaned into the history of the building and the second was more extraterrestrial themed, both were very fun! I feel the value for the ticket was worth it, especially for the quality of the attraction.”
Along with the history of the building, there are several reasons to add Eloise’s Asylum to your list to visit this fall: The asylum runs several different spooky attractions—the actual haunted house through the hospital, a Saturday-only paranormal investigation of the spirits roaming the halls, escape rooms in the building, and general history tours. And last but not least, a portion of all ticket sales goes to the on-site homeless shelter, so your money is going for a good, very non-scary cause, too.
5. DarkSyde Acres Haunted House
- Address: 11375 Rowe Rd, Jonesville, MI, United States, Michigan
- Hours: 7:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
- Cost: $25-$40/person
- Average rating: 4.6 stars
DarkSyde Acres Haunted House claims to be one of the top three scariest haunted houses in the nation and one of the largest haunted houses in the world. Like some of the other haunted attractions, DarkSyde features five different terrors to choose from, such as the Catacombs or The Labrynith, which also happens to be Michigan’s largest Chainsaw maze.
The Labryinth extends underneath the warehouse and features zombies that broke free of their testing facility. The haunted house also has Michigan’s only haunted pirate ship, and in total, visitors will find over 70,000 square feet of terrors.
“This is the best haunted house we’ve been too,” noted one reviewer who visited about a year ago. “We’ve traveled up to 3.5 hours from home for a good scare and it didn’t come close to the thrills in Jonesville. The kids had a blast! Thoughtful set up outside of the attractions as well; fire, food, drinks, etc. Decently priced too!”
6. Slay Nights Haunted House
- Address: 1800 N Burkhart Rd, Howell, MI 48855
- Hours: 7:30 p.m. – midnight
- Cost: $25/person
- Average rating: 4.7 stars
In its fifth year of operation, Slay Nights Haunted House is a medieval-themed haunted house featuring characters such as the Invader and the Executor. The haunted house is 10,000 square feet of indoor space, along with a two-story maze. Because it’s all indoor, it’s ideal for cold or rainy nights, which, as we all know, is a very likely possibility for October in Michigan.
Some of the reviews for the Slay Nights haunted house are mixed, but many do mention a long line, so it may be worth upgrading to the $12 fast-track pass if you do visit. “Vary unique and fun,” noted one reviewer. “Honestly as scary as the big name locations such as Erebus or Eloise and should get more recognition. Pricing was decent at a flat $25 without a bunch of fees or having to pay for extras.”
7. Awaken Haunted House
- Address: Multiple locations throughout Michigan
- Hours: 7 p.m. – midnight, exact hours vary by day
- Cost: $25/person
- Average rating: 4.7 stars
Awaken Haunted Houses has 10 different locations in Michigan, many of which are near major cities such as Detroit, Lansing, and Kalamazoo, making it convenient to visit throughout the state. All of the haunted houses are indoors, feature a lit parking lot, indoor waiting areas, and four attractions for the same price. There are also plenty of entertaining extras, including a gift shop, a food truck, adult beverages, and an escape room to cap off the night.
Visitors to the Leslie, Mich. Awaken Haunted House over the October 10th weekend can also be treated to encountering the one and only Anabelle, making her evil return. The Awaken Houses are celebrating 10 years this Halloween season and have expanded to include four attractions in one.
“Absolutely an amazing place to go, this is year 3 for us but 4th time going,” wrote one haunted house enthusiast reviewer. “We do a lot of these every year and we travel long distances for them and this is always on our list every year…This is honestly right up there with Eloise and that place is crazy!”
8. Erebus Haunted House
- Address: 18 S Perry St, Pontiac, MI 48342
- Hours: 6 p.m. – midnight, exact hours vary by day
- Cost: $25-$40/person
- Average rating: 4.1 stars
Erebus Haunted House has four floors of terror, making it one of the largest haunted houses in Michigan. The haunted attraction is a full half-mile long indoors, has been voted one of the scariest haunted houses in Michigan, and has even been featured on the Discovery Channel.
“Came all the way from Ohio and this did not disappoint,” described a Google reviewer who feels Erebus is worth the drive. “10/10 on production. Lots of tight spaces, things to crawl/squeeze. Great visuals and optical illusions. 10/10 on actors and scares. We always try to go to a haunt with a guard down, ready to be scared and they got us almost every time. Actors and scenes were very interactive and actors were quite polite…Finally, without giving away spoilers the final scene is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before and we’ve been to a lot of haunts. I wish I could say more but you just have to go see it for yourself.”
Erebus held the World Record for the world’s longest walk-through haunted attraction for four years, losing its title in 2009, but retaining the terror that made it so famous. Over 10,355 “victims” have “failed” to make it through the maze of horrors—will you be next?
9. Arza Chamber of Horrors Haunted House
- Address: 31401 John R. Rd, Bldg 2, Madison Heights, MI, 48071
- Hours: 7:30 p.m. – midnight, exact hours vary by day
- Cost: $20-$40/person
- Average rating: 4.7 stars
The Arza Chamber of Horrors Haunted House is multi-levels of terror and is known for incorporating terrifying technology with old-fashioned scares, bringing the best of both spooky worlds together. The building the haunted house resides in was once a laser tag arena, making it ideal for seemingly endless crevices and hidden spaces for creatures to pop out of, unseen.
While the actors do not physically touch any visitor going through the haunted house, Arza does offer Shadow Realm events on select nights, when the actors may become a little more interactive for those seeking a more hands-on experience. (AKA, they may pop out and grab you when you least expect it!)
“Azra Haunted House absolutely outdid themselves this year!” wrote a recent customer who left a review. “The improvements were incredible — it was so much scarier that I actually screamed (which almost never happens since my friends and I are haunted house fanatics who visit a different one every weekend). This year’s experience was by far our favorite. We come to Azra every year, and this time it felt completely elevated. The scares were intense, the atmosphere was immersive, and you could tell they really stepped up their game.”
10. The Haunt
- Address: 1256 28th Street SW, Wyoming, MI
- Hours: 6:30 p.m. – midnight, exact hours vary by day
- Cost: $25-$55/person
- Average rating: 4 stars
Aptly named, The Haunt is a West Side Michigan haunted house that has been operating for 25 years, so you could say this is a venue that knows what it’s doing. The haunted house is indoors, and the owners warn that it gets very hot inside, so plan accordingly. Visitors are sent in through the manor’s haunted halls in groups of around eight, and kids under age 15 must be accompanied by an adult (it’s that scary).
If you’re feeling particularly brave, you can book tickets for The Haunt’s Blackout weekend on November 1 and 2, when visitors are forced to navigate the haunted house with no more than a glow stick in their hands. The house also has a “no-scare” kids’ day on October 26th.
“Went opening weekend, took my 9yo niece who has been begging to go to a haunted attraction with us,” described a recent Google review. “At one point it was pitch black walking through and she was crying but by the end she was leading the group. Just enough jump scares to make it fun and exciting and so much cool stuff to look at; you can tell they put effort and money into design, props and costumes.”
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