If you’re into road trips with a side of goosebumps, today’s your lucky day.
Here’s a list of the eeriest-sounding places in all 50 states—and not because anything terrifying happened there, but because the names alone are enough to make you want to keep the car running.
These places have spooky written all over them. So whether you’re mapping out a haunted highway adventure or just want to creep yourself out from the comfort of your couch, here’s what made the list.
Let’s start with a few highlights:
- Alaska: Deadman Lake sounds like a spot where you don’t want to find out why it’s called that.
- Delaware: Slaughter Beach may be lovely in person, but that name doesn’t exactly scream “family fun.”
- Illinois: Bloody Gulch Road feels like it was ripped straight from a horror movie.
- Oregon: Murderers Creek? Yeah, maybe we’ll just wave from the car.
And yes, there’s a town in Michigan literally named Hell.
It’s been fully embraced, with “Welcome to Hell” signs and Halloween-level tourism every October.
Other creepy contenders include Satan’s Kingdom State Park in Connecticut, Transylvania in Louisiana, Witches Gulch in Wisconsin, and Death Canyon in Wyoming. So many places that make you wonder who was in charge of naming them—and if that person is okay.
And don’t worry, the South showed up strong too: Georgia’s got Slaughter Mountain, while North Carolina offers Devil’s Courthouse and South Carolina contributes Gravedigger Road.
If you want the full list, Mental Floss has short write-ups on each pick. (And if you visit any of these places, please report back. Preferably alive.)
Bonus ghostly content: CNN recently rounded up the three “spookiest cities” in the country based on their haunted histories. No surprise here—Salem, Massachusetts; Savannah, Georgia; and New Orleans, Louisiana top the list.
So, if you’re looking for the ultimate creepy cross-country road trip, maybe it’s time to pack a flashlight, cue up some true crime podcasts, and hit the road. Just… maybe avoid stopping at Dead Women Crossing in Oklahoma unless you’re really feeling brave.