Best Hudson Valley Haunted Houses, Hayrides, and Halloween Scream Parks

Kevin McCurdy’s Haunted Mansion

85 Sheafe Rd., Poughkeepsie. 845-297-2288; www.thehauntedmansion.com
Scary Staple: Gruesome, gory ghouls terrorize any who dare step inside the mansion.
New Frights: Guests go back in time to the dark and gloomy streets of 19th-century London where Jack the Ripper, Mr. Hyde, and Sweeney Todd are on the lookout for unsuspecting tourists.
Bloody Good: Now in its 38th year, the park is one of the longest running haunts in the country. And the $25 general admission price won’t burn a hole in your wallet.
Beware: As the 31st draws closer, wait time can stretch as long as 45 minutes.

Pure Terror Scream Park

1010 Rte. 17, Monroe. 845-391-0071; www.pureterror.com
Scary Staple: Four attractions horrify visitors, a favorite being Butcher’s Revenge (a psychotic, meat cleaver-wielding butcher terrorizes guests).
New Frights: Everything is new this year: The park moved to a new location in Museum Village. Never-before-seen haunts include the dismal Crypt and Phobia, where all your fears are realized.
Bloody Good: $25 gets you into all four houses. Speed passes let you skip the crowds.
Beware: Said speed passes cost an extra $10, and the fact that you might need one means that lines can get lengthy during peak hours (Friday and Saturday between 8-9 p.m.).

Headless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses

778 Broadway (Rte. 9W), Ulster Park. 845-339-2666; www.headlesshorseman.com
Scary Staple: The grizzly rider chases your wagon on a one-mile hayride.
New Frights: Gruesome Alice in Wonderland and flesh-eating chimpanzees are dying to get their hands on you.
Bloody Good: The site consistently is voted one of the nation’s top attractions by Halloween authorities like HauntWorld.com, and was featured on the Today Show in 2011.
Beware: It’s a heavy hitter in the haunted house world, so the $37.95 price can get a little steep if you show up with a big group. Most of the fun is outdoors, so the no-refund policy leaves you at the weather’s mercy. Tickets are known to sell out quickly.

And don’t miss these other establishments that wreak haunted havoc:

Forest of Fear
Sterling Forest. 800 Rte. 17A, Tuxedo Park. 845-351-5174; www.renfair.com/forestoffear

TerrorDome Scream Park
84 Lakeside Rd., Newburgh. 845-476-8268; www.terrordome.com

Grim’s Mortuary
Greig Farm. 216 Pitcher Ln., Red Hook. www.grimsmortuary.com

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