Halloween Handbook: Spooky events to hit in Utah this October

SALT LAKE CITY — As Utah’s population has grown in past years, the question of the state’s ghost population has remained a mystery. It could be argued the boom of modern-day settlers means an equal boom of ghouls, but data sets for their population do not exist.

Regardless, the amount of events launching during the spooky season is trending upward as families and friends in the Beehive State look for fun things to do together. But unlike the “recently deceased,” there is no handbook. Until now.

Listed below is a guide to some of the best Halloween attractions in the state of Utah, the dates they’re open, and the best way to find tickets (or free entry.)

Asylum 49

Located in Tooele County, “Utah’s Scariest Haunted Hospital” is open every Tuesday through Saturday in October. Ticket prices vary from $30 to $200.

Beetlejuice House

A South Jordan home in the Daybreak neighborhood has been deemed the “Beetlejuice House” and upholds a strong reputation of decorations from the iconic 1988 movie. Free to the public, the house welcomes the community to enjoy in the month of October.

BooLights at Utah’s Hogle Zoo 

Utah’s Hogle Zoo has transformed its spooky festivities over the years, and in 2024, BooLights kicked off an “after-hours” light display. Most habitats will be closed or dark so the animals can get a full night’s rest, but the zoo grounds will become “a bewitching world of pumpkins and glowing displays.”

The event will be held at the zoo on Oct. 2-5, 9-12, 14, 16-22 and 24-30. Tickets available at $12 to $18.

Bootanical Garden: Adventures in Wonderland 

Located at Red Butte Garden, the Bootanical Garden will be centered around “Adventures in Wonderland” for 2024. The popular attraction invites visitors to “take an exciting journey down the rabbit hole to the magical world of Wonderland, where adventure awaits around every corner … but that’s just the beginning! The mischievous Jabberwocky has stolen and planted the powerful Halloween Seeds around Wonderland.”

The event will be held from Oct. 17 -30, and tickets are available from $13 to $21.

Buzzards and Bees Music Event

Located in Provo, the Buzzards and Bees will be held on Oct. 18 and 19. The event is “Provo’s first downtown multi-venue music and arts festival. Every October, the city will find itself haunted by the living.” Over 80 bands will perform and the event features a Goth Prom kickoff party. Some venues included are for 21 and up only, but others are for all ages. Tickets run at $20 if purchased in advance, or $25 the day of.

Castle of Chaos 

One of Salt Lake City’s most iconic spooky attractions, Castle of Chaos includes a haunted house and escape rooms. With multiple “levels of fear,” the venue can be adjusted for specific age groups, and tickets range from $27 to $69.

CLAS Ropes Course Halloween Cruise

Located in Provo, this Halloween riverboat ride is a family-friendly “interactive pirate experience.” Included with a 30-minute movie before or after the cruise, and concessions, the cruise is a night of fun waiting to happen any time in October. Tickets range from $10 to $12.

Corn Maze on the Farm

At American West Heritage Center, a corn maze, pumpkin patch, straw fort, pony rides and more are available for just $9 a ticket. With varying hours Monday through Friday, the farm hosts a wide array of events.

Cornbelly’s Insanity Point

Available for up to $40, Insanity Point is the “ultimate thrill.” Haunted scenes are set up through a 30-minute trail through the corn fields. Hayrides, campfires, and non-haunted corn maze are also a part of the event which will be open through Oct. 28.

Fright Lights

Known commonly as the Crazy Corn Maze, this West Jordan pumpkin patch and corn field hosts a “night stalkers haunted trail” and corn maze. With tickets at $15, a pumpkin is included with entry while supplies last. The mazes are open at 7:30 p.m., or “when dark enough,” until Nov. 2.

Halloween Town in Eagle Mountain

Halloween Town is another free event hosted by the city of Eagle Mountain. The city invites residents and visitors to “dress up in your Halloween costumes and come trick or treat local businesses.” The event features a car show, a showing of “Hocus Pocus,” and great food.

Fall Boo-Tique

The Uintah Conference Center is home to this annual boutique in Vernal — held in 2024 on Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hosted by Country Lane Clothing Boutique and Rustic Love Letters, the event is kid-friendly and provides trick-or-treating.

Hee Haw Farms Fall Festival

Through Nov. 2, Hee Haw Farms hosts its Fall Festival Event in Pleasant Grove, which includes hay rides, a spook alley and other activities. On Oct. 26, the farm hosts its annual Pumpkin Drop, which drops large and small pumpkins from 14 stories high. Targets below include a swimming pool, office furniture and other smashable things. Tickets are available from $13, and season passes range from $50 to $190.

Family Fear Center Fiesta Fright

A haunted house in St. George, Fiesta Fright’s “Survive the Night” is held on weekends. With tickets ranging from $18.95 to $24.95, the acts change periodically, creating a new guest experience each time.

Little Haunts

On Oct. 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 and 26, Little Haunts will be held at This is the Place Heritage Park, where kids can bring trick-or-treat bags and enjoy train rides, a petting coral, pony rides and a story-telling witch. Tickets sold from $14.95 to $18.95.

Fear Factory

Another iconic Halloween stop in Salt Lake City, Fear Factory was ranked number three in the world by BuzzFeed and top 10 in the U.S. by USA Today. Made up of six buildings and two underground passages, it’s difficult to beat. The haunted house sells its own merch, and features ghost stories and a “zombie bus.”

Festival Transylvania

Millcreek Gardens hosts Festival Transylvania on weekdays for $9 and weekends for $12. The family-friendly event features a spook alley and a story walkthrough of various scenes in Transylvania. “Encounter a hysterical fortune-teller, witness a botched laboratory experiment and even come face-to-face with the headless horseman!”

Field of Screams

The Staheli Family Farm hosts Field of Screams in St. George, which says it’s Southern Utah’s number one haunted attraction. Complete with a creepy corn maze and lots of clowns, the event price ranges from $11 to $32. An online waiver is required to participate.

Frightmares at Lagoon

“The Dark Side of Lagoon” has something for everyone. Not only the amusement park rides, but haunted attractions, games, a pumpkin patch and if it’s an evening for adults, a seance. Frightmares hosts many more attractions within the park, and fast passes are available to avoid long lines. Ticket prices vary from $76 to $105, not including taxes.

Gardener Village WitchFest

Historic Gardner Village hosts an annual WitchFest where witches can be seen crawling all over the premises. Featuring a scavenger hunt of witches, Witchapalooza Dinner Theater, Witches of Mystic Manor Escape Room and more, the event features a map of attractions to see and fun to do. Many attractions are free, and others within the village include tickets for entry.

The Addams Family at Hale Center Theatre

Hale Center Theatre is putting on the iconic show, “The Addams Family” play. By popular demand, the show returned for another year and tickets are selling fast. Adult tickets range from $55 to $74 and youth tickets from $27 to $37.

Haunted Forest 

American Fork’s creepy gem, the Haunted Forest is renowned among locals. “A terrifying idea born in the Summer of 1990 ahs grown into one of the largest and most successful haunted attractions in the U.S. spanning over 1,000,000 square feet,” the event says. With tickets starting just above $30, group pricing is available for much less. Fast passes are available for an additional $7.

Haunted Hollow

Tucked away in Ogden, Haunted Hollow is an entirely outdoor experience complete with demons, ghouls, caves, abandoned mine shafts and more. “Make sure to bring plenty of friends, because people rarely make it through alone,” the event says. Haunted Hollow is open in October from Wednesdays to Saturdays and tickets range from $28 to $40.

Haunted Halloween Haven

This family-friendly event is free! It compares itself to Disney’s Haunted Mansion in terms of scariness, and prides itself on making it a “labor of love,” for visitors. The Spanish Fork haunted house is open every night in October from 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Kuwahara’s Pumpkin Patch and Thriller Park

Located in Draper, this park is complete with a farmer’s market, plant sales, a pumpkin patch and of course, on weekends in October, a thrill experience. With over 31 other attractions, the park serves as a great place for groups to hang out. Not to mention, the very Instagram-able wall of pumpkins. Ticket prices vary from $24 to $30 for certain attractions.

Lehi City Halloween Party 

The Lehi Legacy Center is home to the “Halloween Comes to Life” — an event full of games, trick-or-treating and music. The party will be held on Oct. 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. Adults make it in free, and tickets for children are sold for $6 at the door or $5 in advance.

Little Bear Bottom 

Little Bear Bottom is a park in Wellsville that hosts a myriad of activities including a corn maze, firepit and reservation areas, a haunted river trail, spooky barn rides among many others. See site for pricing details.

Monsters After Dark 

On Oct. 16 -19 from 6 to 9 p.m., Riverton City Hall will host Monsters After Dark — a walk-through experience “where you’ll encounter some of the cutest little monsters you’ve ever seen.” Tickets are set at $5 per person which includes entry and a donut.

Nightmare on 13th

Nightmare on 13th is located in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, and Utah’s longest-running indoor haunted attraction, with over 35 years under its belt. With two different attractions on its premises, tickets range from $26 to $35.

Night Stalkers

The Night Stalkers Haunted Trail is a collection of four attractions in one “epic trail.” Open through Nov. 2 Monday through Saturday, the “feeding” is located in Taylorsville. Tickets are available for $25.

Ogden City Ghost Tour

On Fridays and Saturdays in October, the city of Ogden will host ghost walks through the blocks of Historic “Two-Bit Street,” where it takes visitors back in time. With different routes available and stories to follow. Private tours are available for groups of 10 or more, and tickets start at $30.

Pack Farms Corn Maze

A pumpkin patch and corn maze in Farmington is open Mondays through Saturdays. Activities include roller slides, pumpkin slingshot, corn hole and other games. Entrance fee is $5 per person, and hours vary.

Park City Ghost Tours

Over the course of 12 years, ghost stories in Park City were cultivated and researched. The owners and investigators chose 15 stories they interviewed and performed field recordings on, and visitors have a chance to hear them. The tour is hosted at 8 p.m. every night and requires reservation.

Park City Ghost Tours

The Utah State Fairpark hosts an annual Pumpkin Nights beginning Oct. 10. The attraction will run from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. every night, and show off a myriad of impressive pumpkin displays. Tickets for adults start at $17 and parking is available for an additional $7.

Strangling Brothers Haunted Circus

A haunted house in American Fork, this attraction is open most nights in October. With tickets ranging from $18 to $79, multiple attractions are available and the house also hosts its own online blog.

Sundance Halloween Lift Rides

Sundance Mountain Resort gets its spook on every year with Halloween Life Rides. Halloween treats, hot chocolate, and food are available at The Lookout near the life, and complimentary blankets and sweatshirts for the chilly ride are provided. Tickets range from $30 to $35 per person.

Thanksgiving Point Spooktober

Few compete with Thanksgiving Point when it comes to holiday fun. A month full of costume parties, pumpkin scavenger hunts, and other activities inside its gardens and museums. A schedule is available for multiple costume parties and admission varies by venue.

Thriller by Odyssey Dance Theatre

Odyssey Dance will put on a show at the Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City from Oct. 14 to 18, the Egyptian Theatre in Park City from Oct. 2 to 13, and at Tuacahn Amphitheatre in St. George from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2. The show features iconic dances to Thriller, The Curse of the Mummy, Dem Bones and others. Tickets vary in price from $42 to $77.

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Contributing: Alton Barnhart, KSL TV