The spirits are restless and the terror is mounting for Verde Canyon Railroad’s Fright Night every Friday and Saturday evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. starting on September 27th, with a final fright on Halloween night. It’s the only haunted house in northern Arizona set inside a phantom train that has permanently derailed on abandoned tracks at the Railroad’s depot in Clarkdale, Arizona.
Walk-through haunted houses are traditionally the same everywhere, especially when the lights go out. Our Haunt gets right to the scare factor – confusion, chaos and just enough flashes of illumination to let you know you’re not alone. The space gets smaller as you step inside the first abandoned train car, and claustrophobia overtakes you as the door slams shut behind you. Every step takes you into a forgotten fear, every noise creates a jump, and every wisp of air makes you wonder if someone is breathing down your neck, a spider is trying to escape its web, or a snake’s tongue is flickering next to your cheek.
You’ll meet a bloodthirsty werewolf and creepy circus clowns holding captive children before you’ll walk through a blood-spattered crime scene and the skeletal remains of a spine-chilling wedding party. These are just a few of the jump-scares that greet or eat you in this fresh spin on a classic Halloween haunted house.
In the not-so-distance, a phantom train horn is serenaded by echoing howls from prowling beasts, screams of terror mix with teenage laughter, a ghostly figure appears before it disappears or lurches toward you, and live bodies rumble as they frantically try to escape their mummy bags before they’re frozen in time. What better way to kick off the Halloween season than a terrifying stroll through Fright Night’s Haunt?
There’s a chance you’ll catch a glimpse of the forgotten phantoms, Psycho Simon or Mad Matt, lurking along the edges of the railyard. The Railroad’s eerie history, built on the dead buried deep inside the Verde Valley’s abandoned copper mines, have led to sightings of “apparitions” over the ages, perhaps the ghosts of the men who died during the many years of mining and railroading. With no family or friends to retrieve their bodies, it’s rumored that their remains stayed right where they perished. Their spirits linger, and during the Halloween season, something stirs them from their slumber to haunt anew.
For those of you brave enough to enter, or for those of you who love an entire month of Halloween, this haunted house is a scream for all ages. No need for a reservation, but it’s a good idea to get your passes ahead of time. Tickets are $25, but if you ride the Verde Canyon Railroad on Fright Night dates, your train ticket will get you into the Haunt for just $5, so prepare for a final destination.
Fright Night at Verde Canyon Railroad’s depot is just 20 minutes from Sedona, 1.5 hours north of Phoenix, and strangely positioned just below the ghost town of Jerome.
Please note:
- This is a stationary display and is not a train ride.
- Due to the bends and curves of the venue interior wheelchairs cannot be accommodated.
- As with any attraction, parental discretion is advised.
It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Terrifying Depot Journey
