Charlotte’s most haunted roads: Scare up some fun this Halloween
Halloween is rapidly approaching, which means it’s time to scare up some fun in the Charlotte area! If you’re not one for SCarowinds and other manufactured thrills, we’ve got just the guide for you. Check out this list of haunted roads in and around Charlotte – and North Carolina in general – to get an authentic thrill this spooky season. Grab your Halloween candy and your ghost-hunting gear and let’s hit the road!
Haunted roads in and around Charlotte
Charlotte has a lot of haunted places to explore – you could make a weekend out of the frightful sites that abound in our city. However, if you’re in more of a road trip mindset, check out this list of haunted roads in and around us.
Payne Road: Payne Road – also known as Edwards Road – is about an hour and a half north of Charlotte in Rural Hall. It’s seriously spooky and up there on the list of scary haunted roads. Supposedly. Edward Payne murdered his daughter for falling in love with the wrong man and then killed his entire family. Travelers claim to hear babies crying and women screaming when they travel over the bridge. People have also seen the apparition of someone hanging near the bridge. Finally, supposedly if you stop your car on the bridge and turn it off again, it won’t start, leaving you stranded. We’re not willing to try it, personally.
Lydia’s Bridge: This infamous bridge is in Jamestown; again, about an hour and a half away from Charlotte. It’s haunted by a phantom hitchhiker – a young girl named Lydia Jones who died on her way to prom in the 1920s. Drivers who travel these haunted roads on foggy or rainy nights have claimed to see her wandering on the side of the road, apparently looking for a way home. This has been happening for 100 years – since 1924 – so we’re willing to believe it.
Chicken Alley: This is also up there on our list of haunted roads. You’ll have to travel to Asheville to find it (again, start planning that haunted road trip). Supposedly Dr. Jamie Smith haunts this alley – he was stabbed in a barroom brawl back in the 1800s and hasn’t left the alley since. You might see him if you drive by… he’s a dark apparition in a long black coat with a big hat, and apparently, you can hear his cane tapping the road as he walks.
Where else can you plan a haunted road trip in NC?
If those didn’t whet your appetite for fright, here are a few more haunted roads and places to explore this October to get your fill of spookiness.
The Road to Nowhere: This road that literally goes nowhere is located near Bryson City. It was a road that was supposed to be completed by the government back in the 1940s, but it never happened. They built a dam to create electric energy for WWII needs and many families had to leave due to flooding or inaccessibility to their homes. The road was supposed to be finished to grant them this access, but never was. It dead ends in a creepy tunnel and from there, you can continue to hike on foot and explore old ghost towns and cemeteries.
Heartbeat Bridge: This one of many haunted roads in North Carolina is located in Whiteville. According to legend, a masked murderer killed a woman on the bridge and threw her heart into the water. If you drive the bridge at night, you’re supposed to be able to hear a resounding heartbeat coming from… nowhere. It apparently gets so loud that it will hurt your ears.
Valle Crucis: If you head to the haunted roads of Valle Crucis, legend has it that a demon dog might just chase you home. Travelers in this area have reported that if they drive past the old Episcopal church, a demon dog with oversized yellow teeth and glowing eyes will chase your car no matter how fast you drive. Anyone want to test it in a Supra?
Helen’s Bridge: Another spot worthy of a haunted road trip is Helen’s Bridge in Asheville. This bridge is haunted by the ghost of a mother whose child passed away in a fire. Car trouble abounds on the bridge – people report dead batteries and other issues. Even if you manage to make it over the bridge OK, many people report car issues even after the fact. Further, the area is haunted with dark figures in the woods, monster-like figures, and even reports of people being scratched, slapped, and pushed. Yikes.
Hop into a new Toyota for a haunted road trip this fall
Find the perfect road trip vehicle for ALL of your adventures this fall and beyond! Visit Toyota of N Charlotte today at 13429 Statesville Road, just off I-77 at exit 23 in Huntersville.