Taking Time Out For Terror

“This is Halloween, this is Halloween / Pumpkins scream in the dead of night / This is Halloween, everybody make a scene, / Trick or treat ’til the neighbors gonna die of fright.”

– “This Is Halloween” from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

When orange and black are the colors of choice, freaks and ghouls wander around in public and the catchword of the month is horror, rest assured … Halloween has begun.

Though the traditional costume parties, trick or treating and horror shows typically take place on Oct. 31, there are a number of Haunted Houses along the Wasatch Front that specialize in creating that fright weeks and even months before the big day. Here are a few of the petrifying places selling their terrifying wares this Halloween season:

The Haunted Forest

Cache Valley offers it’s own style of freakishness with Sherwood Hills Resort Haunted Forest. Located in Sardine Canyon, about 15 miles south of Logan, this is the closest large-level haunted attraction to Utah State University.

“The forest itself is the big attraction,” co-owner Jeoff McGee said. “Its creepy enough walking through the woods by yourself, but imagine it in the dark with people jumping out at you.”

The Haunted Forest spans six acres and takes roughly 45 minutes to walk through.

“With girls in the group it sometimes takes 20 minutes,” Mcgee said.

The production has a cast of about 30 people, but varies from night to night. Most of the cast is costumed and there are several scenes set up along the way including a strobe light tunnel. On the weekends, between 200 and 400 people visit the forest. Though that may seem like a good number of people, McGee said that haunted houses along the Wasatch Front have attendance in the thousands.

“Rocky Point is pulling in $8 million dollar’s a year,” McGee said. “The hard part about the Haunted Forest is that Cache Valley doesn’t have the population to get it going. We’ve had a struggle letting people know that this year it’s good. We received four out of five stars this year. It’s a good, haunted, spook alley.”

Though all ages are welcome to attend, McGee said the Haunted Forest is PG-13 operation.

“We have quite a few people who say this is a little too intense,” McGee said.

The intensity is sometimes a good thing as co-owner Clint McKell can attest.

“Clint met his wife at a haunted house,” McGee said. “It was first date.”

But beyond marriage prospects, what’s the draw for USU students?

“It’s just a good night out; it’s something to do; it’s not just the same dinner and a movie. When a girl screams, it’s nice to be there to comfort her,” McGee said.

Though it can sometimes close due to inclement weather, the Haunted Forest is open Thursday from 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 7:30 – 11:30 p.m. Tickets cost $8 for adults and children under 12 are $5.

Rocky Point Haunted House

Celebrating their 25th anniversary, Rocky Point is including a collection of photos, trivia and memorabilia this year in addition to their nine yearly attractions which range from a haunted mansion to an insane asylum.

The show includes a number of full make-up characters created using techniques learned from Hollywood make-up artist Chris Hanson. Hanson, who grew up in Utah and worked at Rocky Point for a number of years, left for Hollywood where he has since worked on several films. Hanson has returned for the last several years to Rocky Point to train Utah artists in special effects make-up. The house opened up for business in 1979.

Tony Timpane, the editor at the monthly horror magazine Fangoria, said that the show was “the best haunted house in the industry.”

The success of the house largely belongs to Cydney Neil who has worked in the haunted house business ever since she went to help her brother with a spook alley several years ago. She’s been with the multi-award winning haunted house ever since.

Rocky Point opened for business on Aug. 25 this year and will remain open through Monday, Oct. 31. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 – 10:30 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 7:30 – 12 midnight. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $8 for children under 12, with children under six admitted free.

Information about Rocky Point Haunted Hause taken from www.rockypointhauntedhouse.com. Visit the Web site for more information.

Nightmare on 13th

Located at 300 West, 1300 South in Salt Lake City, Nightmare on 13th has been in business for 16 years.

The house offers different haunted rooms and a “Nightmare Theatre” show which has been emceed by an actor playing Beatle Juice for the last 13 years. This year, however, Beatle Juice is retiring. Taking his place will be “a familiar character from another ‘new classic’ horror movie,” house owner Troy Barber said.

Tickets to the house cost $13, with children eight years old and under admitted free. There are also several extras available at an additional cost, such as a VIP fast pass which lets customers bypass the waiting line.

This year, the house is also holding a food drive for the Utah Food Bank.

“We offer a $2 discount for each person that brings in a non perishable food item or personal hygiene item,” house employee Wendy Hansen said.

The house is open daily through October from 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. on weeknights and 7:30 – midnight Friday through Saturday.

Information about Nightmare on 13th taken from www.nightmareon13th.com. Visit the Web site for more information.

The Lazarus Maze

Many haunted houses claim a long history of contact with the supernatural. While some stories are more farfetched than others, they can still work for a scare. The Lazarus Maze claims that it was once used as a mental health hospital, known as Bellshire. As the story goes, a doctor used a chemical process allowing doctors to enter their patient’s psychoses in order to feed on his patient’s horror experienced inside a patient’s mind.

Now, according to the Web site, there is a new doctor in town who is ready to start the process all over again.

The cast of the production includes 12 actors, five make-up artists and three supporting members.

Located at 600 W. Exchange Road in Odgen, the Lazarus maze is a production of American Theatrical, LLC. General Admission Tickets cost $5. The house is also available for private rentals. The show is open 8 – 12midnight Friday through Saturday and 7 – 10 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Sunday.

Information taken from www.lazurusmaze.com. Visit the Web site for more information.

There are a number of other fright fests running in Utah this year. To find some of them, take a look at www.hauntedhouses.com and saltlakecity.about.com/od/hauntedplaces.

-mattgo@cc.usu.edu