Halloween is creeping closer and closer, and the autumn scenery is finally looking so good, it’s scary. To help get into the spirit of things, our experts have hunted down some of the nation’s most haunted stretches of asphalt. If you’re planning a road trip and feeling brave, buckle up and join us on our spooky trek from coast to coast as we explore Caliber’s top five haunted highways.
Archer Avenue | Chicago, IL
Chicago is no stranger to bone-chilling tales, but Archer Avenue might be the eeriest of all. This historic road weaves through forests, lakes — and the occasional cemetery. Stories of phantom monks and werewolves might win top prize anywhere else, but they’re all treats and no tricks compared to Archer Avenue’s true terror: Resurrection Mary. Since the 1930s, several men have reported seeing a young woman in a white dress hitchhiking late at night. If picked up, she’ll ask to be let out by Resurrection Cemetery and then drift through the gate and disappear. Nearly three dozen reports of Mary have surfaced since the ‘30s, but all it takes is one for us to steer clear altogether.
Mona Lisa Lane | New Orleans, LA
Legend has it that a wealthy philanthropist donated a large collection of statues to the city of New Orleans in the early 1900s — under the condition that one of them must be given preferential treatment and stand alone. That lone statue was a commemoration of the donor’s daughter, Mona, who had passed away. Years later, the statue was vandalized and toppled by a group of teenagers, who soon began seeing Mona’s ghost. Dressed in all white, she’s said to float up to car windows around City Park and scratch on the glass while moaning in heartache before vanishing completely.
Kelly Road | Ohioville, PA
Kelly Road seems like a normal two-lane Pennsylvania highway at first glance, but don’t let that fool you. Between the cities of Ohioville and Industry lies a one-mile stretch of road that’s surrounded by a dark and ominous forest. Mysterious sounds coming from the woods have spooked human travelers for years, but the area’s unusual animal activity is even more reason to shiver. Legend has it that the road itself causes docile animals to become vicious and attack anyone, or anything, in sight. Causes range from a Native American curse to local cult activity — all of which get a big “nope” from us.
Prospector’s Road | Georgetown, CA
Prospector’s Road twists and turns through about three miles of California’s Gold Country and has caused dozens of accidents over the years. Some call it bad luck, but locals blame a more nefarious force. The area is rumored to be haunted by one unlucky soul who bragged about his gold to the wrong people, which landed him in a shallow grave. If you hear the phrase “Get off my claim” in Georgetown, California, you may be getting some face time with the gold ghoul himself. Most drivers take the main road and avoid the precarious stretch entirely, and we’ll be sticking to that plan, too.
Shades of Death Road | Warren County, NJ
Sometimes the road less traveled is that way for a reason (like having the word “death” in the name). Reports of zombies, murder, curses and even a haunted cabin in the woods make this stretch of asphalt a regular anthology of horror. A few brave souls have already documented their nights spent on the road, and it’s easy to understand the residents’ paranormal paranoia after we watched footage of a human-shaped mist rising from the lake.
While we all know that ghosts and ghouls are scary, the real nightmare is dealing with a roadside collision on your own. Come Halloween or high water, our collision repair experts are always fired up to restore the rhythm of your life and get you back on the road to enjoying miles of frights and/or delights.