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The Daily Herald was given a tour of the Haunted Forest on Wednesday, Oc. 4, 2023. The haunt, located in American Fork, has been open 34 years and is open until Oct. 31 this season.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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Rob Ethington, left, created and owns the Haunted Forest in American Fork. He poses for a photo next to one of the haunters in the attraction.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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The Haunted Forest, located in American Fork, follows a trail through real trees that weave over and along a pathway. The entire haunt is outside and covers over 30 acres.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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This abandoned truck has been left outside to experience all effects of nature, giving visitors of the Haunted Forest an authentic experience.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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Haunters are placed throughout the Haunted Forest, waiting to scare visitors as they walk through. There are also animatronics, a working water wheel and sound effects throughout the haunt.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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The Haunted Forest, located in American Fork, follows a trail through real trees that weave over and along the pathway. The entire haunt is outside and covers over 30 acres.

Nichole Whiteley, Daily Herald

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The spirit of Halloween is found within the decorations Utah residents put up each year to make their homes both spooky and fun. These decorations earned Utah first place in a study by Lombardo Homes for the most Halloween decorations across the U.S. for the third year in a row.

Halloween in Utah was not always this way, said Rob Ethington, owner and creator of Haunted Forest. Celebrating 34 years of haunting, the Haunted Forest was a part of making Utah Valley into the Halloween-spirited county it is today, he said.

When Ethington was in college he realized he had never seen an outdoor haunt, so he decided to create one. While some haunted houses are more intense with actors being able to touch visitors, Ethington said, “We are built for the average person and family to come and just have a blast with their kids and their friends.”

Haunted Forest is an entirely outdoor trail that covers more than 30 acres and takes about an hour to walk through. Located next to Utah Lake, the natural ambiance of a haunted forest is created by the trees winding overhead and lining the trail; a river winding through the forest; wooden structures representing an old-fashioned town for visitors to walk through; tractors and cars naturally decorated with cobwebs and decay; and a working water wheel that powers one section of the forest.

When the Haunted Forest began, there were other small haunted houses in the area, but Ethington explained his attraction helped to elevate the Halloween season by taking Utah County to the “mega-haunt level,” along with some of the other major spook houses running today.

A few decades ago, Ethington said, people in Utah were clamoring for a major haunted house. So to meet the demand, proprietors began doing things people had never seen before, “and it just kept going and going and going until now Halloween is a big deal in Utah.”

Each year, the Haunted Forest adds something new so people can return for new scares.

Ethington said one of the funnest parts of operating the business is seeing people coming together on a fall night and wondering if they’ll be able to handle the Haunted Forest or seeing friends and family scare each other as they wait in line. “To see the smiles on people’s faces and the fun atmosphere, it’s kind of rewarding,” he said.

“That was what our goal was, is to make it a mega-haunt that people could come to and celebrate Halloween in the fall,” he added.

As the budding fall season unfolds, the Daily Herald has compiled a list of activities including haunted houses, decorated yards, pumpkin patches and city celebrations. Each Friday in October, a list of the coming week’s events and season-long activities will be released to keep readers updated and in the autumn spirit. Happy Halloween!

Recurring seasonal activities

Haunted houses:

• Insanity Point Extreme at Cornbelly’s Lehi location, 3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, is open every Friday, Saturday and Monday until Oct. 30. They feature a 40-minute walking path where participants can experience over 23 haunted scenes.
• Evermore Park in Pleasant Grove, 382 S. Evermore Lane, is transformed during the fall season into “Lore,” a Halloween wonderland with new characters and quests. Once the sun sets, the haunted adventure begins to heighten the scariness of the park. Evermore is open Fridays and Saturdays from 6-11 p.m.
• Haunted Forest in American Fork, 6000 W. 6400 North, is one of the largest haunted attractions in the country with “over 30 acres of fear” to walk through. The haunt is all outside and the path goes through natural trees. Haunted Forest is open until Oct. 31, from 7:30-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.
• Field of Fright is a haunted maze located inside of the real corn field at Glen Ray’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Spanish Fork, 1750 W. 8000 South. The Field of Fright runs until Oct. 28. Admission starts at dark. On Monday and Tuesday, visitors must be in line by 9:30 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday by 10:30 p.m. Check their website for additional dates.
• The Shadows of Fear haunted maze in Pleasant Grove, 618 N. County Blvd., is open Monday through Saturday for all of October. Friday and Saturday hours are 7:30-11 p.m. and Monday through Thursday hours are 7:30-10 p.m. This haunt is for thrill seekers and family time. Tuesdays are no-spook days except for on Oct. 31, when they stay open until 11 p.m.
• Strangling Brothers Utah Haunted Circus is located at 632 E. 1500 South in American Fork and will be open until Oct. 31 with varying hours. Before the main haunt begins, visitors wait inside a circus tent to see a show including live music, games, videos, crowd interactions and possibly the Strangling Brothers riding their motorcycles. Each Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., the circus is open for walk throughs with the lights on and without the scary actors.
• The Haunted Halloween Haven in Spanish Fork, 1641 Oakview Lane, is an outdoor haunt appropriate for all ages. It is free for all and is open every night in October from 7:30-10 p.m. regardless of the weather. No reservations are required and any number of people can enter at once. There is also a 25-minute projection-mapping show each night.

Home haunts/decorated yards:

• Explore Utah Valley put together a map of homes and businesses across the valley that have been decorated for Halloween, including a free Big Jack coloring book/scavenger hunt map at the Outlets at Traverse Mountain. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3tj3Ziy.

Pumpkin patches/corn mazes/fresh produce:

• Cornbelly’s has locations in Lehi (3003 N. Thanksgiving Way)and Spanish Fork (3687 W. 5600 South). Both locations offer family-friendly events and activities, a pumpkin patch and a corn maze until Oct. 28. Cornbelly’s is open Monday through Thursday from 4-9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 1-10 p.m. The Spanish Fork location also offered a Sunflower Festival from Sept. 8-30. While Sunflower season officially ended, it is likely to run through mid-October, so the fields are still open to visitors. Pumpkin season started in October.
• Glen Ray’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch is located at 1750 W. 8000 South in Spanish Fork and will be open through Oct. 30. Hours are 4-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays. They offer family-friendly events and activities, a corn maze and a pumpkin patch.
• The Pumpkin Patch in Orem, 1541 Sandhill Road, has free activities and no admission fee. They have pumpkins and decor for sale, and every Monday and Saturday they offer free Halloween hayrides. Reservations for rides can be made on their website. They are open until Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and from 10 a.m. to dark on Sundays.
• Gordon’s Family Farm offers a pumpkin patch and activities through the end of October called Gordo’s Fun Farm. Located at 5746 S. 3200 West St. in Spanish Fork, this pumpkin patch also has a petting zoo and a corn maze. It is open Monday through Friday noon to 9 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Hee Haw Farms in Pleasant Grove, 150 S. 2000 West/N. County Blvd., is open from 3-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3-10 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays. They offer a pumpkin patch, pumpkin drop event, kids spook alley, pumpkin patch hayride and other activities.
• Jaker’s Jack-O-Lanterns at Hayward Farms located at 950 W. 400 South in Springville has pumpkins to buy, a hayride, a corn “maize” and a haunted cave. They are open through the end of October, from 9 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday, except Oct. 31, when they are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• The Pumpkin Patch – Carlisle Gardens is located at 1200 N. County Blvd. in American Fork. Pumpkins are available at the front stand and in the field to pick out. They have a kiddie train, hay ride train and a petting zoo with farm animals. They are open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Tyler’s Pumpkin Patch in Provo, 1036 S. Nevada Ave., is a family-owned pumpkin patch. They are open until Oct. 31 while supplies last. Weekday hours are 4 p.m. to dusk and weekend hours are 10 a.m. to dusk.
• A Country Farm Pumpkin Patch in Payson, 4058 W. 9600 South, is a homegrown farm that offers fresh produce picked daily upon order or visitors can pick it themselves. They are open 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
• Rowley’s Red Barn, 901 S. 300 West, is a fruit farm open year-round in Santaquin. The fall festival is held through Oct. 30 and includes a corn maze, a tractor wagon ride, a pumpkin patch and other activities such as a petting zoo, zip line and a corn pit. It is open Monday through Friday from 3:30-8:45 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.
• Rileys’ U-pick in Genola, 294 N. 800 East, has pumpkins, fresh fruit and other produce available at the local Rileys’ Orchard. It is open during harvest season (July through November), Monday through Saturday from sunup to sundown.

Activities for Oct. 6-14

• Eagle Mountain Halloween Town is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Cory Wride Memorial Park, 5806 Pony Express Parkway. The event offers trick-or-treating at local businesses, vendors, a classic car show and food trucks. Halloween costumes are encouraged. At 7:30 p.m., the park’s Mid-Valley Soccer Field will turn into a drive-in movie theater featuring “Hocus Pocus.”
• The Saratoga Springs Fall Festival will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday at Shay Park, 516 W. Aspen Hills Blvd. There will be a petting zoo, train rides, trick-or-treating, food trucks, inflatables and the Community Fair. Wristbands are available for purchase for the Inflatable Alley and the petting zoo; other activities are free.
• Presented by the Timpanogos Community Theater, “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy” will be performed beginning Friday through Oct. 21 at the Valentine Theater, 839 E. 9th North in American Fork.
• A free concert at the American Fork Library, 64 S. 100 East, will be held at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The Timpanogos Singers and Youth Choirs will be performing billboard hits for all attending.
• The American Fork Symphony will hold its Halloween concert at 7 p.m. Monday. Costumes are encouraged by attendees and wil be worn by performers. It will be held at the American Fork Junior High School auditorium, 20 W. 1120 North.
• Nordic Harvest Market is a new festival coming to The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem, featuring culture from the Nordic countries through food, fresh produce, home goods and traditional dances. It will be held Friday from 4-8 p.m.
• “Hotel Transylvania” is showing at the Scary Movie Night to be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday outside at The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem. The movie will begin around 7:15 p.m. Popcorn will be handed out for free and warm apple cider will be for sale.
• A Halloween Spooktacular will be held from 6-8 p.m. Oct. 13 at The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem. There will be live music, dancers using real fire, free face painting, yard games, a mechanical bull and warm apple cider for sale.
• Until Oct 31, The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem, will light up each night with nearly 750 carved pumpkins. There are six special Utah-themed pumpkins hidden among the others for visitors to find.
• From Oct. 13-28, a straw bale slide will be set up for little kids in The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem, during shopping hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Laughing Owl Greenhouses in Benjamin, 7965 S. 2200 West, is holding its fall festival starting this Saturday and continuing Oct. 14 and 21. The Fall Farmers Market goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are also kids activities from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. such as bounce houses, slides, a petting zoo and picking out pumpkins. Admissions is $5 per child over 2 years old.
• Sage Creek Barn in Genola, 139 E. 400 South, is holding its Fall Boutique and Farmer’s Market on Friday and Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. Pumpkins and produce, holiday crafts, jewelry, homemade baked goods and more will be for sale at the market.
• Pleasant Grove Viking Day will be held Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. at Downtown Park, 200 S. Main St. Visitors will experience a strongman competition, ax throwing, local crafters, shopping, food trucks and live entertainment.
• The Scarecrow Spectacular put on by Mapleton City will be held Saturday afternoon at Mapleton City Park, at the corner of Maple and Main streets. There will be scarecrows to walk amongst and cast votes on, as well as a bake-off, Great Pumpkin growing contest, face painting and food trucks. Everyone is invited to make a one-of-a-kind scarecrow for the competition. Visit https://bit.ly/3teY6CS to register a scarecrow or enter the bake-off. The scarecrows will be on display at the park until the end of October.