By Matthew Meeks

Whether it’s heading down to a local attraction like a haunted corn maze, or just curling up on the couch and watching a cult classic horror film – the truth is clear – people like to be scared.

But attractions and movies are just actors and special effects…some people are looking for something a little more “real.”

An old trend is gaining popularity again this year – visiting locations that are supposedly…actually haunted.

Most people know at least a couple famous “haunted” structures in the U.S. like the infamous Amityville house in New York or the Stanley Hotel in Colorado (made famous by Stephen King’s The Shining).

But what about haunted roads?

Below you’ll find 7 roads that only the brave should even consider venturing down in the dead of night… 

Route 2A

Haynesville, Maine

In 1967, there were apparently two young girls (about 10 years old) who were struck by a vehicle and passed away along Route 2A. The story claims that one of the young girls hasn’t “crossed over to the other side” and still roams the road.

Over the decades (and even in recent years) multiple drivers have mentioned seeing a young girl wandering around on the side of the road at night. Some drivers have even reported pulling over and trying to assist the girl by offering her a ride. A few claims say the girl got in their vehicles but shortly after driving away, she disappeared, right there beside the driver in the passenger seat with the car moving.

Clinton Road

West Milford, New Jersey

There’s a common phenomenon reported on Clinton Road referred to as the “phantom headlights.” The story goes, there is what appears to be a dark vehicle with its high beams on that tailgates a driver dangerously close and then just disappears into thin air.

Another Clinton Road mystery is based on a New Jersey legend. The legend claims that the ghost of a boy who drowned in a creek below a bridge on Clinton Road still lurks under that bridge today. If you visit the bridge, they say to throw a coin into the water and the ghost of the boy will toss it back up to you…

Archer Avenue 

Chicago, Illinois

When it comes to haunted places in Chicago, Archer Road almost always comes up. There’s a stretch of road between St. James-Sag Church and Resurrection Cemetery that is apparently home to wandering spirits. The eerie road winds through overgrown trees, cemeteries, and bodies of water, with multiple ghostly sightings reported in the area over decades.

One of the most notable sightings is that of “Resurrection Mary.” The story of Mary goes…one night she was out with her boyfriend when they got into an intense argument in the car on their way home from a party. She insisted her boyfriend pullover so she could get out and walk home. He let her out, and as she began to walk along the road, an unidentified vehicle struck her in a hit-and-run accident. The person who struck her was never found and Mary was later buried in Resurrection Cemetery.

“There are numerous accounts of men picking up a female hitchhiker with blond hair and blues eyes, dressed in party attire. She remains very quiet, but as they pass Resurrection Cemetery, she asks to be let out and disappears into the cemetery.”

Source: Bustle

Mount Misery Road

Melville, Long Island

Mount Misery Road and Sweet Hollow Road run basically parallel to each other and are about 40 miles outside Manhattan.

Countless horror stories and talk of spirits have come from those who travel along these roads and there is a common theme often related to areas that locals consider “cursed” or “off-limits.”

One notable legend is that of a mental asylum, built sometime in the 1700s near Mount Misery Road. A disturbed mental patient living there committed arson on the asylum and it burned down to the ground – resulting in many lives lost.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Tampa Bay, Florida

This 5.5-mile bridge connects the city of St. Petersburg to Manatee County and acts as a line that separates Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico

The current standing bridge is not the one that was there 40 years ago… The previous Sunshine Skyway Bridge was struck by a cargo ship in 1980 during a thunderstorm. The impact caused a section of the bridge to collapse into the water below, taking with it a Greyhound bus and several cars. Thirty-five people passed away as a result of the incident.

Sightings of ghosts wandering the old sections of bridge (now used as fishing piers) have been reported with some people even claiming they hear what sounds like a bus coming toward them, followed by just a gust of wind and the smell of gasoline…

A recurring story talks about late night motorists who have spotted what appears to be a woman standing alone on the bridge around midnight. Some motorists have claimed to have even picked her up to give her a ride, and expressed that she became extremely nervous in the car, wanting to get to the end of the bridge. All claims said she vanished from the vehicles before the motorist could reach the other side of the bridge.

Source: Roadtrippers

Route 44

Rehoboth, Massachusetts

Most everyone’s been warned of the dangers of picking up hitchhikers.

On Route 44, there have been numerous accounts of motorists spotting a bearded hitchhiker with dark eyes. Claims say the bearded hitchhiker appears to be pretty roughed up as if he’d been in a car accident of some sort.

The most terrifying part is that motorists who’ve spotted him don’t claim to have see him on the side of the road, rather he appeared suddenly in their empty backseats. He’s said to mysteriously appear, stay for just moments and then vanish. A few said they could even hear maniacal laughter through the static noise of the radio just as he vanished from their vehicles.

Kelly Road

Ohioville, Pennsylvania

A specific one-mile stretch of Kelly Road is home to peculiar sightings and occurrences. Kelly Road is lined with thick, dark foliage. This section of road appears to turn both wild and domesticated animals violent with multiple cases being reported of attacks on people.

On top of that, ghostly white silhouettes have been frequently reported on this stretch of road.

The bizarre activity taking place on this section of the road hasn’t been scientifically explained. Current theories suggest activity from a local cult in the area, and portions of supposedly cursed land alongside the road.