Find Halloween fun from pumpkins and hayrides to spooks and gore
BY NOUR HABIB World Scene Writer
Thursday, October 04, 2012
10/04/12 at 9:51 AM
As your feet crunch atop the leaves and twigs of the gravelly forest trail, you might hear a howl in the distance.
A werewolf, perhaps?
As you duck under branches, the sound of a chain saw will cause you to pick up the pace.
And the screams of others ahead will cause your heart to race. You'll wonder, "What will I find next?"
But wondering won't help because you can't prepare yourself for the surprises that fill the Castle of Muskogee's Trail of Blood.
The trail is dubbed the scariest attraction at the Castle's Halloween Festival, and scream you will after a short hayride through foggy marshes drops you off at the edge of the haunted woods.
The darkness that engulfs you makes the chain saw-wielding madmen and monstrous creations that follow you a tad too closely all the more frightening.
But the Trail of Blood is not the only scream-inducing attraction at the Castle. Spook houses Casa Morte and Domus Horrificus feature narrow passageways, blinding strobe lights and a slew of other elements that will leave you disoriented for the rest of the night.
But the Castle is not just for those with nerves of steel. Numerous tamer attractions are suitable for children and the more faint-hearted, ensuring an enjoyable experience for all who pass through.
And before the drive home, don't forget to down some butter beer or pumpkin juice to regain your courage or indulge in some funnel cake to steady your pounding heart.
Here's a selection of other area destinations, from haunted houses to pumpkin patches, offering Halloween-related fun.
Haunted houses
The Hex House, Rise of the Living Dead
8314 E 71st St., Tulsa; 866-966-1777
You won't find any animatronics, gory props or horror movie characters at The Hex House, geared toward adults. The house is themed around "a dark chapter in Tulsa's haunted past," according to its website. Expect to be "fully submerged in an altered reality."
Rise of the Living Dead is a new zombie-filled haunted attraction.
Hours: 7:30-11 p.m. Oct. 4-6, 11-13, 17-20, 24-28 and 30-31
Admission: $15-$30.
The 13th Ward
220 S. Elm St., Jenks; 918-622-5266
A doctor's illegal experiments and methods of torture have turned disturbed criminals into monsters seeking revenge. Watch out - the insanity may get to you.
Hours: 7:30-11 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27; 7:30-10 p.m. Oct. 25, 28 and 30-31
Admission: $14-$20
Castle of Muskogee Halloween Festival
3400 W. Fern Mountain Road, Muskogee; 918-687-3625
In addition to the scary attractions mentioned above, the Castle features a pumpkin patch, trick-or-treating and live entertainment for the whole family.
Hours: 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27
Admission: Prices of attractions range from free to $25 combos.
Psycho Path
1517 E. 106th St. North, Sperry; 918-288-7685
The Dark Ride attraction will take you through the haunted woods on a "scareage." Or get your scares at Shadow Box, the maniac maze.
Hours: 7-11 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 and Nov. 2-3; 7-10 p.m. Oct. 17-18, 31 and Nov. 1
Admission: $10-$35
A'crop' alypse
20707 East 540 Road, Inola; 918-341-7146
Take the kids along for the hayride, but you'll probably want to leave them behind as you make your way through the haunted house at Moore's Flying M Ranch.
Hours: 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27
Admission: $15 for adults, $10 for children
The Asylum
304 W. Cherokee Ave., Nowata
The setting of this attraction is a 1940s sanitarium - before there were rules about what should happen inside. "You will witness true madness," the website promises.
Hours: 7-11 p.m. Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27; 6-10 p.m. Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28. 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 31
Admission: $15
Nightmare at Guts Church
9120 E. Broken Arrow Expressway, Tulsa; 918-622-4422
A haunted-house style attraction, featuring a "dramatic presentation of life and death scenarios," according to its website.
Hours: Opens at 6 p.m. Oct. 4-6, 11-13, 18-20 and 25-27
Admission: $10-$20
The Haunted Mortuary
107 S. Grand Ave., Okmulgee; 918-756-2826
The scare factor is high at the haunted mortuary, where you can get lost in the catacombs or watch an autopsy victim go under the knife.
Hours: 7-10 p.m. Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27, and 31, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 20
Admission: $5.
PUMPKIN PATCHES
For those who want something
a bit tamer, visit any of
the following family-friendly
pumpkin patches that will
be open through October.
Several also feature hayrides,
corn mazes and other activities.
Pleasant Valley Farms
22350 W. 71st St. South,
918-248-5647
Take your pick of pumpkins
at Pleasant Valley, which plants
more than 90 varieties of pumpkins
from 13 countries each year.
The hayrides, face-painting and
petting zoo activities continue
this year. The corn maze, new
spook trail and haunted mansion
attractions are open Fridays and
Saturdays.
The second annual Winter
Squash and Pumpkin Festival
will also be held at the farm Oct.
13-14.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays
through Thursdays and
9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays in October
Admission: Tickets for the
spook trail and haunted mansion
attractions are $6-$13.
Livesay Orchards
39232 E. 231st St. South, Porter;
918-483-2102
Take your time picking the
perfect pumpkin then enjoy
Pumpkin Playland, which includes
a kids play area, hay bale
maze and pumpkin bowling.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays
and 1-4 p.m. Sundays in
October
Admission: $3. Price includes
the hayride.
Carmichael’s Produce
171st Street and Mingo Road,
Bixby; 918-366-4728
Enjoy a hayride, pony ride or
camel ride. Let the kids feed the
animals at the petting zoo. Walk
through the maze. And don’t
forget your pumpkin.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays
through Saturdays and 10
a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through
October
Cost: Activities range from
$2-$5.
Pumpkin Town
9707 E. 81st St., Tulsa;
918-294-0453
Pick up some pumpkins and
enjoy the ponies, tractor train,
slides and face-painting. Free
hayrides are offered on the
weekends.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays
through Thursdays, 9 a.m.
to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays,
and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays
through October.
Cost: Activities range from
$3-$5.
Sand Springs Pumpkin Patch Festival
17516 W. Eighth St., Sand Springs;
918-640-1869
The kids will enjoy numerous
games, pony rides, a petting zoo,
costume contests and facepainting.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mondays through Saturdays and
noon to 7 p.m. Sundays through
October
Cost: $5
Shepherd’s Pumpkin Festival
16792 East 450 Road, Claremore; 918-342-5911
Along with the pumpkin
patch, enjoy the petting zoo, hay
maze, fall games and story time.
Visitors can also take a
hayride or spend time making a
scarecrow.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Thursdays-Saturdays through
October
Cost: Scarecrow-making $3,
hayrides $5
Bit By Bit
14674 U.S. 169, Oologah;
918-371-1750
Besides pumpkins, enjoy the
tractor-pulled train, hayride,
mazes, games, a petting zoo and
crafts.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday through Friday and 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through
October
Cost: Parking is $5 per car. Train
and hayride tickets are $1 each.
First United Methodist Church of Owasso Pumpkin Patch
13800 E. 106th St. North, Owasso;
918-272-5731
Enjoy pumpkins and mazes at
this patch.
A fall festival on Oct. 20 will
feature hayrides, carnival games,
face-painting and more.
Hours: Noon to dusk Sundays
to Fridays and 10 a.m. to dusk on
Saturdays through October
Christ Church Episcopal Pumpkin Patch
10901 S. Yale Ave., Tulsa;
918-299-7510
Another place to get your
pumpkins. Proceeds from sales
will benefit Christ Church and
New Hope, a non-profit organization
that provides services to
Oklahoma children who have a
parent in prison.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays and
9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays from
Oct. 16-31
OTHER HALLOWEEN FUN
Hallow Marine
300 Aquarium Drive, Jenks; 918-296-3474
The Oklahoma Aquarium celebrates Halloween with costumes, trick-or-treating and carnival games. All regular exhibits will be open, too.
Hours: 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 27-31
Admission: $7-$10
Hallowzooeen
6421 E. 36th St. North, Tulsa; 918-669-6600
Trick-or-treating, carnival-style games and a haunted train ride will be among the activities at the Tulsa Zoo for this Halloween event.
Hours: 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 27-31
Admission: $8
BooHaha on Brookside
31st to 41st streets on Peoria Avenue, Tulsa; 918-960-8758
A kids zone, trick-or-treating, costume contest and parade are all part of this event.
Hours: Noon-3 p.m. Oct. 28
Original Print Headline: The holiday of horrors
Nour Habib 918-581-8369
nour.habib@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Weekend Cover
The Castle of Muskogee's Halloween Festival features many scary attractions, including the Domus Horrificus spook house, where costumed actors lurk in the narrow passages. JAMES GIBBARD /Tulsa World
The witches that dwell in the Castle of Muskogee's Casa Morte spook house will try to entice visitors to try some of what they're brewing. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
The dark and disorienting atmosphere inside the Castle's two spook houses make gruesome props such as this even more frightening. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
Surprises await visitors at every corner of the Castle's spook houses. JAMES GIBBARD / Tulsa World
Kristen Eymann kisses her son Corbin Davie during the Boo Haha parade on Peoria Avenue in 2010. CHRISTOPHER SMITH / Tulsa World file
Enjoy family-friendly fun at a local pumpkin patch. Tulsa World file
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