Looking for a Halloween adventure near St. Louis that goes beyond the typical haunted house?
From zombie trails and ghost towns to abandoned ruins, historic cemeteries, and mysterious Missouri history, these 10 Halloween hikes and spooky adventures offer something different for October.
Over the years, I’ve explored several trails and historic destinations that are especially interesting in October. Some have local ghost stories or legends. Others are spooky simply because of their abandoned structures, cemeteries or unusual history.
Here are 10 Halloween hikes and spooky adventures near St. Louis to add to your fall adventure list.
Quick List: What Makes Each One Spooky?
- 🧟 Zombie Trail — East & West — Rocky trails, caves, wooded hollows, and local zombie and haunting legends.
- ☢️ Busch Memorial Conservation Area — Abandoned bunkers and fascinating military and industrial history.
- 👻 Route 66 State Park — Explore the remains of Times Beach and historic Route 66.
- 👻 Old Greenville Ghost Town — Former streets, foundations and the story of a relocated Missouri community.
- ⚰️ Robertsville State Park Cemetery — A historic cemetery tucked into the woods with an unusual atmosphere.
- 🏚️ Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area — Mysterious monastery ruins hidden in the forest.
- 👻 Fort Belle Fontaine — Historic military grounds, ruins, and a feeling of being watched.
- 🏥 Welch Spring — A beautiful Ozark spring alongside the remains of an abandoned sanatorium.
- ☢️ Weldon Spring Interpretive Center — A massive disposal site with a fascinating WWII-era history.
- ⚰️ Bellefontaine Cemetery — Historic graves, elaborate monuments and fascinating St. Louis history.
1. Zombie Trail — East & West
🧟 Rocky trails + caves + wooded hollows + zombie legends
If you’re looking for a Halloween hike with the perfect name, it’s hard to beat Zombie Trail.
I’ve explored both the East and West sections of Zombie Trail, and together they offer a memorable hiking adventure through the Wildwood area.
The trails feature rocky terrain, wooded hollows, ridges, cliffs and natural formations. Zombie Trail West also includes a shallow cave beneath a cliff overhang.
But it’s the stories surrounding the area that make this especially appropriate for Halloween.
Local legends include stories of strange happenings, hauntings and a man known as Zombie who supposedly escaped a mental institution.
Whether you believe the stories or not, hiking through the woods with the name Zombie Trail on the map certainly gives the adventure a different feel.
Read my Zombie Trail West story
Read my Zombie Trail East story
Halloween factor: 🧟 Zombie legends + cave + cliffs + mysterious history
2. Busch Memorial Conservation Area
☢️ Abandoned bunkers + military history + unusual structures
Abandoned bunkers aren’t something you normally expect to encounter while hiking.
At Busch Memorial Conservation Area, however, cement bunkers and other remnants of the area’s military and industrial past can be found throughout the landscape.
The area’s history includes World War II-era TNT and DNT production and later uranium ore processing.
Today, the conservation area provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, but walking among the old structures can feel like stepping into another time.
The combination of woods, abandoned concrete structures and the site’s unusual history makes this an interesting October destination.
Read my Busch Memorial Conservation Area Halloween hike
Halloween factor: ☢️ Abandoned bunkers + industrial history + eerie atmosphere
3. Route 66 State Park
👻 Ghost town + Route 66 history + abandoned remnants
Historic Route 66 and a former town make an interesting combination for a Halloween adventure.
At Route 66 State Park, I explored an area that was once part of the community of Times Beach.
The town’s history eventually came to an end, leaving behind reminders of what once existed here.
The park also provides views of the remains of the old Route 66 bridge over the Meramec River.
Walking through an area that was once a functioning community gives this adventure a very different atmosphere from a traditional hike.
Read my Route 66 State Park ghost town story
Halloween factor: 👻 Ghost-town atmosphere + abandoned remnants + Route 66 history
4. Old Greenville Ghost Town
👻 Forgotten town + old foundations + Missouri history
Want to explore a real Missouri ghost town?
Old Greenville Recreation Area offers the opportunity to walk through the remnants of a community that was relocated after the construction of Wappapello Lake.
The Memory Lane Trail passes former streets, foundations and remnants of buildings.
You’ll find sidewalks that lead nowhere and foundations that provide clues about the community that once stood here.
It’s not a traditional haunted attraction. Instead, it’s a place where the history itself creates the atmosphere.
Read my Old Greenville Ghost Town story
Halloween factor: 👻 Ghost town + abandoned foundations + forgotten history
5. Robertsville State Park Cemetery
⚰️ Historic cemetery + woods + unusual atmosphere
This might be one of the more unusual short Halloween walks on my list.
At Robertsville State Park, a short trail leads to the Roberts Family Cemetery.
The cemetery sits among the trees, creating a surprisingly atmospheric destination for an October hike.
One of the things I remember most about the experience was hearing the power lines crackling overhead while looking at the historic gravestones.
It’s a short walk, but sometimes you don’t need miles of trail to find a memorable Halloween adventure.
Read my Robertsville State Park Cemetery story
Halloween factor: ⚰️ Historic cemetery + woods + unusual sounds
6. Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area
🏚️ Monastery ruins + forest + ravines
For a Halloween adventure that combines ruins, history and secluded woods, Saint Stanislaus Conservation Area is worth exploring.
I followed a trail through the conservation area, climbing Charbonier Bluff before reaching the ruins of the former monastery retreat.
Stone foundations, pillars, old stairs and remnants of the former structures can be found among the trees.
The ruins aren’t the type of thing you expect to encounter on an ordinary Missouri hike, which makes discovering them part of the fun.
Read my Saint Stanislaus monastery ruins story
Halloween factor: 🏚️ Monastery ruins + forest + ravines + abandoned structures
7. Fort Belle Fontaine
👻 Military history + ruins + ghosts
History and Halloween come together at Fort Belle Fontaine County Park.
Fort Belle Fontaine dates back to the early 1800s and has a long military history connected to St. Louis and the early United States.
Today, visitors can explore the grounds and remnants of historic structures, including a massive stone staircase.
The site also has local stories about ghost soldiers.
Whether you’re interested in seeing ghosts or simply want to explore one of the area’s historic outdoor destinations, Fort Belle Fontaine makes an interesting October adventure.
Read my Fort Belle Fontaine Halloween hike
Halloween factor: 👻 Military history + ruins + ghost stories
8. Welch Spring
🏥 Abandoned sanatorium + spring + Missouri Ozarks
For a Halloween adventure featuring an abandoned building in the woods, Welch Spring is hard to overlook.
The spring itself is beautiful, but nearby are the remains of an abandoned sanatorium built in the early 1900s.
The stone walls and remnants of the structure sit near the spring, creating an unusual contrast between the peaceful natural surroundings and the abandoned building.
This is one of those Missouri destinations where the history is every bit as interesting as the hike.
Read my Welch Spring abandoned sanatorium story
Halloween factor: 🏥 Abandoned sanatorium + ruins + remote setting + Ozark spring
9. Weldon Spring Interpretive Center
☢️ WWII history + massive mound + unusual Missouri history
Not every Halloween adventure needs ghosts.
Sometimes the history is strange enough.
At the Weldon Spring Interpretive Center, visitors can climb a huge engineered mound built over waste from the former Weldon Spring Ordnance Works.
The area has a complicated history involving World War II-era military production and later environmental cleanup.
Today, visitors can climb the stairs and trail to the top for views of the surrounding landscape.
Standing on top of the massive structure and learning what happened here makes this one of the more unusual outdoor adventures in the St. Louis region.
Read my Weldon Spring Interpretive Center story
Halloween factor: ☢️ WWII history + unusual landscape + fascinating industrial past
10. Tour of Bellefontaine Cemetery
⚰️ Historic graves + elaborate monuments + St. Louis history
Bellefontaine Cemetery isn’t a traditional hiking trail, but a walking tour through its historic grounds makes for a fascinating Halloween adventure.
Instead of spooky trails and caves, you’ll find winding roads, historic graves, elaborate monuments and the stories of people connected to St. Louis history.
It’s the kind of place where simply walking around can lead you to something unexpected—a distinctive monument, an old grave or a story that makes you want to stop and learn more.
A fall visit can be especially beautiful, with the changing leaves adding another layer to the historic setting.
Read my Tour of Bellefontaine Cemetery story
Halloween factor: ⚰️ Historic cemetery + elaborate monuments + fascinating St. Louis stories
Which Halloween Adventure Should You Try?
You don’t have to be looking for ghosts to enjoy these places.
If you like spooky legends, start with the Zombie Trail.
Then, if abandoned places catch your attention, check out Busch Memorial, Saint Stanislaus, or Welch Spring.
If you’re interested in ghost towns and forgotten communities, add Route 66 State Park and Old Greenville to your list.
Then, if you’re fascinated by cemeteries and history, explore Robertsville State Park or take a tour of Bellefontaine Cemetery.
And if unusual Missouri history is your thing, Weldon Spring offers an experience unlike almost any other hike on this list.
The common thread is that these are real places with real histories. That’s what makes them so interesting to explore during the Halloween season.
What to Know Before You Go
Many of these adventures involve uneven terrain, hills, rocks, mud, wooded trails, historic ruins or remote areas.
Before heading out:
- Check current park hours and trail conditions.
- Look for temporary closures.
- Wear appropriate hiking shoes.
- Bring water.
- Carry a charged phone.
- Take a flashlight or headlamp if appropriate.
- Stay on designated trails.
- Don’t climb on or enter unsafe abandoned structures.
- Respect cemeteries and historic sites.
- Check regulations before planning any nighttime visit.
Important: A spooky hike doesn’t have to mean hiking after dark. Many of these places are best experienced during daylight.
More St. Louis-Area Hiking
Looking for more places to explore?
Check out my [Ultimate Guide to Hiking Near St. Louis] for a larger collection of trails, parks and outdoor adventures around the St. Louis area.
And if you’re looking for more seasonal adventures, keep an eye out for additional That Away Dad fall hiking and Halloween stories throughout October.
Happy Halloween Hiking!
Grab your hiking shoes, bring your camera and explore some of the more mysterious, unusual and fascinating places around Missouri.
And remember—sometimes the best Halloween stories are the ones you discover while you’re simply out exploring.
MORE FALL FUN
Ultimate Guide to Apple Orchards, Pumpkin Farms, and Corn Mazes Near St. Louis
Fall around St. Louis means apple orchards, pumpkin farms, corn mazes, and plenty of family adventures, and this guide to the best fall attractions near St. Louis will help you find places to enjoy the season.
MORE AUTUMN ADVENTURES
5 Best Fall Hikes Near St. Louis for Autumn Colors
Fall is one of my favorite times to go hiking around St. Louis. The cooler temperatures make it easier to spend time on the trail, while the changing leaves can transform familiar Missouri woods into something completely different.
