If your idea of Halloween fun involves misty forests and eerie silence instead of haunted houses, you’re in luck. With spooky season in full swing, outdoor apparel brand KÜHL took a data-driven approach to find the most hauntingly atmospheric trails across America.
The study ranked trails in every U.S. state using seven measurable factors – fog, rain, cloudiness, forest density, elevation, sunlight, and sunset timing – to calculate each trail’s official “Halloweeny Score.”
The top spot went to Mount Washington via Tuckerman Ravine in New Hampshire, with a score of 69.7. Rising 6,288 feet above sea level, the trail combines heavy October rainfall, constant cloud cover, and early sunsets that provide a moody light. With five fog days per month and dense forest coverage, it’s an otherworldly hike that feels plucked from a gothic novel.
Coming in second is Long Trail to Camel’s Hump in Vermont, earning a 64.8 thanks to its misty peaks, soft autumn light, and 4,000-foot elevation surrounded by beautiful foliage and fading daylight.
Other findings highlight just how diverse America’s spooky hiking scene can be. The Hoh River Trail in Washington ranked as the most atmospheric low-altitude trail, while Maine’s Precipice Trail dominated multiple eerie categories, from densest forest (89%) to rainiest October trail and even earliest sunset. Meanwhile, Alaska’s Crow Pass Trail took home the cloudiest honors with a perfect 100 on the cloud score.
The best trails for a Halloween hike
- Mount Washington via Tuckerman Ravine, New Hampshire
- Long Trail to Camel’s Hump, Vermont
- Precipice Trail, Maine
- Devil’s Path, New York
- Mount Greylock Summit, Massachusetts
- Alum Cave Trail to Mount LeConte, North Carolina
- Crow Pass Trail, Alaska
- Hoh River Trail, Washington
- Endless Wall Trail, West Virginia
- Glen Onoko Falls Trail, Pennsylvania
