Per a post on the Linn’s Haunted House Facebook page, they will be opening one hour later on Friday October 30 and Saturday October 31, 2026. The DMHH calendar and index has been updated.
Category: Haunted Woods
Haunted Woods closed on Thursday
Per their Facebook post today:
“THE HAUNTED WOODS WILL BE CLOSED DUE TO THE RAIN OCTOBER 15TH. WE WILL BE BACK OPEN ON FRIDAY THE 16TH @ 7PM. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.”
https://www.facebook.com/hauntedwoodsdsm
I have made a note on the calendar, but the directory may still have the original dates.
Math is hard. 20+ nights for a haunt?
Can someone with more better math count the days that Haunted Woods is open, and tell me what you come up with? From their website:
https://www.hauntedwoodsdsm.com
I count twenty nights of screams. We haven’t had haunts running this many nights in awhile, have we?
Haunted Trolley Tour
New for 2026 is a great way to see two very different haunted attractions. Charters on Vine (a bus charter service) has a special deal where you meet up at Whiskey River in Ankeny and then board one of their trolleys for a night of halloween fun. The trolley heads out at 6:45 p.m. with the folks who made it on time 😉
https://whiskeyriverankeny.com
The trolley will take you to The Slaughterhouse in downtown Des Moines where you will get V.I.P. admission to the haunt.
Next, it rolls over to Monsterama PubCade, a monster themed arcade/bar.
https://www.monsteramapubcade.com
After this, it ends up at Haunted Woods in Carlisle for one of the coolest outdoor haunted walks you have ever experienced.
Eventually, they will return you to your car at Whiskey River in Ankeny (estimated to be around 11:30pm or so).
https://whiskeyriverankeny.com again, for those not paying attention.
The ticket price includes:
- VIP entrance to each haunt.
- Permission to bring alcohol onboard (it’s a party trolley, after all).
I would caution that the haunts may not let you in if you appear drunk, so… pregame responsibly…
Sounds like a fun way to have a night out and see some haunts without spending hours in line 😉
Check it out here:
Haunted Woods 2024 video
October 3, 2024 – Video interview with Marlyn Harris of Haunted Woods in Carlisle, Iowa.
Haunted Woods returns for 2024
Updates: Corrected year. See directory for full list of days open.
The surprising (literally) Haunted Woods returns for 2024. This haunted walk, which originally operated about 25 years ago, took some time off, then returned in 2022. We missed it that year, but did see it last year and boy where we impressed. They had a very cool style to their “distraction scares” that we really enjoyed.
The index and calendar has been updated with their initial information for this season. They provided these details:
- Haunted Woods – Mare Witch Project III
- http://Hauntedwoodsdsm.com
- Opens October 4, 2024.
Fri & Sat. – 7pm – 11pm
Sunday – 7pm – 9pm
Don’t miss it!
$10 off Haunted Woods on Mon 30 and Tue 31
Tonight (October 30) and tomorrow (October 31), you can get $10 OFF a trip through the Carlisle Haunted Woods by showing a post from their Facebook page. Go to the link below and scroll to find the discount offer:
https://www.facebook.com/hauntedwoodsdsm
You must show them the offer loaded up from their Facebook page. Be sure to give their page a Like or Follow while you are there.
Zombie Hollow date changes
Always check with the haunt’s official website or social media before heading out. Dates sometimes get added or removed. Or both, in the case of Winterset’s Zombie Hollow. From their Facebook page:
We’ve switched up our calendar a bit. We took out Thursday the 26th but added Sunday the 29th. Friday night is looking dry and just right! Come on out, grab a hot chocolate at Nick’s Kettle Korn located right at our front entrance and carry it with you as you enjoy the show! By Tuesday, we may be adding Christmas lights if the snow keeps up! ????????????❄️
Zombie Hollow on Facebook
Barnum Circus of Freaks also posted about adding an extra night this week.
For outdoor events, weather may also be a concern, with rain expected today and a potential to see some snow this weekend. Carlisle’s Haunted Woods has posted about potentially changing hours due to weather. Outdoor events such as these (and Sleepy Hollow, and Adventureland, and Trail of Terror, and…) can be impacted by wet or color weather.
Wrap up warm this weekend!
Haunted Woods video interview
October 21, 2023 – Video interview with Marilyn Harris of Haunted Woods, and some victims from Indianola.
Haunted Woods was great!
We visited the Haunted Woods in Carlisle tonight, and were pleasantly surprised at their scaring techniques. I call them “distraction scares.”
This 1/4 mile walk though the woods is a bit different. They try to fool you at every scene, and it pretty much made us jump at almost all of them. As soon as we thought we figured out what they were going to do next, we were wrong. They have some VERY fun hiding spots.
They try to limit groups to around four people, and allow ample spacing between groups. You feel like you are all alone in the woods except for the screams you hear from other groups in front of you. It is very nicely done, and I can’t wait to go back.