Haunted houses & hayrides
Minnesota's 2026 scream parks, hayrides and haunted houses, by region, with dates, prices and age rules.
Checked 2026-10-19
Every paid scare we could confirm for 2026, grouped by region: 14 haunted houses, hayrides and scream parks. Each card has the town, what you're walking into, this year's dates and prices, and the haunt's own age rules. Haunts outside the metro core also get a rough drive time from downtown Minneapolis. If a haunt hadn't posted a 2026 schedule we could check, it isn't here.
About the intensity tags. They're our read, based on each haunt's own age rules and warnings. Nobody official hands these out.
- Medium: the haunt suggests roughly 10 to 12 and up (or sets no age rule) and doesn't advertise touching.
- High: touch in some areas, a 13+ recommendation for part of it, or a chaperone rule for everyone under 18.
- Very high: touch everywhere, or a firm minimum age plus a self-described aggressive style.
Twin Cities metro
A scream park on Highway 212 (7410 Hwy 212) with seven separate haunts. A regular ticket covers five of them: Psycho-delic Circus, Zombie CDC, Cannibal Cabin, Chained Inferno and Oak Blood Forest. VIP adds Nightmares & Phobias and Saturn 6 Siege, and those two are touch attractions, so the actors can grab you. The Abandoned Hayride next door is the sister event. If you're doing all seven, plan on a long night.
- 2026 dates
- Opened Sept 25. October nights: Oct 2–4, 8–11, 14–18, 22–25 and 29–31. Timed entry starts at 7:00 pm on most Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights, and at 6:30 pm on Fri Oct 23, Thu Oct 29 and Fri Oct 30. Saturdays: 6:30 pm on Oct 10, Oct 17 and Oct 31, 6:00 pm on Oct 24.
- Price
- Depends on the night's color tier (purple, green or orange). Regular: $24–$48 online, $30–$56 at the gate. VIP/Fast Pass: $50–$79 online, $56–$84 at the gate. Ultimate VIP (no wait, includes The Abandoned Hayride): $115–$139 online, $149 at the gate. Abandoned Hayride add-on: $29. Online orders add a $2 fee plus tax. The box office takes cash only (there's an ATM on site).
- Ages & intensity
- Recommended for 10 and up. Strobes, theatrical fog and PG-13 language. The two VIP haunts are touch attractions, and the hayride is 100% touch. You can't carry children through, and strollers won't fit. Each ticket admits one person.
Official site: screamtown.com Checked 2026-10-19
The Abandoned Hayride
Chaska
ScreamTown's sister hayride, and the one where the actors are allowed to touch you, in every part of it. After the wagon you go on foot through three more: Stonehell (vampire caves), Mirehollow (a witch marsh) and Exiled, where you walk a dark forest alone carrying one small lantern. One ticket covers all four. The site advertises new scares for 2026.
- 2026 dates
- Same nights as ScreamTown: Sept 25–26, then Oct 2–4, 8–11, 14–18, 22–25 and 29–31. First time slot is 7:00 pm most nights, 6:00 pm on Sat Oct 17 and Sat Oct 24, and 6:30 pm on Sat Oct 10, Fri Oct 23, Fri Oct 30 and Sat Oct 31.
- Price
- Hayride-only tickets, by night tier. General Admission: $19 / $27 / $36 online, $25 / $34 / $45 at the gate. VIP/Fast Pass: $29 / $40 / $46 online, $35 / $47 / $53 at the gate. Ultimate VIP (adds all 7 ScreamTown haunts): $115 / $129 / $139 online, $149 at the gate. Online orders add a $2 fee, and the box office takes cash only (there's an ATM on site). Or add it to a ScreamTown ticket for $29.
- Ages & intensity
- Recommended for 10 and older. No children 4 and under. Kids can't be carried or ride on a lap. 100% touch in every attraction.
Official site: theabandonedhayride.com Checked 2026-10-19
The Dead End Hayride
Wyoming
A long wagon ride into the woods at Pinehaven Farm (28186 Kettle River Blvd N, Wyoming), then you're on foot through outdoor scare zones, movie-style sets and a cornfield. Bonfires and food trucks help with the wait. The haunt describes itself as fast-paced, aggressive and intense, so take it at its word.
- 2026 dates
- Sept 18 – Nov 1, 2026. The last nights: every night Oct 21–31, plus Sun Nov 1 (closed Tue Oct 20). The first wagon leaves 30 minutes after sunset. Timed check-in slots start at 6:30 pm on Oct 21 and 22, 6:00 pm Oct 23–31 and 5:00 pm on Sun Nov 1.
- Drive
- About 45 minutes north on I-35.
- Price
- Changes by night. General Admission $20–$45, Fast Pass $33–$63, Immediate Access $46–$88. Online prices: Oct 21 and Oct 26–27 are $20 / $33 / $46; Oct 22, Oct 28–29 and Nov 1 are $27 / $39 / $59; Sun Oct 25 is $34 / $50 / $74; Fri–Sat Oct 23–24 and Oct 30–31 are $45 / $63 / $88. General Admission and Fast Pass cost more at the door, and on those Friday and Saturday nights they're sold online only. Add 7.375% sales tax. Groups of 20 or more get a group rate, bought online in advance.
- Ages & intensity
- Must be 10 or older; 13 and up recommended (official safety page). Heavy strobes and fog. Pregnant guests are discouraged.
Official site: thedeadendhayride.com Checked 2026-10-19
The Haunting Experience
Cottage Grove
On Highway 61 at 10900 E. Point Douglas Rd., going since 1986. The haunt counts 2026 as its 40th straight year and bills itself as Minnesota's longest-running haunted hayride. General admission gets you a walk-through haunted house and a tractor-pulled hayride. VIP adds Massacre, an interactive cornfield. Phone 651-459-3001.
- 2026 dates
- Select nights, Sept 25 – Oct 31, 2026. The calendar on the official site shows which nights are open and each night's price color: blue (cheapest), red (popular) or yellow (peak). The last nights are Wed–Sun Oct 21–25 and Wed–Sat Oct 28–31. On those, Fridays and Saturdays are yellow, and Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday nights are red. Opens around 7:00 pm, once it's dark. Closes at 9 pm on blue nights, 10 pm on red and 11 pm on yellow. Get there at least 30 minutes before closing.
- Price
- General Admission (haunted house and hayride): $25 / $35 / $45 by night; the blue nights are over, so it's $35 on red nights and $45 on yellow nights for the rest of the season. Fast Pass: not sold on the cheapest nights, otherwise $47 / $57. VIP (house, hayride and Massacre): $40 / $60 / $70. Online orders add a $3 service fee per ticket.
- Ages & intensity
- VIP and Massacre are recommended for 13 and older because they're intense and interactive. No age is stated for General Admission. The daytime Fall Fun Fest, the lights-on version for little kids, ran Oct 15–18 and is over for 2026.
Official site: hauntingexperience.com Checked 2026-10-19
ValleyScare at Valleyfair
Shakopee
Valleyfair after dark. Five indoor mazes (Berserkers: Valkyries' Vengeance, Cryptidland, Mr. Cleaver's Bloodshed, The Chateau: 7 Deadly Scares and Undertakers) and four outdoor scare zones (Hemlock's Coven, Blood on the Boundary Waters, CarnEVIL and Signal Zero). Blood on the Boundary Waters may be the most Minnesota name a scare zone has ever had. In 2026 ValleyScare is its own ticket, separate from daytime park admission.
- 2026 dates
- Fridays and Saturdays, Sept 19 – Oct 31, 2026. October Fridays 7:00–11:59 pm, Saturdays 5:30–11:59 pm.
- Price
- ValleyScare-only: $49.99 online (includes a $0.99 fee) or $89 at the gate. Tricks and Treats + ValleyScare combo: $74.99 online, $109 at the gate. Line-skip add-ons, which don't include admission: Fright Lane $64.99, Fright Lane Plus $94.99. Eligible season passes include ValleyScare.
- Ages & intensity
- The park calls it intense and says it may not suit younger guests; parental discretion advised. Anyone 17 or under needs a chaperone 21 or older carrying a physical government photo ID (a photo of an ID won't do). One chaperone can bring up to 5 minors a day. No costumes, costume masks or face paint.
Official site: valleyfair.enchantedparks.com Checked 2026-10-19
Twin Cities Fear Fest at Mall of America
Bloomington
An indoor haunt on Level 2 South at Mall of America, so rain and cold don't matter. The 2026 attractions are Jason Universe: Survive the Night (Friday the 13th, with a Director's Cut add-on) and Dead City Uprising. There's an Elvira pop-up shop and bar, a hidden 21+ bar called The Sanctum, and Deadshot Alley, a GellyBall zombie range. The Sanctum and Deadshot Alley are separate add-ons.
- 2026 dates
- Select nights, Sept 25 – Nov 1, 2026. Nights left on the official ticket calendar: Oct 21–25, Oct 27–31 and Sun Nov 1 (closed Tue Oct 20 and Mon Oct 26). Hours aren't posted as text, but the entry times on sale run 6:30–8:45 pm most nights, 6:30–9:45 pm on Fri Oct 23, 6:30–9:15 pm on Fri Oct 30, and 6:00–9:45 pm on Sat Oct 24 and Sat Oct 31. There are no walk-ups, so pick your slot before you go.
- Price
- Dynamic pricing. General admission $19.99–$26.99 depending on the date. Fast Pass $27.99–$34.99, Skip The Line $34.99–$41.99, Skip The Line Flex $39.99–$46.99. Online only: no box office and no walk-ups.
- Ages & intensity
- Recommended for 12 and older (official ticketing help page). Kids 15 and under must be with an adult. The Sanctum is 21+ with ID. The Elvira bar is open to all ages, but you have to be 21 to buy a drink.
Official site: twincitiesfearfest.com Checked 2026-10-19
The after-dark side of Dehn's Pumpkins in the northwest metro (17270 125th Ave N). The official ticket page says a standard ticket covers all three attractions (Dehn Manor, the shed and the corn maze) plus the wagon ride.
- 2026 dates
- Fridays and Saturdays: Oct 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31, 7–11 pm, per the official ticket page.
- Price
- Standard ticket $32.99; VIP fast pass $59.99 (skips the line at all the attractions). Both are on the official 2026 ticket page.
- Ages & intensity
- A directory says 10 and up. The haunt itself publishes no age rule.
Official site: dehnsatdark.com 2026 ticket page Checked 2026-10-19
Duluth & North Shore
Duluth Haunted Ship (SS William A. Irvin)
Duluth
A walk-through haunt inside the William A. Irvin, a retired 610-foot freighter tied up in Canal Park. 2026 is the 31st year, and the theme is The Captain's Curse: the captain is missing and the crew has turned into cryptids. Explore Minnesota puts the cast at about 50 actors and the route at 30–45 minutes. Food and drinks are sold on site.
- 2026 dates
- Oct 2, 3, 9, 10, 14 (MEA Wednesday), 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31. Thursdays (and MEA Wednesday, Oct 14) 6:30–10 pm, Fridays 6:30–10:30 pm, Saturdays 4–10:30 pm. On Sat Oct 17 and Oct 24 the ship also runs a separate 1–3 pm tour, Lights On: Not So Haunted Ship, with no actors and the animatronics off. The ship says it's still gory and not for little children.
- Drive
- About 2.5 hours (155 miles) up I-35.
- Price
- General Admission $25, Fast Pass $35 in advance or $40 the day of, VIP $75. GA is $20 on discount days (Oct 2, 3, 14, 15, 22 and 29). College students with ID pay $10, in person at the box office only; active military also pay $10. All sales final. Lights On tour: $20 adults, $10 ages 17 and under.
- Ages & intensity
- No child under 12 is admitted without a parent; parental guidance suggested. Strobes and special effects. Not wheelchair accessible.
Official site: duluthhauntedship.com Checked 2026-10-19
Haunted Shack & Hayride
Carlton
A haunted shack and a hayride on a working farm at 1781 Co Rd 1, Carlton, southwest of Duluth. It's outdoors on uneven ground, so wear boots and a warm layer. The homepage has a banner saying the Shack and all its props are for sale, but the October 2026 calendar is posted with prices. Check the haunt's Facebook page for weather calls or changes before you drive.
- 2026 dates
- Fri Oct 9 7–10 pm, Sat Oct 10 7–10, Sun Oct 11 7–9, Thu Oct 15 7–9, Fri Oct 16 7–10, Sat Oct 17 7–10, Thu Oct 22 7–9, Fri Oct 23 7–10, Sat Oct 24 7–10. Kids Day: Sat Oct 17, 11 am–2 pm. Ticket sales stop 30 minutes before closing. Nothing after Oct 24.
- Drive
- About 2 hours 15 minutes; 20 minutes short of Duluth off I-35.
- Price
- General $20; $15 with student or military ID; Express Pass $30. Kids Day: $15 for trick-or-treaters 12 and under (first 300), $12 for kids not trick-or-treating. $5 off with a coat donation or $2 off with a canned good (pick one). Cash or check only.
- Ages & intensity
- Not recommended for kids under 12. Under 16 must be with an adult. Everyone signs a waiver, and anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian release form. Fog and strobes.
Official site: hauntedshack.com 2026 schedule Checked 2026-10-19
Rochester & southeast
Fright at the Farm
Zumbrota
Rochester Horror's haunt off Highway 52 (47385 Hwy 52 Blvd, Zumbrota). You walk between old farm buildings and through a haunted hemp maze, which they bill as the only haunted cannabis maze in the country. At 10 pm they kill the lights for the Blackout run, and each group gets one LED candle to share. Decide in the car who holds it.
- 2026 dates
- Fridays and Saturdays: Oct 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31. Theatrical haunt 7–10 pm, Blackout 10–11 pm. The farm-store ticket window is open 6:30–11 pm.
- Drive
- About 1 hour 10 minutes down Hwy 52; 25 minutes north of Rochester.
- Price
- $20 online through Eventbrite (plus a $4.41 processing fee), or $20 at the farm window, cash or card, no fee. One ticket is one trip through; the theatrical haunt and the Blackout each need their own ticket. No refunds.
- Ages & intensity
- Suggested ages 10–99. Under 13 must be with an adult, and anyone 15 or under needs a responsible adult on site. Actors don't intentionally touch guests. Strobes, fog, lasers and loud music. Glow sticks are on hand for guests who get too scared.
Official site: rochesterhorror.com Checked 2026-10-19
Monster Bash Haunted House
Harmony
An indoor haunt at 150 1st St NW in Harmony, run entirely by volunteers as a 501(c)(3), with the money going to music, theater and the arts at Fillmore Central schools. Year 14 is Meltdown Medical, and they added about 2,000 square feet. On Sat Oct 24, Fandazzi fire shows go at 5, 6 and 7 pm. If you're coming from the metro, Fright at the Farm in Zumbrota is on the way down Hwy 52.
- 2026 dates
- Fri Oct 9 7–9 pm; Sat Oct 10 7–10; Fri Oct 16 6–10; Sat Oct 17 5–10; Fri Oct 23 7–10; Sat Oct 24 6–10; Sun Oct 25 6–8; Fri Oct 30 7–10; Sat Oct 31 6–10. Ticket sales stop at closing time.
- Drive
- About 2.5 hours; 50 minutes south of Rochester.
- Price
- $20, or $15 on reduced nights (Oct 9, 10 and 25). RIP pass $40. Under 5 free. At the door only, cash or card.
- Ages & intensity
- No age limit, but the haunt recommends kids be 10 or older. Ask for Reduced Fright when you buy, at no extra cost: actors won't scare you directly, though the effects still can.
Official site: monsterbashhauntedhouse.org Checked 2026-10-19
St. Cloud & central
Molitor's Haunted Acres
Sauk Rapids
A family-run walk-through in the woods at 3571 5th Ave NE, Sauk Rapids, in the St. Cloud area, going since 1998. Live actors and an outdoor trail. One rule to know up front: you don't touch the actors, the props, the sets or the other guests.
- 2026 dates
- 12 nights; times are ticket-booth hours. Oct 2, 3, 9 and 10: 7–11 pm. Thu Oct 15: 6:45–9:30 pm. Oct 16–17: 6:45–11 pm. Thu Oct 22 and 29: 6:30–9:30 pm. Oct 23, 24 and 30: 6:30–11 pm. Not open as a haunt on Oct 31; that night is the 16th annual Halloween Bash and costume contest at Molitor's Quarry Grill & Bar.
- Drive
- About 1 hour 10 minutes up US 10 or I-94.
- Price
- General Admission online through the official Eventbrite link: $30 (Oct 2–3), $33 (Oct 9–10 and 15), $35 (Oct 16–30). With Eventbrite fees and tax that's $36.43–$42.19. Online sales close at 5 pm the day of. At the door: $32 (Oct 2–3), $35 (Oct 9–10 and 15), $37 (Oct 16–30), cash or credit; credit cards add tax and a processing fee. Fast Pass $65, sold on site only. On Thursdays, students get $3 off with ID when they buy on site, and groups of 10 or more get $5 off each with an advance reservation (320-492-2082). No refunds.
- Ages & intensity
- Recommended for 12 and up. Guests 12 and under must come with an adult.
Official site: molitorshauntedacres.com 2026 tickets (Eventbrite) Checked 2026-10-19
Harvest of Horror
St. Augusta
A walk-through south of St. Cloud at 4108 200th Street, St. Augusta. It came back in 2025 without its hayride, so it's on foot now: cornfields, a zombie room, a forest, an asylum, the Murder Home and a haunted wild west. Open rain or shine.
- 2026 dates
- Fridays and Saturdays Oct 2–3, 9–10, 16–17 and 23–24, plus Fri Oct 30, 7–11 pm. Not open Oct 31. Tickets sold until 10:45 pm.
- Drive
- About 1 hour up I-94, just south of St. Cloud.
- Price
- Admission $30 (Oct 2–3, 9–10), $33 (Oct 16–17), $35 (Oct 23–24 and 30). Fastpass from $50 / $53 / $55 on those nights; surge pricing may apply. Cash or card, no checks; cards add a 3% fee. All sales final.
- Ages & intensity
- All ages welcome; parents should use judgment with preschoolers. Not advised for anyone with a medical condition that intense, startling situations could aggravate.
Official site: harvestofhorror.com Checked 2026-10-19