Local History and Jumpscares: Win Four Tickets to Raging Rivers Haunted Trail

GRAFTON - Community members have the chance to win four tickets to the Raging Rivers Haunted Trail.

Every Friday and Saturday night this October, Raging Rivers will offer its annual Haunted Trail through the woods of the waterpark. Attendees can expect plenty of jumpscares and lots of lore on the park’s property. You can enter below to win four tickets to the Haunted Trail attraction, or buy tickets online at RagingRivers.com/Haunted-Trail.

“It’s riddled with jumpscares all through the woods, so it’s fun,” said Jeremy Hayes, park manager at Raging Rivers. “That's our ultimate goal. That’s what we strive for. We’re smile-makers, and that’s what we put on our shirts. Ultimately, we’re here to make people smile, and that’s what we want. We want people to be happy.”

Hayes explained that this year’s Haunted Trail is twice the size of last year’s attraction. Attendees will walk on a mulched path through the woods on the Raging Rivers property.

“Definitely wear closed-toed shoes and be prepared to get scared,” he added.

With plenty of jumpscares and a spooky graveyard scene, Haunted Trail attendees are sure to be frightened. But Hayes noted that the attraction incorporates local history to amp up the fear factor.

According to Hayes, Baby Hollow is a valley in Grafton where people used to leave their sick loved ones to die. As more graves filled the area, some of these graves were moved farther into the woods, closer to the Raging Rivers property line. The waterpark also used to be the site of a dynamite factory, which was eventually shut down after several explosions cost workers their lives.

These two historical incidents contribute to the ambiance of the Haunted Trail. Hayes said they play on the history of the property to scare attendees.

“We’re actually utilizing the scariness of the woods,” Hayes said. “We’re just trying to take advantage of the creepiness of the woods that it already has.”

While Hayes admitted he has not always been a Halloween fan, he changed his mind after last year’s Haunted Trail when he saw how much people enjoyed it. He had fun scaring people along the trail, and he especially loved watching them leave with smiles on their faces.

“Watching people and scaring people and actually being a part of that, it’s a blast,” Hayes said. “It’s funny because you scare them, and then you would think that they’re going to be frightened and frustrated about it, but really they’re happy. That’s what they’re there for. That’s what they want. You’re putting smiles on people’s faces and you’re creating memories that last a lifetime, and that’s what it’s all about.”

For more information about the Raging Rivers Haunted Trail or to purchase tickets, visit RagingRivers.com/Haunted-Trail. Enter below for the chance to win four free tickets to the Haunted Trail. The winner will be drawn at 10 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2024.

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