It’s an unusually gentle night for the middle of October – especially in the thick of the forest, where the humidity from surrounding foliage and the fallen leaves blanketing the ground can make things feel a little cooler. I’m perfectly fine strolling around in a t-shirt and jeans. No, the chill I’ve been feeling for the last several minutes is one of apprehension… a fear borne of what may be watching, and waiting, within the darkness of the trees. You see, I’ve just stepped into a wood most forbidden: one where the stories, myths, and legends many of us have grown up with have not only been given life, but also twisted into new and evil forms. Hansel & Gretel didn’t escape the witch. Peter Pan will attack you just as readily as Captain Hook will. And if you’re foolish enough to walk among the glowing jack o’lanterns of Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman might just come for your head next.
I’ve entered the world of Grim Trails, a fairy tale and folklore-based haunted trail located at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kentucky. And rest assured: no one is going to live happily ever after.
Grim Trails has been a staple in the Louisville haunt scene for many years. This attraction consistently evolves each season, putting a dark and unique spin on the classic stories and characters a lot of us have known and loved from a young age. What have the creative minds behind this haunted trail come up with for 2025? Crack open that storybook and let’s flip through the chapters to find out.
NOTE: I explored Grim Trails completely alone and did not join another group.
My adventure began with a brief sequence inside a candlelit home, with dark and witchy-looking characters prowling around and sorting groups from below while another presided over the scene above. I was eventually sent outside to hang out with Sage and Sir Ludwig, who were both welcoming- if not a bit sinister- company before they turned this Lone Wolf loose on the trail. Many monsters and wicked souls stalked and menaced me along my trek. With that said, not everyone was out to eat or attack me… well, not at first. Pinocchio was a little too excited when I came knocking, leaping up from his chair to greet me when I cautiously stepped inside his house. (The feeling was not mutual. I cussed.) “I’d love to have a new sibling like this one here!” he exclaimed with delight, indicating one of the creepy dolls decorating the room. I heartily disagreed. “Oh, you don’t like it?! That truly breaks my wooden heart…” The troll guarding a bridge was considerably less friendly, snorting and growling peevishly as he ran me out. “Off! Off my bridge!” I couldn’t get my paws off it fast enough! Further down the trail, I carefully approached Captain Hook outside of his ship. After holding me at bladepoint and ensuring I wasn’t corrupted by pixie dust, he left me with several warnings about the dangers that awaited on the High Seas. If only his crew had been as merciful – they stalked me throughout the ship snarling threats!
I had a bit of a break (after something else scared the crap out of me) when I found the Mad Hatter, clinking glasses and offering to share a cup of tea. The actors working in Hansel & Gretel had great synergy; I was invited in following assurance that I knew how to bury a body and agreeing to help the young lady… only to be expertly herded right into the same oven that consumed poor Hansel! Walking bravely into the shadows of Sleepy Hollow, I encountered a British gentleman- who may have once been a school teacher- asking why I’d come there. I told him I just felt like I needed to. “But, the killings… you’ve heard about those?” “Yeah.” “Then why have you come?!” he shrieked like I was absolutely mad for being there. (Shout-out to this actor: British accent was on point.)
Most of the actors jumped into their roles with strong energy and there was little by way of staring, or getting a quick scare and resetting. They were pretty interactive on all counts: with the sets they were in, any other actors nearby, and of course – me! Dialogue was tailored to each creature or character and nothing I heard seemed out of place or cliché.
Grim’s costuming game was not only solid but noticeably improved from previous seasons, especially when it came to makeup. Very few actors wore minimal makeup unless their character called for it – they looked good out there! Details varied with costumes. Some were on the simpler side, such as the random critters lurking within the trees as you progressed along the trail and the clothing on more human (or humanoid) characters. However, all of them had some degree of distress or dirt. Other than makeup wounds, blood around vampire jaws, and maybe some odd set pieces, blood and gore weren’t a big thing at this haunt.
There seemed to be a somewhat heavier preference for makeup over masks, but they had some really neat ones. Pinocchio’s gnarled wooden face (with the signature long nose!), the bridge troll, and the queue scarecrow were among my favorites. Several actors incorporated props in their act: the first vampire I came across threatened me with a large blade, I was nearly sliced and diced by an armored knight’s sword, etc.
If I had to pick a favorite complete look, it would be the creature resembling a Wendigo or some other forest spirit. Between the mossy, shaggy body- similar to the “bushman” look I see often at haunts- and the skull mask, it was super cool.
Finding Grim Trails was quite easy. As I was driving down a winding road into Tom Sawyer Park, I eventually spotted a big lit-up sign with the haunt’s logo and an arrow pointing down the road I needed to turn onto to reach it. Parking was free and there was a brightly lit lot right beside the entrance, which was also well lit and had signs posted to confirm where customers needed to go. Prices for tickets were as follows: $30 for General Admission, $40 for Fast Pass, and $70 for Front of the Line. Separate labeled queues were set up for customers who either needed to buy tickets on site or had already purchased online, and the queues for each type of ticket were also labeled.
When it was time to leave, a walking path led right to the exit and a staff member was on hand to see people out. Everyone working was nice and helpful. Most of what a potential visitor would want or need to know was posted on Grim’s website, though I’d love to see additional questions added to the FAQs about handicap accessibility and a weather policy since this is an outdoor attraction.
While customers followed the walking path to the trail’s entrance, an ominous voice played in the background, welcoming us in and going over the rules we’d be expected to follow. Lanterns hung under banners of various creatures. Around the box office and queue, music was playing to keep the crowd in good spirits. Two characters roamed the line: Thorn, Grim’s resident gravedigger, and an incredibly tall scarecrow.
As suggested earlier in this review, Grim Trails follows a general theme of fairytales and legends throughout history. A preshow that introduces guests to a budding storyline was put into play this year, and I was told there are plans to expand on that in future seasons. The majority of the trail followed the theme, taking groups through a castle full of vampires, Pinocchio’s home, the wilderness where the Beast of Gevaudan hunts, Captain Hook’s pirate ship, Sleepy Hollow, and many more scenes. There were also some general spooky areas like a graveyard, a scene filled with creepy dolls, and a murky swamp. If you managed to evade the creatures of these haunted woods, the trail exited straight towards the merch booth. A photo op was across from that for groups to grab a picture before they left.
The recorded voice, banners, and lanterns are great for the walking path, but adding some props or fog- if possible- would heighten the immersion early on. A new outdoor spot that groups wait in before starting the trail had pale plastic walls that felt a little out of place compared to the rest of the scene.
Many special effects were deployed to bring the sinister story of Grim Trails to life. Ambient lighting was used not only for scenes, but to make the trail even spookier and help groups find their way on the path. I noticed many glowing LED candles this season, too. They fit in well at this attraction – my favorite uses of them were surrounding the body of The Matron at the beginning and in Pinocchio’s house, where they provided just enough light to illuminate set details and the actor’s mask and costume. Audio was tailored to every portion of the haunt. I heard crows cawing and tunes ranging from eerie, to mystical, to dark and ominous. There was even what sounded like a music box.
Some scenes had more than others, but a lot of good props and animatronics were also used. I was nearly chomped by a crocodile puppet on the pirate ship, noticed several plague doctors and strange goat-skulled creatures in another scene, and narrowly dodged other crazies and creatures dropping from above! And be careful when exploring those caves… there be dragons. The caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland was a cute touch, and in an elaborate zombie-infested graveyard later, I noticed some awfully familiar names decorating the headstones – let’s just say certain Zombillies might have met with a terrible fate. (But they’re zombies, so no worries. They’ll be back!)
A few other neat effects were involved in enhancing scenes. There was a good amount of fog, a sweet pastry or spice smell in Hansel & Gretel, and a bouncy “squishy” floor near the swamp. Although most SFX were functioning and looked good, there were technical difficulties here and there. I stumbled upon an impressive praying mantis animatronic that moved a bit and made noise, but didn’t light up or engage in full movement, and that was a bummer. They’ve got an impressive dragon puppet in the caves that could also use some TLC.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.3
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9.75
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 9.15
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 8.8
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 7
You may be part of the story at Grim, but you certainly won’t get to decide how it goes. The only thing on your mind will be escaping from every scary-tale you come across in those woods! Most scares were actor-based and they pulled out as many stops as they could to get me screaming, swearing, and fleeing for my life. Attacks came from almost every direction and included not only the expected jump scares, but also plenty of threats, characters getting all in my bubble (some of ’em got real personal), brandishing weapons, sliding (looking at you Little Red!), and tag teaming. A shout-out is in order for Peter Pan and his Shadow – I almost became a wolf sandwich between them! Damn!
A lot of the animatronics were set up for scares too, and I was lucky enough to hit the timing on most of them as a party of one as they are usually timed for full groups. One of the dragons actually collided with me when it popped out from above! I loved it.
The biggest area of opportunity I saw for the haunt, in terms of scares, was the finale. Both actors did their best, but the whole trail is so good that it deserves an ending that leaves guests either breathless and running out of the exit or going “Wow!” It’s their last chance to leave a final impression.
They say no one lives happily ever after at Grim Trails, but this haunt reviewer writes her own endings: I made it out of the woods in approximately 29 minutes. With a General Admission ticket price of $30, that gives Grim an MPD (Minutes Per Dollar) rating of 0.97. That’s just a hair shy of the full minute we usually like to see from a haunt! And for the sheer number of scenes, characters, and great scares they’ve packed into the trail, I felt the base ticket price was well worth it. In addition to the haunt, there was music to enjoy while waiting, a couple of roaming characters to scare guests and take photos, and a nice photo op at the exit. These were optional and not included in the E&V score, but there was also a merch booth where souvenirs could be purchased and a vendor selling flavored teas and cookies.
Did you have any favorite legends or fairy tales when you were young? Does the idea of a much darker vision of these stories intrigue you? Venture out into the woods of Grim Trails this season and prepare to write your own tale of terror.
2600 Freys Hill Road, Louisville, Kentucky 40241
