Hillside Horror Review (2026)

Hillside Horror makes planning your visit pretty easy, with all the information you need available on their website and social media, including operating dates, hours, pricing, and directions. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door, and they do not use timed ticketing.

One of the biggest changes since our last visit in 2024 is how much Hillside Horror has expanded its midway. There is now quite a bit to keep guests entertained while waiting to enter the haunt. They have added several extra-fee attractions, including the 13th Floor Elevator and a Coffin Ride, along with Axe Throwing, which was already there during our previous visit. You’ll also find multiple animatronic props, including a Spitting Grandpa and an animatronic band, along with concessions, a merchandise stand, and a DJ. On the night we visited, they even had a comedian scheduled to entertain the crowd. The entertainment isn’t limited to the midway attractions, either. Before the haunt opens, actors come out for a spooky welcome entrance set to “The Purge,” and various ghouls continuously roam the property looking for opportunities to scare guests while they wait.

We visited on Halloween night, so we expected a pretty busy evening. While there was definitely a crowd, we were pleasantly surprised by how efficiently they kept things moving. The property is laid out well, and even with a good number of guests, the different areas never felt overly crowded. We only had a couple of instances where we encountered groups coming toward us while going through the attractions. The corn maze did get a little backed up at times, but that’s to be expected when you have guests trying to find their way through a maze!

The staff also deserves a shoutout. Everyone we encountered was friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Once you arrive on the property, the parking attendants do a great job directing traffic and making sure guests get parked in the right areas.

One area where we would still love to see some improvement is the road signage leading to the haunt. Both times we’ve visited, we’ve found ourselves questioning whether our GPS was actually taking us to the right place. You travel down a country road, and for a moment, it almost feels like you’re heading to someone’s private property before suddenly arriving at the haunt! Your GPS will get you there, but a few additional signs along the way would definitely help put first-time visitors at ease.

Hillside Horror has several areas that do a great job setting the mood before guests even enter the attractions. When heading toward the hayride, you walk underneath a large Hillside Horror sign and follow the edge of the cornfield. There are a few props along the way, but this is one area where we’d love to see them add a little more. Some additional scenery, lighting, or unexpected scares would help build anticipation before guests climb aboard the wagon.

The entrance to the corn maze is a completely different story. Before entering the maze, you are greeted by the exterior of a really spooky-looking haunted farmhouse. The attention to the outside appearance immediately sets the mood, and walking through the house before making your way into the corn is a great transition. This was one of our favorite examples of how to establish an atmosphere before an attraction even begins.

After the corn maze, guests enter another midway area that leads into the haunted houses and trail. This section is themed like a creepy carnival and does an excellent job creating the atmosphere. With games to play, snacks to grab, and even the opportunity to have your fortune told, it feels like you’re stepping into another part of the Halloween experience rather than simply walking between attractions.

As far as an overall storyline, Hillside Horror doesn’t follow one particular plot, but instead takes guests through a collection of different nightmares. The trail features a variety of themed areas, including a clown section, cemetery, spooky Christmas house, and familiar horror-inspired locations like Freddy and Leatherface’s houses. The corn maze has the strongest cohesive theme, with the haunted farmhouse leading into the cornfield and eventually to the various trailers and scenes hidden throughout. The trail is a little more varied in its theming, but that also gives guests plenty of different environments to experience.

The hayride is where we would like to see some improvements in maintaining immersion between scenes. The actors on the wagon keep guests entertained with music and conversation as you travel, but there are opportunities to make the transitions between scenes more engaging. Some creepy sounds, unexpected activity along the route, or additional things to look at would help keep guests in the experience instead of feeling like they’re simply riding between sets. The ride back after the final scene is another area that could use some attention. You travel for a couple of minutes through the parking lot under the bright lights, and the experience comes to a rather abrupt end. We realize the layout of the property makes this a challenging area to work with, but some spooky lighting, scenery, or activity along that final stretch could make a big difference.

The corn maze does a particularly good job keeping you immersed. Once you’re inside the corn, you’re wandering through the field and discovering different scenes along the way. The haunted trail also does a nice job maintaining the experience as you move through its various areas. We did encounter a couple of groups getting close to us during our visit, but we were able to pick up the pace and continue through. There were also a few quieter stretches along the trail where additional props or actors could help fill in some of the gaps and keep guests fully engaged.

One thing we really like about the overall layout is that each attraction brings you back out to the midway. Rather than having the night feel like a series of separate attractions that you simply check off your list, it gives guests the opportunity to continue enjoying the property, grab something to eat, play a game, or take in more of the entertainment before heading to the next experience.

This haunt takes a more traditional approach to its special effects, leaning heavily on live actors, handmade props, scenic pieces, and practical effects rather than relying on expensive animatronics or elaborate technology. That old-school backwoods style is part of its charm, and you can tell a lot of hard work has gone into building the different areas throughout the property.

The sound design is one area where we would love to see some improvement. On the hayride, the character riding along on your wagon has a speaker that plays various songs for guests to dance along to between scenes. There’s also a section where a band performs above the wagon. When we rode through, they were playing Metallica, which was a pretty cool surprise! Inside the trail, some of the houses incorporate music and sound, but others were particularly quiet. We would love to see more ambient sounds and creepy background effects throughout the different sections to help build the atmosphere. The corn maze relies mostly on whatever music is playing out on the midway, so adding some sound effects here would also help make the experience more immersive.

As far as scenery goes, Hillside Horror has that classic backwoods haunted attraction feel. There are some really fun areas throughout the property, and a couple of our favorites were the moonshine area and the western town on the hayride. We do think the hayride could benefit from additional scenery and props to help fill out some of the scenes and make them even more memorable.

The corn maze has some funny signs and scarecrows along the way, but could definitely use more props and scenery throughout the corn itself. The trailers guests encounter along the route are pretty cool, though, with some fun theming and props inside. The real showstopper is the farmhouse you walk through before entering the corn. This thing is wild! From the swaying floor you have to cross to the seriously crazy slanted room, the entire setup is incredibly unique and full of unexpected surprises. We’ve visited a TON of haunted attractions, and this is honestly one of the coolest and most memorable ways we’ve seen a haunt introduce its experience. It’s definitely a standout feature of Hillside Horror!

The haunted trail also has some great scenic designs as you move through its different houses and themed areas. One of our favorite sections this year was Leatherface’s house. It was creepy, well done, and a great example of the kind of scenery that makes you appreciate the work that goes into creating these environments.

Hillside Horror isn’t an attraction that relies heavily on expensive animatronics. Instead, it puts the focus on live actors, practical props, and a lot of handmade elements. Even the signage throughout the property appears to be handmade, and you can see the time and effort that has gone into creating the different scenes. Some areas could use additional props to fill in spots that feel a little bare, but we can see plenty of room for continued growth as the attraction develops.

Hillside Horror also incorporates some interesting smells throughout different sections of the attractions, adding another layer to the experience. Lighting, however, is an area where we would like to see some improvement. The hayride and several sections of the trail could benefit from additional lighting effects to help highlight the scenery and create a more atmospheric experience. There were a few areas that were so dark it was difficult to see much of what was around us. We certainly don’t want everything brightly lit, but strategically placed lighting could help showcase the work that has gone into these scenes while still keeping guests in the dark and delivering those unexpected scares.

Hillside Horror was a little short on actors the night we visited due to several performers being out sick, so there were a few areas where we would have loved to see more characters. That said, the actors who were there were putting in the effort! The corn maze performers were especially energetic, running all over the place and doing their best to catch guests off guard. We loved seeing them hustle to make the most of the night. The hayride had actors appearing at most of the scenes where we stopped, although a few of the additional set areas could have benefited from having more characters. The trail was where the shortage was most noticeable. All of the houses we walked through had actors, but there were a few quieter stretches along the outdoor trail where additional performers would have helped keep the scares coming.

There were some really fun character performances throughout the night, with the trail providing several of our favorite encounters. We had some lively ghouls who knew how to get right in our faces and deliver some great scares. The corn maze leaned more toward traditional jump scares, with less character interaction, while the hayride had some particularly memorable performers. The moonshine character, Jeepers Creepers, and the western sheriff all did a great job bringing their scenes to life. A couple of characters had moments where they broke character, but there were plenty of others who stayed committed to their roles.

When it came to interaction, there were some definite standouts! The clowns were a lot of fun, along with the moonshine character, the western folks, and the hillbillies. Leatherface was probably our biggest highlight of the night. He absolutely nailed the role and was incredibly believable. The skeleton lady in the swamp was another great character who got right in our faces, and the chainsaw-wielding actor inside the corn maze farmhouse definitely made an impression.

Costuming, masks, and makeup had some really strong moments, although there is room for a little more consistency. Some of the characters looked phenomenal and were genuinely frightening. The skeleton lady in the swamp and the plague doctor both looked fantastic, and their appearances really helped bring those characters to life. A few others could benefit from some additional attention to the finishing details. Making sure costumes are complete, street clothes are covered, and makeup underneath masks is properly finished can really help bring a character together. We could see some great potential in the performers and would love to see that same attention to detail carried throughout the entire cast.

The hayride brings a different kind of fun to the Hillside Horror experience. It’s designed to be more entertaining than frightening, with characters interacting with guests and some fun surprises along the route. The sheriff firing off a gun was probably the biggest startle we got on this part of the experience, but the hayride is definitely the lighter side of the night.

The corn maze and haunted trail are where things really pick up! Both attractions managed to get us multiple times, with scares coming from different angles and keeping us guessing about where the next one might come from. There were some great surprises along the way, including a large snake that comes flying out at you and got us both pretty good! And I know we’re starting to sound like a broken record, but that first farmhouse in the corn maze is still our favorite scare. Between the crazy setup and the unexpected surprises, you feel like you’re barely going to make it out of that house alive! Haha.

One thing we really appreciated was how evenly the scares were delivered. The corn maze and trail did a great job getting both of us, rather than one person getting all the attention while the other walked away untouched. That’s always a bonus when you’re reviewing a haunt together!

As far as the endings go, the trail definitely has the most memorable exit. Having to crawl through a hearse to get out is a fun final touch and a great way to finish the attraction. The corn maze simply leads you back into the trail’s carnival midway, while the hayride wraps up after its final scene. We’d love to see Hillside Horror put a little more thought into creating a big finishing scare for both of those experiences. With the creativity they’ve already shown, especially with that incredible farmhouse entrance, we know they have the potential to come up with something guests will remember long after the night is over.

Hillside Horror offers a HELL of a deal for your spooky night out! General admission is only $30, and you can easily spend a full evening here. The three main attractions take approximately 60 minutes to experience, and that doesn’t even include the time you can spend enjoying the main midway and the additional carnival midway. Between the food concessions, music, roaming characters, props/animatronics, and all the activity happening around the property, there’s plenty to keep you entertained before and after your attractions.

They also offer several additional midway attractions for those looking to add even more to their night. The Last Ride Simulator, Dead Center Axe Tossing, and 13th Floor are each $5, or you can grab a combo pass for all three for just $10. These are optional extras, so you can enjoy a full night at Hillside Horror without spending another dime beyond your admission ticket.

Parking is FREE, which is always a bonus, but keep in mind that Hillside Horror does not offer fast passes, so plan accordingly on busier nights.

Honestly, it’s hard to beat this kind of value. For just $30, you get multiple attractions, a full midway experience, and plenty of entertainment to fill your evening. We love coming out to Hillside Horror, and if you’ve been looking for a reason to make the trip to Roaring River, NC, this is it. Definitely put this one on your North Carolina haunt list!