Welcome to the backwoods horror show known as Marr Branch Haunted House in Mt. Olive, North Carolina. This place isn’t fancy or flashy, and that’s exactly what makes it awesome. You won’t find high-end sets or Hollywood polish here. What you get instead is pure, dirty, redneck chaos that feels straight out of The Hills Have Eyes or The Devil’s Rejects. From the second you pull up, you can feel the madness brewing. The screams, the energy, and the downright filth of it all come together like a redneck revival of horror deep in the woods. Marr Branch has been running strong for 16 years, and you can feel that experience in every scare and every scene.
Marr Branch doesn’t just scare you. It gets up in your face and makes sure you remember it. The actors go hard from start to finish, and you can tell they’re having the time of their lives doing it. Nobody’s holding back, and that’s what makes it so much fun. This haunt is rough, loud, and completely unapologetic. You’re gonna get yelled at, chased, and maybe roasted a little along the way.
If you want something raw, offensive, and just straight-up wild, this is the spot. It’s not your typical family haunt. It’s dirty, southern, and proud of it. Marr Branch brings that backwoods energy in the best way possible. Out of everywhere we hit this season, this one easily stood out as one of the craziest and most entertaining nights we had.
The cast at Marr Branch is straight-up wild. Every single actor fits perfectly into this twisted backwoods family and keeps the energy cranked from start to finish. They have about 40 actors each night. They get right up in your face and make sure you’re uncomfortable the whole way through. You’ll get threatened, taunted, and maybe even end up with raw meat smeared across your face for good measure. That kind of aggressive, in-your-face style is what makes Marr Branch so different from most haunts out there.
The characters here are unforgettable and all play into the story perfectly. Grandpa Jericho sets the tone early, giving you the rundown on the family’s dark history and what’s waiting for you inside. Maw is outside smoking her cigarettes and dropping her drawers for guests like she’s putting on a show. Better watch it. She will put you in her electric chair. Aunt Gladys is in the kitchen cooking up trouble and won’t hesitate to smack you with her beef. Sissy is roaming around somewhere, and we’re pretty sure she’s dead, but she could wear your skin next. Delmar’s ready to sacrifice you to whatever he’s got going on out there, and Rabbitt Earl is busy beating someone and looks more than ready to make you his next target.
Every actor brings something unique, and together they sell this disgusting, believable, and hilarious family dynamic that keeps you locked in the whole time. There were only a couple of transition spots that could’ve used another actor or two to keep things moving, but overall, the cast coverage was solid where it counted. This crew goes all out, and you can tell they’re having a blast doing it.
The costuming at Marr Branch fits the backwoods theme perfectly. You won’t find any high-end theatrical wardrobes or fancy movie-quality pieces here, and honestly, that’s exactly what makes it work. Everything looks dirty, worn, and lived in, just like the twisted redneck world they’ve created. The actors are dressed like they actually belong on this backwoods property, covered in grime, stains, and years of bad decisions. Some of them pull off that full-on incestuous crackhead look, making the family dynamic feel even more messed up and believable. It feels real in a way that makes you wonder if some of these people are acting at all or if they actually live like this out in the woods.
The makeup and masks really stand out. Some of the masks had that rough, homemade feel, the kind that would make the characters in The Strangers blush. The makeup effects were gritty and believable, helping the characters look like they’ve been through years of horror and chaos. Everything about their appearance sells the idea that you’ve stumbled into a place where outsiders are not welcome.
Customer service at Marr Branch was professional, friendly, and efficient, making for a smooth and stress-free night of hillbilly terror. From the moment we arrived, it was clear that the staff knew what they were doing and were ready to handle everything. The parking lot is huge, well-lit, and easy to navigate, which is a major plus when you’re showing up on a busy night at a hog farm. We felt safe the entire time, and every staff member we interacted with was approachable, helpful, and genuinely seemed to care that guests had a good experience.
Finding information ahead of time was also super simple. Their website has all the details you need about hours, pricing, and what to expect, which made planning our visit a breeze. Everything from parking to tickets to lining up for the haunt was seamless. It’s obvious that Marr Branch puts effort into making the logistics as smooth as possible so you can focus on the terror inside. Overall, the combination of professionalism, helpful staff, and easy access really adds to the overall experience and makes visiting feel like a well-oiled operation, even in the middle of the backwoods chaos.
The pre-haunt area immediately set the tone for what was about to come. Jimmy Dean is the ring leader of this Psycho Circus, and he worked the crowd in the queue better than anyone we’ve ever seen. The guy has the energy of a true rock star, commanding attention and keeping everyone hyped while we waited to go in. Adding to the vibe, there was a band playing classic rock from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, which gave the area a fun, chaotic energy and really fit the hillbilly horror theme.
The storyline was believable and well put together, centering around murders on the farm and redneck ghosts lurking around to terrorize anyone who dared enter. Inside the attraction, we were completely immersed for the most part, though there were a few transition areas that could have used actors to keep the creepiness and scares consistent. Even with those brief lulls, the overall flow of the haunt kept us on edge and thoroughly entertained.
After the attraction, the experience continued smoothly. There was a merch shop, a food truck, and plenty of photo opportunities, and you could even hang around to watch the band play again. For the future, we’d love to see a little more added to the midway to keep guests around longer after the show ends. More small interactive elements or fun scare setups could make the space even more engaging and give people another reason to stick around.
The effects at Marr Branch were used brilliantly, and they really added to the grim, run-down realism of the setting. The scene designs and attention to detail were impressive, especially when you consider that some of the sets are built from literal abandoned crack houses from the next town over. That gives the haunt a genuinely backwoods, run-down feel that fits perfectly with the twisted redneck characters roaming the property. You really feel like you’ve stepped into their world, and every creak, smell, and visual element adds to that immersion.
The sound design in the first house set the tone immediately. Satanic chants, eerie ambient noises, and unsettling creaks made you tense from the second you stepped in. Props and animatronics were used to full effect, from raw meat smeared and hanging in bags from the ceiling to animatronics timed perfectly to spray water on you when you least expected it. There is a real mix of sensory experiences here, including swamp lasers, fog, air blasts, bursts of fire, explosions, gunshots, strobes, and even raw meat-like substance for that extra level of shock. One of the most memorable moments had us walking along the roofline of a house, and it was equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9.25
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 10
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 9.5
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 9.25
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 7
Marr Branch is a wild, terrifying party that will scare even the most veteran haunt-goers. They do an excellent job of keeping the energy high and providing scares for everyone in our group, no matter how brave you think you are. The scares are unpredictable, with characters showing up when you least expect it, and there is a wide variety of scare types that keep things exciting the entire time. You never know if you’re going to get chased, yelled at, or slapped with something gross, which makes the experience feel alive and chaotic from start to finish.
Our one minor critique is that the finale felt a little anticlimactic compared to the sheer rowdiness and chaos of the rest of the haunt. The characters throughout the attraction are loud, in-your-face, and completely unrestrained, and the finale could use a bit more punch to match that energy. It is still fun and entertaining, but adding just a little more intensity at the very end would give the experience the kind of finish that really sticks with you long after you leave.
Overall, Marr Branch delivers a nonstop, chaotic, backwoods experience that is equal parts horrifying and hilarious. Even with a slightly tamer ending, it is one of the most memorable haunts you will experience, and it clearly shows the dedication and creativity of the team behind it.
We were very satisfied with the entertainment provided by both the main attraction and the other entertainment included with the ticket price. At $30, the ticket is a fantastic value for a haunt that is absolutely filled with original, intense, aggressive and memorable characters. Marr Branch is a must-visit for anyone craving a raw, unapologetic slice of backwoods terror.
2289 Garner Chapel Road, Mt. Olive, North Carolina 28365
