Located in Pinckney, Michigan, lies a forest of unsettling and unforgettable horrors. Terrorfied Forest features a midway area with a variety of attractions and a staggering mile-and-a-half trail on a massive 80-acre parcel of land filled with monsters and creatures from the darkest parts of your imagination.
While we maneuvered our way through the winding paths of the forest, we couldn’t shake the words of Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary. “Those woods belong to something else. The ground is bad. There is something up in those woods, something that brings things back.” They were fitting words for your treacherous track through that unholy forest.
Given the size of the Midway and the distance between the Midway and the queue line, we wish there were more cast members to cover these areas. However, the cast within the main attraction seemed to materialize from the darkness in droves, and with a haunted trail this size, there were very few “dead areas” throughout. When we encountered these areas, it only added to the suspense of our journey.
The cast offered a wide variety of actors who tormented us as we passed through their neck in the woods. From the silent, watch-from-a-distance types to the loud, in-your-face, each actor offered their unique twist on the character they played; they also took the time to interact with us, stalk us, and torment us. The clowns in the circus communicated in their own language, grunting and clicking, all while giggling and laughing. It was such an uneasy feeling knowing that they were talking to each other in an unknown language while they tormented us. They also showcased the different skills the actors had to offer, from stilt walkers to contortionists. The cast at Terrorfied Forest is a well-rounded and talented bunch of misfits!
The one actor that stood out the most was the doctor in the military scene. She hit us with a jump scare and continued to follow us, crawling on the ground, taunting us, twisting herself like she was from one of The Grudge films. She gave us the creeps, and we were beyond ecstatic not to become one of her next patients!
The costumes at Terrorfied Forest were the cherry on top of an already excellent cast, each breathing life into its corresponding scene. The hillbillies wore dirty overalls, some had flannels, and some had no shirts at all. They sported cowboy and straw hats and wielded bats and pitchforks. The voodoo queens were regal and imperious, adorned with ritualistic black-and-white face paint. Each wore beautiful jewelry and embellishments that tied all three of them together. The clowns were bright and colorful, wearing neon fluorescent outfits, each with a unique face carefully painted on them.
These are just a few of the fantastic costumes of Terrorfied Forest. The list is long: plague doctors, military personnel, scarecrows, and arachnid people. Each one, a complete character in full costume. On the Midway, some actors lacked costuming, while others were full characters. There was Glam, a slimy lawyer who was decked out in shiny disco attire, or the queen of Terrorfied Forrest, Rex, who was frightfully fashionable, putting out dead punk metal vibes. With big red hair, a half-torn face, and wearing a leather-studded outfit. She tormented and teased the visitors, showing off her barbed wire wrapped bat, still soaked in the blood and covered in the flesh of her enemies!
While Terrorfied Forest may be a little off the beaten path, it is just a short drive off Highway 23 in Brighton, and we had no issue finding it with Google Maps. Upon arrival, we noticed the entrance to the attraction was on the dark side and could easily be passed if not paying attention. But once on the premises, the parking lot was well lit, and parking attendants were helping direct traffic, and with a parking lot this size, you need them!
There were signs posted everywhere in the parking lot directing to Midway. Once there, the rules, ticket pricing, and directions of the property were well displayed for all to see. The ticket booth employees greeted us with a smile, and every staff member we encountered was excited to answer any questions we and other visitors had and to ensure we had a great experience while visiting Terrorfied Forest.
You can stay up to date on Terrorfied Forest via their website, Facebook, and other social media platforms. On their website, you can easily find their location, dates and times, ticket prices, and frequently asked questions, everything you need to know before you plan your visit.
As soon as we set foot on the midway, we were immersed in the fall spooky season vibes. The smell of bonfires filled the air, scary movies played on a big screen, and metal music played in the background. From there, your journey to the queue line begins, walking down what we call Casket Avenue before entering the gates of the forest itself.
Although Terrorfied Forest doesn’t have an overarching storyline, each scene and shack you enter tells its own terrifying tale. The sounds of screaming victims, hootin’ and hollerin’ of hillbillies, and the laughter of lunatic clowns filled the crisp night air, along with the background sounds of crickets and owls that played throughout the forest. It was hard not to forget that you were deep in the forest and that you shouldn’t have made that wrong turn.
As you exit the main attraction, you are spit out right where you started, still within the Terrorfied Forest, left wondering if the whole thing was just a figment of your imagination.
As we mentioned in immersion, the quietness of the forest was alive with all kinds of sounds. As well as the shacks having their own sound effects, this set the tone as we wandered the grounds of Terrorfied Forest. The path was well-lit and littered with jack-o’-lanterns and skeletons.
Each scene we came upon seemed more detailed than the last. We lost our appetites at the restaurant, where it looked like no one had eaten there for quite some time. Dust, cobwebs, and rotting food filled the shelves and tables. The voodoo queen hutch made us feel as if we were in the swamps of Louisiana with vines and snakes. Along the trail, we came across a cemetery that greeted us with two big gargoyles, and we stumbled across disabled vehicles, even crashed airplanes and helicopters.
Terrorfied Forest has only a few animatronics because it relies heavily on actor scares. But the props they did use were realistic and detailed; a few of the manikins had us second-guessing whether they were real people. The back-to-back vortex tunnels that rotated in opposite directions were an excellent touch, causing intense disorientation.
21. How scary was it? (35% of score): 9
22. How well did they provide scares to everyone in the group? (15% of score): 9
23. How predictable were the scares? (25% of score): 8.75
24. How well did they provide a wide variety (types) of scares? (10% of score): 9
25. How strong was the ending / finale? (15% of score): 6.5
Terrorfied Forest delivered on all levels when it came to scares. We screamed, swore, and giggled our way through the trail that felt like it went on forever. The actors did a great job of scaring us both through the haunt. One thing we noticed and really enjoyed was how wide the trail was. We could walk side by side with plenty of room, but this made the scares even better because if one of us got it, we both got it! Like I said before, scaring is caring!
The number of scare tactics Terrorfied Forest utilizes and pulls off is astonishing. Jump scares, camouflage, distractions, disorientation, illusions, the list goes on and on. One Type of scare I feel is complex to pull off is intimidation, but damn it, they pulled it off! Some parts of the trail have long straightaways and are littered with backdrop buildings. An actor could be seen in the distance, watching and waiting, and in the blink of an eye, they would be gone. As we approached, we knew someone was there, slithering from building to building, taunting us with their whispers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. We won’t get into too much detail, but there is a scene at Terrorfied Forrest that made our skin crawl, and all we’ll say is if you don’t like spiders, yours will too. Between the sounds, the jump scares, and the costuming, it is one of the most unsettling scenes we’ve had the honor of experiencing this year.
It took us 30 minutes to complete the daunting mile-and-a-half trail at Terrorfied Forest, and with general admission being just $28 all season long, that brings the MPD (Minutes Per Dollar) to 1.07. Making it the best bang for your buck haunted attraction we visited this 2025 season! They also offer a fast-pass add-on for just $12, as well as a virtual queue that lets you know when it’s your turn via your phone.
Terrorfied Forest offers many things to do before or after your terrifying adventure through the forest. Hang out on the midway and warm yourself by a fire while you watch a scary movie on the giant movie screen, or for the ones 21+, have a drink at their awesome Tiki Bar. Grab some food at the concessions and sit under their huge, covered seating area. Try your skills at the 5-minute escape room or work on your double-tap at the zombie paintball range! Oh, and don’t forget to grab that Terrorfied swag at the Merch Booth!
619 Pearl St, Pinckney, Michigan 48169
