Spooky statewide trail reopens featuring brand new prizes
Charleston, W.Va. – Just in time for fall trip planning, the West Virginia Department of Tourism has announced the reopening of the popular West Virginia Paranormal Trail. The statewide quest returns with four new stops, bringing the total number of hair-raising locations to 21. In just three months of the trail’s opening last year, participants from 45 states and four countries checked in, leading to over 2,000 prize redemptions.
“We are so excited to bring back the Paranormal Trail this fall, featuring four new mysterious stops for travelers to explore,” said West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby. “When planning your leaf-peeping trips to the Mountain State, be sure to add some of these spooky adventures to your list. From stunning color to one-of-a-kind experiences, I have a feeling this autumn will be one of the best we’ve ever had.”
To experience the haunts of West Virginia and uncover chilling tales, travelers can register to participate in The West Virginia Paranormal Trail online and instantly receive the digital passport via email or text. Spooky enthusiasts then have the chance to explore eerie locations around the state while earning exclusive prizes along the way – including an official sticker, keychain, hat, and adventure-ready lantern.
Accessing the Paranormal Trail Passport is easy
To get started, visit wvtourism.com/paranormal and register for your free West Virginia Paranormal Trail Passport by filling out your contact information. After signing up, the digital passport will be delivered to your phone via text or to the email provided. Now you can explore the haunts of West Virginia and check in at participating locations to earn these exclusive prizes along the way:
- Check in at three or more spots and receive a holographic sticker.
- Check in at seven or more spots and receive a custom keychain.
- Check in at 15 or more spots and receive an official Paranormal Trail trucker hat.
- Check in at all locations and receive a limited edition lantern.
New Spooky Stops
Apollo Civic Theater
- Step back into a building born in the vaudeville age, where history lingers in every brick and beam. Alive with stage acts and roaring applause in 1914, it’s believed that some of the performers have never truly left.
Carnegie Hall
- One of only four Carnegie Halls in the world still in use, this Lewisburg gem has a legacy that runs deeper than music and art. Built in 1902 after a mysterious fire consumed the original Lewisburg Female Institute, there’s been reports of unexplained footsteps, flickering lights, and spectral whispers.
Greenbrier Valley Theater
- If you dare — visit and catch a showing of The Greenbrier Ghost, one of the many interpretations of the local Greenbrier County legend, where the trial of Zona Heaster Shue’s murder in 1897 was won based on the testimony of a ghost.
Seneca Caverns
- Long known as a gathering place for Native Americans, these vast underground chambers are said to hold secrets, and perhaps spirits, that linger in the shadows. Visitors often reform mysterious sounds and otherworldly stillness that make this natural wonder both breathtaking and bone-chilling.
For more information on West Virginia’s Paranormal Trail or to register for a digital passport, visit wvtourism.com/paranormal. For images of the stops on the trail and prizes scare-seekers can earn, click here. To nominate a haunted location to be included next season, click here.