Spooky season is in full effect and there’s still plenty of time to check out some of the scariest haunted forests and attractions in and around Montgomery County.
1. Markoff’s Haunted Forest – 19120 Martinsburg Rd, Dickerson
As the fall nights grow longer and a cool crisp in the air blows with the breeze, the silence at Calleva Farm is broken by blood curling screams echoing through the woods. In its 33rd year, Maryland’s original and most terrifying haunted attraction, Markoff’s Haunted Forest, is open weekends in late September and October. The MHF experience has built a national reputation for its unique, multi-sensory haunt experience. Music, lighting effects, scents & creepy human interaction set the tone for a fully immersive experience in each of 3 attractions.
The haunt is a benefit performance for Calleva, a 501c3 organization dedicated to building young leaders through positive outdoor experiences. “We spend all year empowering people through outdoor experiences that foster teamwork & individual achievement,” says Nick Markoff, one of the three brothers who founded Calleva. “Then we bring them out to Markoff’s Haunted Forest to knock their confidence back a bit.” The haunt began as a small scale event, but has grown into one of the nation’s top-ranked performances. Markoff’s Haunted Forest still helps fund Calleva’s summer camp scholarships, community partnerships, and outdoor education programming. It’s a partnership that delivers seasonal fun AND year-round benefits to our Montgomery County neighborhood. Tickets are on sale now at www.markoffshauntedforest.com.
“Since 1992, when the Markoff brothers started with a Haunted School Bus driven to events and festivals around DC, our haunt has provided fright fest lovers with a creative, dramatic, and – YES — terrifying haunt experience. Our creative team combines music, lights, scents, actors, make-up & prosthetics, and artistic brilliance in a series of high-tech, detailed scenes that consistently place MHF among the top haunts in the country.”
2. Leech Woods – 11201 Bethesda Church Rd, Damascus
Just outside of Montgomery County, Kindred Hills is a fun and scary Halloween event located in Frederick, MD off of Rt. 355, between Frederick and Urbana. In addition to the haunted trail and hayride, Kindred Hill also offers axe throwing and private fire pits. Tickets available here.
Do you dare to enter the domain of the hills? The madness starts with a hayride into the darkness. A dimly lit trail through the woods will lead you past remnants of a previous time, then back to the safety of the modern day.
4. Salgado’s Haunted Trail- 24808 Shrubbery Hill Ct, Damascus
The Salgado family, known for their extravagant yearly Christmas display, will once again host “Salgado Haunted Manor” for the 2025 Halloween season, now located at 24808 Shrubbery Hill Ct in Damascus. The free haunted display will be open on October 25, 26, and 31 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., featuring new themed scenes such as witches’ lairs, Frankenstein’s creation, and various interactive jump scares and photo opportunities.
This year, the Salgado family will also be collecting canned food donations for Manna Food Center to help support local food assistance programs. Visitors are welcome to attend and are asked to avoid blocking driveways and park along side streets when visiting the display.
5. Field of Screams – Cancelled
Field of Screams Maryland, one of the region’s most established haunted attractions, announced it will not operate in 2025 as it undergoes a full renovation, with a reopening planned for September 2026. The hiatus will allow for updates to its trail, haunted house, and other features, while continuing its role as a fundraiser for the Olney Boys & Girls Club. The event, held at 4501 Olney-Laytonsville Rd. in Olney, has been known for its large-scale production, trained actors, and detailed sets and props. Field of Screams Maryland was voted the number one spot in USA Today’s 10 Best Haunted Attractions in the country in 2022 and has earned multiple top rankings in previous seasons. Its main feature, the one-hour Super Screams Haunted Trail, combined the Haunted Trail and Trail of Terror and included 55 themed areas such as Chainsaw Hill, the City Morgue, the Catacombs, Laser Alley, and a final section designed for high-intensity scares. The production also received national attention in 2018 when its creators won A&E’s Haunted House Design/Build Competition.
“For 23 years, Field of Screams Maryland has thrived thanks to our incredible staff and scare actors, our valued community partners—especially the Olney Boys & Girls Club—and, most importantly, our loyal fans who have helped make us the nation’s top haunt,” said John Dixon, FOSMD Director of Operations. “Now, we’re granting our creative team a long sought after request to pause the event for a season so they can lay the foundation and build a haunt experience that’s second to none. Field of Screams Maryland 2026 will include the most cutting-edge scares and unforgettable frights for years to come.”
Field of Screams Maryland has been the single largest fundraiser for the Olney Boy’s and Girl’s Club for 23 years, helping ensure that children have a financially accessible and safe place to play sports, gain access to inspiring role models, and enjoy safe activities with friends and family.
“Field of Screams Maryland is a vital fundraiser for our children, making a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children and families over the past two decades,” said Brad Scott, Executive & Athletic Director, Olney Boys & Girls Club. “We’re excited for the new renovation plans and grand re-opening in the Fall of 2026 and look forward to the continued success of a family tradition and critical community fundraiser.”
The event has faced ongoing complications related to permits and neighbor concerns, according to WTOP. In 2021, a District Court judge issued an abatement order after ruling the Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association, which hosts the event, had failed to secure proper permits and certificates for certain structures along the haunted trail. While some features like the haunted house and “slaughter house” have the required permits, other walk-through trail structures remained out of compliance. Neighbors had also raised safety and traffic concerns, citing hundreds of cars that passed through nightly