Loudoun Guide To Haunted Trails, Spooky Skate Nights

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — There are plenty of places around Loudoun County to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from full moon hikes to haunted trails, some better experienced for adults and others suitable for children.

Here’s what’s going on leading up to Halloween (the 31st is on a Tuesday, so plan accordingly):

• Scream Loco: The Funhouse at Dulles Town Center
  • Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 6-Nov. 4 plus Oct. 30-31
  • 21100 Dulles Town Cir, Dulles, VA 20166
  • Enter the funhouse if you dare, as you'll encounter mirrors, creepy clown and illusions. Buy your tickets early before they sell out.
• Madhunter's Madhouse
  • Select dates, Oct. 6-30
  • 37658 Legard Farm Rd, Purcellville, VA 20132
  • This haunted attraction has been named Virginia's top haunt several times by frightfind.com. The Madhunter behind the attraction used to run attractions on the West Coast before making a terrifying debut in the DC region in 2011, operating at various locations since then.
• 2023 Loudoun Museum Hauntings
  • Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28
  • Downtown Leesburg
  • This fundraising event takes guests on tours through downtown Leesburg as guides tell stories of hauntings.
• Spooky Skate Night
  • Saturday, Oct. 28
  • 407 E. Market Street, Leesburg, VA
  • The hockey rink embraces seasonal themes for a spooky night complete with warm apple cider.
• Haunted Trail at Salamander Resort and Spa
  • Thursday, Oct. 26 through Sunday, Oct. 29
  • Salamander Resort and Spa, 500 N Pendleton St, Middleburg, VA 20117
  • This family-friendly trail includes scare actors with beverages and snacks available for purchase.

Experts say some of us are hard-wired to enjoy the full-body experience of being scared, as long as we know we’re in no real danger. Adrenal glands go into overdrive when we’re frightened, triggering a rush of dopamine and endorphins, the “pleasure” hormones.

That’s different from the “bad fear” triggered in dangerous situations, according to Cleveland Clinic psychologist Chivonna Childs.

“There’s also a good side to fear, and that’s what scary movies, true crime and haunted houses tap into,” Childs wrote on a Cleveland Clinic blog. “We understand that there’s an end to those experiences, that the bear’s not gonna get us. We know that going through a haunted house is just for fun, that it’s only people in costumes.

“But it still rings those bells for adrenaline, endorphins and dopamine. You experience the euphoria because you know you’re safe."