Wander Woman: Find fun and frights at 7 haunted attractions around the Illinois Valley

The nights are getting longer. The temperature is chilly. The trees soon will turn skeletal as leaves crunch underfoot.

It’s the time of year when fear is fun.

I’m not an avid fright-seeker, but I enjoy a Halloween expedition with lurking monsters and ghoul encounters. That’s why I made the 1.25 hour drive from Streator to rural Walnut on Oct. 3 to visit Sturtevant Haunted Farm for the first time.

This destination is a worthwhile day trip that’s friendly for people of any age, as long as they can handle creepy masks. The family farm at 16783 Route 92 in Walnut annually devotes two acres of its yard to a Halloween gallery of more than 300 homemade mannequins.

The displays range from monstrous to humorous. Those who enjoy the macabre side of the season will find mild gore and moderate horror scenes, such as an executioner manning a guillotine with a line of severed heads. Meanwhile, those who want lighter fare can view staged scenes of dancing creatures, skeletons relaxing in a burbling hot tub, a Ghoul School classroom and more. The majority of the creepy scenes are centered around the wooden barn; meanwhile, the more campy displays surround the house. Be sure to seek the jokes and puns woven into several displays (my favorite was the Mary D. Caying Cosmetics booth and the pun-filled product names).

Sturtevant Haunted Farm includes a few interactive elements, such as an invitation to open a wooden door, “if you dare.” Visitors also are invited to climb inside a coffin for a photo op.

The haunted farmyard is open daily from sunrise to 10:30 p.m., with later hours planned closer to Oct. 31. I made an after-dark visit – the spotlights, silhouettes and shadows add flair to the exhibit. Tourists can roam among the mannequins as long as they want during operating hours. Admission is free, although donations are accepted at boxes on the porches. For information, visit www.facebook.com/SturtevantHauntedFarm.

For those who want to fill their calendar with even more frights, here are six more haunted attractions around the region. Before hitting the road, be sure to check each host’s website for the most up-to-date information about dates, ticket availability and prices.

Deadly Paths tour

Awesome Ottawa Tours is offering a seasonal tour that is perfect for true crime enthusiasts. “Deadly Paths: 3 Gruesome Murders, 3 Convictions, 2 Hangings” dives into the history of three convicted murderers with visits to locations where two crimes were committed and where two convicts were hanged. Beyond the historical portion of the tour is a visit to “a well-documented haunted house,” according to the tour description. The final leg of the journey explores a segment of an underground tunnel. Reservations are required. For information, visit www.awesomeottawatours.com.

Haunted Camp at Camp Tuckabatchee

Haunted Camp returns for three consecutive weekends beginning Friday, Oct. 13. Monsters will descend on 1973 N. 35th Road, north of Ottawa, and roam through a haunted maze and the campgrounds. The haunted maze offers a not-scary session from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, followed by a scary session from 7 to 10 p.m. Haunted Camp also is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays for Family Fun Day with activities and crafts. For updates, follow Camp Tuckabatchee on Facebook, www.facebook.com/camptuckabatchee.

Haunted Corn Maze at Kane Family Farms

Like a werewolf transforming under a full moon, the corn maze at Kane Family Farms, 2165 N. 3020th Road in rural Ottawa, will shift from a place of harvest fun to a labyrinth of Halloween frights on designated Fridays and Saturdays in October. The farm will host its Haunted Corn Maze to raise funds for school programs in Ottawa and La Salle-Peru. Visitors can enter the haunted maze from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 13-14, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 28. For information, visit www.facebook.com/KaneFamilyFarms.

Insanity Haunted House

Not only is Insanity Haunted House one of the scariest attractions in the Illinois Valley, it’s deemed one of the spookiest statewide. A 2022 Haunted Illinois poll ranked Insanity as the No. 1 haunted house in Illinois, and it has been voted in the state’s top three since 2019. The attraction invites guests to experience “10,000 square feet of pure terror” inside Peru Mall. The haunted house is open Friday through Sunday until Oct. 29. Special dates include a Halloween night opening on Tuesday, Oct. 31; Sunday children’s matinees from 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 15, 22 and 29; and a blackout event 7 to 10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 4, in which lights are turned off and visitors navigate with a glowstick. Insanity Haunted House is recommended for ages 12 and older due to its graphic nature and intensity. For information, visit www.insanityhh.com.

Nightmare Haunted Attraction

The Bureau County Fairgrounds at 811 W. Peru St. in Princeton will be haunted 7 to 10 p.m. every Friday and Saturday through Oct. 28. The dirt-floored barns transform from functional farm buildings into a creepy atmosphere full of ghouls and specters. For an extra bit of seasonal celebration, catch the fifth annual Halloween parade at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, on Main Street in Princeton. For information, visit www.nightmarehauntedattraction.com.

Starved Rock Trolley Ghost Tour

Board the Starved Rock Trolley any Friday, Saturday or Sunday night in October and embark on a 90-minute to two-hour tour of local spots “known for their occult aura,” according to the program description. A costumed tour guide from Follies Productions & Events will share stories about ghosts, hauntings and supernatural sightings. Organizers say the program is not recommended for ages 8 years and younger. Reservations are required. For information, call 815-220-7836 or visit www.starvedrocklodge.com/event/ghost-tour.

Julie Barichello is the editor of Starved Rock Country Magazine and is a graphic designer for Shaw Media’s niche publications. She can be contacted at jbarichello@shawmedia.com.