The 11 scariest haunted houses in Iowa

Tis the season for fear! To put the spook in this spooky season, check out this list of some of the scariest haunted houses in Iowa. 

It’s the spookiest time of the year, and if you are looking for a fright, we’ve got some ideas. If you want your haunted house to have a real fear factor, check out this list of spots all across the state that are sure to scare you silly. And get ready to scream!

We will start with those earning five screams and then share a few that garnered four screams. Either way, you are sure to get the fright of your life!

FIVE SCREAMS

Slaughterhouse 

Des Moines

When: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays through November 1st

Cost: $35 to $45

This year’s theme at Slaughterhouse is stitches—and not the kind that will have you laughing. Albert “Stitches” Briggs leads a crew of fear-provoking characters looking to give you the scare of your life. This Des Moines haunted house is set in an old warehouse and still has an industrial feel as you encounter the sheer terrors within. We dare you not to be scared as you descend into the “clawing maw of the slaughterhouse.” 

Madness Haunted House

Council Bluffs

When: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday through Oct. 26, then Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (Halloween night!)

Cost: $25-$60

The Madness Haunted House is routinely voted the “scariest haunt in Omaha,” and it’s not even in Nebraska. And you are likely to “go mad” as you wander through this terrifying haunted attraction. There are passageways and corridors filled with chainsaw madmen, monsters, ghosts, spirits, zombies, demons, and more. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. 

Mayhem Haunted House

Ottumwa

When: October 18, 19, 25, and 26 and November 1 and 2

Cost: $15

It’s sure to be Mayhem at this haunted house in Ottumwa. You’re likely to scream yourself hoarse at this haunted attraction, voted as one of the top haunted houses in Iowa in 2023. You are sure to encounter some insane clowns and other creepy creatures. On a less frightening note, all the money raised from this haunted house benefits the Wapello County 4 H Expo Grounds.

The Deranged Haunted Attraction

Belle Plaine

When: Friday and Saturday up until Halloween

Cost: $20

Organizers say this haunted house was four years in the making, and they are more than ready to terrify you. You’ll encounter freakish clowns, chainsaw-toting menaces, and many more ghoulish fiends. Tickets are sold at the door, so plan to get there early to purchase your chance to be scared to death. 

The 5th Realm

Cedar Rapids

When: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through November 2

Cost: $22 to $27

This haunted house takes fear to another dimension. As you enter this portal of fear, you will be transported to a realm of darkness and freakish sights around every corner. The operators of this haunted house do an incredible job of transforming a space within a shopping mall into a horror-filled attraction that is sure to have you running for your life. 

FOUR SCREAMS

Charlotte Haunted House

Charlotte

When: Fridays and Saturdays in October

Cost: $20

There’s something extra scary about a haunted house in small-town Iowa. Maybe it’s being surrounded by cornfields? Maybe, it’s when they advertise the haunted house as follows: “Bloodthirsty spooks with sharp and rusty implements ready to jump out of shadows and inflict harm.” Either way, it seems the Charlotte Haunted House is set to deliver a pretty high fear factor during this year’s visit. 

Eclypse Haunted Attraction

Iowa City

When: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Halloween

Cost: $25 to $99

A college town needs a good haunted house. And Eclypse Haunted Attraction delivers the scares in Iowa City. You will find seriously freaky frights that are sure to get your heart racing and make your spine tingle. If you are up for a seriously scary experience, consider visiting on blackout night where the haunted house is pitch black and you only have a flickering lantern to guide your way. You can even buy a season pass if you plan to visit for more scares! 

Scream Acres

Atkins

When: Friday and Saturday nights in October

Cost: $40 to $60

Scream Acres is a four-in-one haunting experience that claims to bring your nightmares to life. There are three indoor haunted houses, including the Slaughterhouse (where you’ll feel like you are being stalked), Cell Block Z (which is infested with zombies), and the 3-D Sinister Silo (with more creepy clowns than you’ve ever wanted to see in your life), as well as a terrifying haunted corn maze where they promise the darkness is the last thing you should be afraid of. 

Thrashers House of Terror

Mount Pleasant

When: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during October

Cost: $15 to $25

If you are in southeast Iowa, check out this truly haunting attraction. It’s a 12,000-square-foot haunted house run entirely by volunteers as a fundraiser for the Midwest Old Threshers. This is their 18th season of bringing terror to the area, so you know there are guaranteed frights within. Mad scientists, insane clowns, deranged creatures. You’ll be screaming even as you head for home. 

Circle of Ash

Central City

When: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through October

Cost: $25 to $150

This carnival-themed haunted attraction brings a three-for-one frightful punch with Frightmare Forest, the Circle of Ash, and Sockos Fun House. There are plenty of ghoulish monsters, freakish clowns, and other menacing creatures to chase you through this horrifying experience. And if one visit is simply not scary enough, you can also get a full season pass if you need to come back for more terror. 

The Heart of Darkness

Waterloo

When: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through October

Cost: $25 to $45

The Heart of Darkness is the longest-running haunted attraction in the state, so you know it’s going to be full of fear-inducing elements. It also features some 31,000 square feet of terror in the haunted complex that features 13 (yes, how lucky!) different haunted spaces to enter if you dare. There’s Darkhold Castle, Creeper’s Bus, Claustrophobia Black Out Maze, Jack-o-Lantern Lane, 3D Killer Circus, Goblins Lair, Salem’s Coven, and Grizzly’s Chainsaw Massacre—just to name a few.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.