These Are 9 Haunted Roads In Virginia You Shouldn’t Drive Down On Halloween
Virginia’s back roads hold more than just scenic views and historical charm.
Some of them come with spine-tingling legends, ghostly apparitions, and eerie tales that have been passed down for generations.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, driving these haunted stretches on Halloween night might just make you reconsider your route home.
1. Elbow Road (Virginia Beach/Chesapeake Line)
Elbow Road earned its eerie reputation the hard way—through decades of accidents and unexplained encounters. The narrow two-lane stretch winds sharply through the darkness, and a strange mist often appears even on clear nights, according to startled travelers.
The “Lady in White” remains the most famous spirit said to haunt this road. Witnesses describe a pale woman in an old-fashioned dress who suddenly appears at the roadside, sometimes stepping into view before fading away like a shadow.
Stories about crashes surround this road like the fog itself. Some say the Lady in White lost her life in one of the many accidents here and now tries to warn other drivers. Others believe she unintentionally startles motorists, causing them to swerve. Either way, Elbow Road continues to be one of the most mysteriously haunted stretches in the Tidewater region.
2. Crawford Road (Yorktown/York County)
I once drove down Crawford Road after sunset, and let me tell you—the atmosphere alone is enough to make your hands tighten around the steering wheel. Locals swear they’ve seen a ghostly bride wandering near the old bridge, her white gown drifting behind her like morning mist.
Some drivers report phantom headlights approaching from behind, only to vanish when they glance in the mirror. Others claim to hear the faint cries of a baby echoing through the trees near the bridge, giving this stretch its eerie “Crybaby Bridge” nickname.
The legend suggests the bride lost her life on her wedding night in a heartbreaking accident. Now, she is said to wander the road, searching endlessly for her lost love. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, Crawford Road’s dark curves and lonely stillness make it genuinely unsettling after sunset—especially on Halloween night.
3. Colonial Parkway (Williamsburg–Jamestown–Yorktown)
Beautiful by day, mysterious by night—that’s Colonial Parkway for you. This scenic route connects three of Virginia’s most historic landmarks, but it’s also said to link the present with echoes of the past.
Travelers often speak of phantom hitchhikers appearing along the way, especially near the river pull-offs. Some drivers claim that when they stop to help, the passengers vanish without a trace. Whispering voices seem to drift through the woods, and misty figures have been spotted near historical markers before fading like smoke.
The parkway’s storied past includes a series of unresolved tragedies from the late 1980s, adding to its lingering air of mystery. Centuries of colonial-era hardship and Civil War loss nearby may explain why so many tales surround this road. Driving it on Halloween feels like journeying through a living history book—one that occasionally turns its own pages.
4. Colchester Overpass / Bunnyman Bridge (Colchester Rd, Clifton)
Nothing says “turn around immediately” quite like a legend involving someone in a bunny costume wielding an axe. The Bunnyman Bridge has become Virginia’s most infamous haunted spot, and honestly, the story alone is nightmare fuel.
Legend tells of an escaped mental patient who hid near this overpass in 1970, terrorizing locals while wearing a rabbit costume. People report late-night apparitions of the Bunny Man, and some have heard aggressive knocking on their car windows when parked under the bridge. No one sticks around long enough to see what happens next.
Every Halloween, thrill-seekers flock here despite warnings from police and locals. Whether the Bunny Man is real or just an urban legend that got wildly out of hand, Colchester Overpass delivers genuine chills. Pro tip: don’t park under the bridge after midnight.
5. Old House Woods Road (Near Diggs, Mathews County)
Pirate treasure and headless soldiers—Old House Woods Road sounds like it was designed specifically for Halloween nightmares. This remote stretch near the Chesapeake Bay has accumulated more ghost stories than most entire counties.
The haunted Old House Woods nearby bleeds its supernatural activity onto the road. Drivers report floating lights that dance through the trees, following vehicles for miles before vanishing. Some witnesses claim to see headless Revolutionary War soldiers marching in formation across the pavement.
Pirate ghosts allegedly guard buried treasure in these woods, and their spectral forms sometimes wander onto the road. Local fishermen have reported these phenomena for generations, passing down tales that grow eerier with each retelling. The isolation of this road makes encounters feel even more intense—there’s nowhere to run and no one to call for help when the lights start floating toward your car.
6. Witchduck Road (Virginia Beach)
Imagine being dunked underwater to prove you’re not a witch—that’s exactly what happened to Grace Sherwood on this road in 1706. Now Witchduck Road carries her name and, according to many, her restless spirit.
Grace Sherwood, known as the “Witch of Pungo,” was subjected to a brutal ducking ordeal near what’s now Witchduck Bay. She survived the test but lived out her days under suspicion. Her apparition has been reported near the water, sometimes appearing as a soaked woman in colonial dress, other times as a shadowy figure that vanishes when approached.
I’ve driven past Witchduck Bay on foggy evenings, and there’s definitely an unsettling vibe that hangs in the air. Whether it’s Grace seeking justice or just the weight of historical cruelty, this road reminds us that Virginia’s past wasn’t always pretty—and sometimes, it doesn’t stay buried.
7. Pocahontas Parkway / VA-895 (Richmond Area)
Modern highways aren’t supposed to be haunted, right? Someone forgot to tell the ghosts on Pocahontas Parkway. This relatively new toll road crosses the James River, and it’s already collected its share of spine-tingling stories.
Drivers report seeing strange blue lights hovering beneath the bridge, pulsing like something out of a sci-fi movie. Shadowy figures appear on the roadside, and some motorists swear they’ve nearly hit a pedestrian who vanishes before impact. The vanishing pedestrian story is particularly common near the James River crossing, where visibility drops and fog rolls in without warning.
Some speculate the land beneath the parkway holds unmarked graves or was the site of forgotten tragedies. Others think the James River itself—witness to centuries of Virginia history—brings its own supernatural baggage. Either way, that toll isn’t the only price you might pay for using this route on Halloween.
8. Ball’s Bluff Road NE (Leesburg)
Civil War battlefields never truly fall silent—they simply wait for misty nights to whisper their stories again. Ball’s Bluff Road passes near one of Virginia’s most intense small battles, and the soldiers who lost their lives there seem unwilling to fade into history.
On foggy evenings, travelers have reported hearing faint drumbeats echoing through the trees. The scent of gun smoke drifts across the road even when no fires burn nearby. Most haunting of all are the reports of uniformed soldiers marching in formation, only to vanish the moment headlights sweep over them.
The Battle of Ball’s Bluff in 1861 was a devastating event for Union forces, resulting in significant losses and tragic drownings in the Potomac River. Such sorrow tends to linger in the landscape. If you drive this road on Halloween, don’t be surprised if history itself feels momentarily alive—complete with its echoes carried softly on the night air.
9. Man’s Curve (Route 460, Blacksburg Area)
When a road earns the nickname “Man’s Curve,” you know it carries a long and somber history. This notorious bend on Route 460 near Blacksburg has been the site of numerous accidents over the years, and some say those who lost their lives here still linger nearby.
Drivers often report seeing a young man standing by the guardrail, urgently waving as if trying to warn others of danger ahead. When motorists slow down or stop to help, he vanishes without a trace. Others describe a sudden instinct to brake just before the curve—only to find slick pavement or debris that could have caused a serious crash.
Perhaps it’s the lingering presence of someone still trying to protect others, or maybe it’s simply the power of suggestion paired with a genuinely hazardous stretch of road. Either way, Man’s Curve demands every bit of your attention—and perhaps a touch of respect for the stories that surround it.