These Are 12 Haunted Roads In Illinois You Shouldn’t Drive Down On Halloween
Illinois has more than corn and deep-dish pizza. Beneath the ordinary pavement and quiet country lanes lies a network of roads where locals swear strange things happen after dark.
I’ve always loved a good spooky story, and when I first heard about phantom hitchhikers and ghostly headlights appearing out of nowhere, I knew I had to explore these legends myself.
Some of these roads have been scaring drivers for nearly a century, with tales passed down through generations, and now, you’ll understand why.
Grab your courage and maybe a friend, because these twelve haunted stretches are best avoided when the moon is high and Halloween draws near.
1. Archer Avenue (Justice & Willow Springs)
Resurrection Mary might be Illinois’ most famous ghost, and Archer Avenue is her stage.
For nearly a hundred years, drivers along this stretch between Resurrection Cemetery and St. James–Sag have reported picking up a blonde woman in a white party dress, only to watch her vanish when they reach the cemetery gates.
I’ve driven past those iron bars myself on a foggy October night, and the chill is real.
The legend started in the 1930s and refuses to fade. Witnesses describe her asking for a ride, sitting silently in the backseat, then disappearing without a trace.
Some say she leaves handprints on car windows or touches the gates, bending the metal with icy fingers.
2. Cuba Road by White Cemetery (Barrington/Deer Park)
Cuba Road winds through thick woods where reality gets a little blurry.
Locals talk about entire farmhouses that appear one moment and vanish the next, phantom headlights that follow you for miles, and shadowy figures drifting among the gravestones at White Cemetery. Even skeptics admit the place feels off.
I spoke with a Barrington resident who swears she saw sliding shadows along the cemetery fence one summer evening. No breeze, no explanation.
Photographers have captured odd lights hovering near the stones, and the road’s reputation keeps growing. The narrow lanes and heavy canopy make every trip feel like a scene from a horror film, especially after sunset.
3. Bloods Point Road (Boone County, near Cherry Valley)
The name alone does half the work. Bloods Point Road sits in flat, empty farm country where phantom vehicles appear out of nowhere and a red-eyed dog supposedly stalks the bridge.
Every Halloween, local news stations revisit the legend, debunking the old bus-crash story while admitting the place still creeps people out.
I visited on a chilly autumn afternoon, and even in daylight, the isolation was unnerving. Drivers report cars that vanish mid-road and strange figures standing in the fields.
The bridge itself has become a pilgrimage site for ghost hunters, though most leave with more questions than answers.
4. Lebanon Road’s Seven Gates of Hell (Collinsville)
Pass all seven railroad underpasses at midnight and you won’t come back. That’s the dare whispered around Collinsville, and Lebanon Road has earned its nickname through decades of spooky lore.
Local outlets have traced the legend’s evolution, but the thrill remains: seven dark tunnels, one narrow road, and a ticking clock.
I counted each gate on my drive, and the claustrophobia was immediate. The underpasses are low, tight, and poorly lit, making every shadow feel intentional. The legend might be fun to read about, but navigating a live roadway in the dark is genuinely risky.
Plenty of people have tried the midnight run, and not all of them laugh about it afterward. So be safe if you are planning to visit this place; thrill is not worth someone’s life.
5. Munger Road (Wayne & Bartlett)
Stop your car on the tracks, dust the bumper with powder, and wait. According to legend, tiny ghost hands will push you to safety.
Munger Road’s urban legend has been tested by countless thrill-seekers near the Stearns Road crossing, and the story even inspired a feature film.
I’ve heard firsthand accounts from friends who swear they felt their car roll without explanation. Skeptics point to the road’s slight grade, but believers insist something supernatural is at work.
The legend ties back to a tragic accident involving children, though details vary. True or not, the ritual persists, and Munger Road remains one of Illinois’ most interactive hauntings.
Of course, these are all legends, so dont do anything risky on your own that can be dangerous for your health, or even your life.
6. Kennedy Hill Road (near Byron, Ogle County)
Barefoot and dressed in white, she steps into your high beams without warning.
Kennedy Hill Road’s ghost has become a modern Illinois hitchhiker tale, with motorists reporting the same eerie encounter on the S-curve near Byron. Local Reddit threads and news coverage keep the story alive.
I drove that curve twice, once in daylight and once after dark, and the difference was startling. At night, the cornfields press in close, and every shadow looks like a person. Witnesses describe her appearing suddenly, then vanishing before impact.
Some say she’s searching for something she lost; others think she’s simply stuck. Either way, drivers who’ve seen her don’t forget.
7. Old Midlothian Turnpike (by Rubio Woods/Bachelor’s Grove)
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery is famous for paranormal activity, but the road beside it has its own reputation.
Drivers along Old Midlothian Turnpike report black 1930s sedans that materialize, cruise alongside them, then evaporate into the night. It’s the roadway piece of Chicago’s most photographed ghost spot.
I walked the forest preserve path to the cemetery once, and the whole area felt heavy. The old turnpike remnant is cracked and overgrown, but people still see the phantom car on nearby lanes.
Some witnesses describe hearing old-fashioned engine sounds or catching a glimpse of suited figures in the windows. The legend fits perfectly with Bachelor’s Grove’s long history of hauntings.
8. River Road at Robinson Woods (Norridge/Schiller Park)
Lilac blooms in November should be impossible, yet drivers on River Road near Robinson Woods report the scent drifting through closed windows.
Beside the Des Plaines River and the Robinson family burial ground, people describe floating lights, quick shadows crossing the asphalt, and sudden cold spots that last for decades.
I stopped there one evening and felt an unexpected chill, even though the weather was mild. The burial ground is small and easy to miss, but its presence lingers.
Witnesses talk about seeing figures move between the trees and hearing whispers when no one else is around. The lilac scent is the strangest detail, appearing out of season and vanishing just as quickly.
9. Shoe Factory Road (Hoffman Estates/Elgin)
The factory and the old Spanish-Revival house are gone, but the stories refuse to leave.
Shoe Factory Road’s legend centers on a ghostly child holding a blade, appearing on the steps of a structure that no longer exists. Drivers also report odd lights hovering over the prairie and a persistent feeling of being watched.
I passed through on a quiet weeknight and felt that unease, even though the area looks ordinary now. The legend has morphed over the years, with some versions describing a tragic accident and others blaming something darker.
The road itself is unremarkable, which makes the lingering dread all the more unsettling. Locals still avoid it after dark.
10. Cole Hollow Road (Pekin/East Peoria)
In 1972, a wave of panic swept through Pekin when people started reporting a tall, pale, foul-smelling creature near Cole Hollow Road.
Dubbed the Cohomo, it triggered search parties and frantic calls to local authorities. Part mass hysteria, part prank, the legend is forever welded to this stretch of pavement.
I read old newspaper accounts and was struck by how seriously people took the sightings. Some described a figure over seven feet tall with glowing eyes and a nauseating odor. Others dismissed it as kids in costumes.
Decades later, the road still carries that reputation, and late-night drivers sometimes report strange shapes moving through the trees. The Cohomo might be gone, but the creepiness remains.
11. Cherry Road Curve (Oswego)
Prom night turned tragic at the hard bend on Cherry Road, or so the legend goes. Locals tell of a fatal wreck, a blood-smeared plea for help once seen on the pavement, and a girl’s ghost waiting at the fence line.
Every fall, local write-ups revive the tale, keeping it alive for new generations.
I drove that curve slowly, mindful of the tight angle, and understood why accidents happen there. The legend has all the classic elements: young love, sudden tragedy, and a restless spirit.
Witnesses describe seeing a figure in prom attire standing motionless by the fence, vanishing when approached. True or not, the story has become part of Oswego’s Halloween tradition.
12. Dug Hill Road / IL-146 (west of Jonesboro, Union County)
Once a shadowy pass, now a modern highway, but Dug Hill Road carries old baggage.
The ghost of a Civil War–era provost marshal named Welch is said to walk the grade, and depending on who’s telling the story, a towering figure called the Boger lurks nearby. Southern Illinois has always had a taste for dark folklore, and this road delivers.
I traveled IL-146 on a research trip and was surprised by how isolated it still feels, despite the upgrades. Night drivers report seeing a man in period clothing standing at the roadside, sometimes waving them down.
The Boger legend adds another layer, with sightings of a massive, shadowy form moving through the trees. History and horror blend seamlessly here.