13 Places In Arizona That Would Be The Perfect Setting For A Horror Film
By Monica Spencer|Published October 13, 2017
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
One of my favorite activities during Halloween season is watching old horror films. Not necessarily slasher flicks but the creepy, classic ones that induce fear with suspense, the supernatural, and even gothic themes without necessarily showing gore. These days, Arizona doesn’t see much in the way of film-making but we can always dream. Let’s take a look at some places that are just creepy or spooky enough to be the perfect setting for a horror film, no matter what kind you prefer.
We’re starting this list with an abandoned dog track located just off the highway in Black Canyon City. The old race track is dilapidated these days, making it the perfect place for someone to lurk in the shadows.
Another abandoned building in Arizona, this one is expected to be demolished soon so we’re a bit sad it may never find its place on the big screen. Despite that, the domes are a spooky spot that would make a good hiding place for a movie’s villain.
If there’s one place you wouldn’t want to be stranded in while running from a threat, it’s probably the vast Arizona desert. Take your pick of the four in our state and imagine yourself running from someone like Leatherface. No thank you.
Abandoned places around the state are always just slightly eerie and this building on the site of a former mine is no different. Under the right circumstances, it looks like one of those places where you never know what you’ll find inside.
Old, haunted hotels are the perfect setting for anything potentially creepy in film and this hotel has the perfect mix of beauty, mystery, and ghosts. What kind of movie would you imagine being filmed here?
The granddaddy of haunted places in Arizona, when the lighting is just right you can almost feel the spirits lurking in the corners and hallways. That makes it the perfect candidate for any horror or thriller movie.
Another abandoned location on Route 66, Meteor City is literally falling apart. At one point, many of the original items could still be found in the buildings, including paperwork, photos, and other media; if those are still scattered around the premises, it would have the perfect air of mystery needed for a creepy movie.
This old saloon and hotel currently operates as a restaurant and museum but if they were ever open to filming a suspense movie here, the rustic place has plenty of potential for increasing the spook factor. It also just happens to be haunted by at least one ghost, Oatie, but he might be too friendly to be creepy.
Arizona is home to the largest Ponderosa pine forests and some of those areas are very remote and rugged. This, combined with the abandoned cabins you’ll occasionally run into, easily translates into a haunting location.
This ghost town looks pretty spooky and with the decrepit buildings in the desert, this place has plenty of potential as a horror or suspense movie set. What kind of character can you imagine hiding in the abandoned buildings here?
Rugged, dangerous, and home to a haunting legend that refuses to die, the Superstition Mountains is a place that naturally lends itself to a horror film. Plus, you can’t deny that its name doesn’t help!
Once a tiny mining town, Swansea is barely standing these days. The ghost town sits alone in western Arizona and the isolated location would be the perfect spot for a protagonist or two to encounter trouble.
Long abandoned, run down, and covered in graffiti, Two Guns has been a photography inspiration inspiration over the years and it could easily become the same for movies. It sits alone and decaying on the side of Route 66, perhaps a future inspiration for a road trip themed horror film.
This certainly isn’t a definitive list of creepy places around the state. What are some other places you think would make a great setting for a horror film?
