We Checked Out The 9 Most Terrifying Places In Virginia And They’re Horrifying

Camping is an activity that seems to lend itself to spooky situations. In the glow of a fading campfire, the sound of a twig snapping can evoke intense fear. But in the case of this campground at Braley Pond, your suspicions might be more than your imagination. Braley Pond has been the site of tragedy, including a gang murder and suicide. Further investigation in 2006 by the Shenandoah Valley Paranormal Society indicated that there was a deeply depressing force in that forest. For more information on this campground and how to access it, click here.

Virginia’s roads are often renowned for their beauty, although when it comes to Crawford Road this is not the case. Despite a relatively normal and picturesque outer appearance (during the day), the haunted history of this drive is so intense that many Yorktown locals avoid taking it altogether. Legend has it that this was the site where an unhappy young bride-to-be took her own life. Today, the unsuspecting visitor has been known to catch a glimpse of this spirit dressed in white, slowly swinging from side to side as though from an invisible road. To learn more about this legendary drive, click here.

There’s no denying that Clifton Forge is one of the most beautiful small towns in the state. With its friendly storefronts and historic streets, this Allegheny town makes for a lovely day trip. Yet there’s something mysteriously chilling about this town. Some believe this emanates from the railroad station, especially after dark. And yet this mode of transportation is responsible for the development and success of the town. To learn more about Clifton Forge and the recent horror movie that was based there, click here.

Virginia’s haunted asylums could hold their own category for haunted tales. Nowhere is that more true than St. Albans in Radford. This site is considered to be one of the most haunted in Virginia and also along the entire East Coast. What started as a prestigious boys’ school in 1892 evolved into a hospital for the mentally ill. In an attempt to rid these patients of their ailments, several experiments were performed and most of them proved harmful. With so many patients having died here, it’s no mystery why St. Albans has become a notorious site for paranormal activity. For more information on this site, click here.

Tucked away in the beautiful False Cape State Park is an abandoned town with a fascinating, and chilling, history. Wash Woods developed after an Atlantic shipwreck washed ashore in the 16th century. Surviving passengers used cypress wood to built the town’s earliest structures, some of which can still be observed today. While the town is no longer active, it served an important role in Virginia’s early history and holds with it the haunted memory of tragedy and survival. To learn more about the settlement at Wash Woods, click here.

The Public Hospital was established in Williamsburg in 1773 as the nation’s first mental hospital. While this is quite a noble distinction, the history of the Public Hospital is marked by much tragedy. Patients who arrived at this site were kept in extreme isolation, tolerating conditions not unlike those of a prison. Those suffering from extreme anxiety or other disturbances were kept in straight jackets and exposed to potent drugs. Fortunately, conditions drastically improved in later decades. Nevertheless, this site is an incredibly haunted one, even by Williamsburg’s standards. The site of the Old Public Hospital is available for tours and further education. For more information, click here.

Most people have no idea that under the beautiful waters of Smith Mountain Lake there may have once been a town known as Monroe. The existence of this former town is certain, although its location is not. That is why many people believed it has been submerged and long forgotten. Finding evidence of this town is nearly impossible, although the legend can be seen in local sites such as Sunken City Brewery, a nearby brewery named in honor of this lost city. Smith Mountain Lake may not be haunted in the traditional sense, but there’s no denying that this legend is a chilling one. To learn more about this intriguing site, click here.

Originally known as the Occoquan Workhouse, this Virginia prison was established in 1910 as something of an experiment. Prisoners would undergo intensive manual labor as a form of punishment for crimes committed. Nearby, another prison opened to house women, who performed duties such as laundry and other services. That is until punishment for women escalated and took a turn for the worst. These prisoners were forced to undergo unspeakable punishment by abusive prison guards. The group who received the most brutal of punishments were known as the Silent Sentinels, a group who picketed outside the White House for voting rights. Today, Lorton Prison is remembered for its cruel conditions and within the walls, the presence of these brave yet tortured prisoners can be felt. For more information about this site in Fairfax, click here.

Virginia’s trails are some of the most gorgeous in the country. Yet one trail just outside of Roanoke has another notable characteristic: it’s dreadfully haunted. The trail itself lasts for about 2.5 miles and leads hikers through the scenic valleys of southwestern Virginia. Both Appalachian Trail hikers and day hikers alike have reported disturbing accounts from the Sarver Hollow Shelter. According to legend, a ghost is known to survey the land after sunset and sometimes will shake sleeping campers awake. For more behind the history of this site, click here.