North Carolina is full of history and haunts, between the Lost Colony of Roanoke to the Pink Lady of the Grove Park Inn, there are all sorts of mystery, mayhem, and things that go bump in the night across the state. With Halloween fast approaching, what better way to scare yourself silly than to visit some of the most haunted places in North Carolina? Why wait and pay for the October thrills found in a make-believe haunted house when you can have a truly frightening paranormal experience now? Follow this road trip for the scariest ride of your life!

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What could be more fun than a road trip to experience some extremely scary places in North Carolina?! The trip starts you off at the Great Dismal Swamp. Your next stop is Crybaby Lane in Raleigh, next the Devil's Tramping Ground, followed by an extra scary experience at Gravity Hill. Then, you'll drive down the extremely haunted Edward's Road (Payne Road) and head west for the mystery of the Brown Mountain Lights. And finally have a place to rest and maybe see the Pink Lady at the Grove Park Inn.

1. Cry Baby Lane

After a fire destroyed an orphanage outside of Raleigh, and sadly, killed several children who called this place home, locals began to notice something strange. Weeks after, in the field where the fire took place, the smell of smoke was so strong it would fill up their lungs and they would violently cough. After the coughing subsided, a quiet cry floated through the air. The cries began to multiply and all at once there were deafening screams and cries throughout the field. Cry Baby Lane is home to one of the truly tragic real North Carolina ghost stories, and not many people are able to stay in the field for long.

Learn more about Cry Baby Lane and go on a ghost hunt in this video from East Coastal Ghost:

2. Great Dismal Swamp

The Great Dismal Swamp is beautiful during the day but becomes extremely haunting and spooky come nightfall. Spanning 112,000 acres along the state's northern border, The Great Dismal Swamp inspired novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe. Stowe's novel revolves around runaway slaves, known as 'maroons,' who lived in complete isolation in various parts of the swamp.

A place of sadness, hostility, and beauty, the energy here is palpable. It's best to go around sunset, but we wouldn't recommend staying too late after dark. Visitors have reported hearing strange sounds, seeing lights, and encountering ghosts.

3. Devil's Tramping Ground

The Devil's Tramping Ground is a 40-foot diameter circle completely devoid of life. Nothing will grow here. Leave something in the circle, and the legend says it will be thrown out the next day. If the legends behind this place are true, then it's definitely at the top of our list of scary places in North Carolina! Read our whole article on the Devil's Tramping Ground.

Head to the Devil's Tramping Ground in this video from Hitch Hiking Yeti to explore more haunted North Carolina places:

4. Gravity Hill

Optical illusion, or a ghost pushing your car up a hill? Many are left undecided on what exactly is occurring at Gravity Hill in Richfield. Legend says a young mother and her child were left stranded on the road, when a transfer truck plowed into their car, instantly killing both. Today, if you park at the bottom of Richfield Road your car will be pushed up the hill. Put baby powder on the hood and you'll be able to see handprints.

5. Payne Road

Payne Road (now Edward's Road) is rooted in urban legend and folklore. The long country road located in Rural Hall is a prime spot for paranormal sightings and really a general uneasiness. The stories revolve around a murder-suicide, the murder of multiple slaves and then a family, and even a young man burning alive while other people watched. Read all about Payne Road and the North Carolina ghost stories of the three legends surrounding it.

6. Brown Mountain

As night falls over Brown Mountain, different color orbs of shapes and sizes rise through the trees and bob through the mountain terrain. Is it marsh gas, aliens, energy, or spirits? Many legends circulate around this strange phenomenon that has been captured on video, and photographs, and you can see with your own two eyes. Read all about Brown Mountain, and watch a video of it, in our featured article.

7. Grove Park Inn

Perhaps a debutante, perhaps a scorned secret lover, the Pink Lady fell to her death from a 5th-floor overlook. Seen in a pink ball gown, or just with a pink 'aura' around her figure, she is said to be good-natured and takes kindly to children. One guest even left a note at the front desk, thanking the 'lady in pink' for playing with his children during his stay. Employees treat the pink lady like she is one of them. Her 'laid back' fun spirit is known to play pranks and take a particular fascination with room 545. Even if you don't stay in the room, you might witness something extra spooky, and if not, at least you'll have a great weekend away in one of North Carolina's best hotels.

Check out the Grove Park Inn, one of the most haunted places near Asheville, North Carolina, in this video from Jake The Viking:

Halloween - or not - any time of year is the perfect time to get extra spooky and visit some haunted places in North Carolina! What are some haunted places near you that give you the creeps?

For a road trip that's still spooky, but a bit different, travel through North Carolina's ghost towns. Have you ever taken a haunted road trip? Now is a good time, just head on over to RVShare to rent an RV and start planning your getaway.