Iowa’s haunt season is built on two things the state has plenty of: big barns and big timber. The heaviest concentration of haunted houses is in the Des Moines metro, but some of the state’s most talked-about attractions sit well outside it, from a four-attraction complex in the Loess Hills near Omaha to a funeral-home-themed haunt in a small Benton County town. This guide ranks the best haunted houses in Iowa by region. For more depth on the capital, read our guide to haunted houses in Des Moines. You can also browse every listing in the Iowa haunted house directory or find haunted houses near you.

What are the best haunted houses in Iowa?

Hillside House of Hell (Glenwood, Western Iowa)

Four-attraction haunt complex · about 25 miles south of Omaha
Hillside House of Hell calls itself Iowa’s largest haunted house, with more than 50,000 square feet spread across four attractions on Green Street in Glenwood. It is the go-to haunt for the Council Bluffs and Omaha side of the state and typically opens weekends in mid-to-late September before adding Thursday and Sunday nights in October. Fast-pass upgrades are sold on busy nights; check its official site for the current calendar and pricing.

The Slaughterhouse (Downtown Des Moines)

Indoor haunted house · Locust Street, downtown
The Slaughterhouse marks its 15th season in 2026 with new scenes built into its industrial meatpacking storyline. It runs select nights from late September through Halloween weekend, with the latest hours on Fridays and Saturdays. Outside haunt season the same venue runs a live escape-room experience. Details are on the official site.

Sleepy Hollow’s Haunted Scream Park (Des Moines / Pleasant Hill)

Multi-attraction scream park · east side of the metro
Set on the hills of Sleepy Hollow Sports Park, this is Iowa’s best-known Halloween park, now in its 30th season. It stacks more than ten haunted houses and trails into one ticket, including The Graveyard, Nightmares Asylum, and a newer attraction called The Rat Sewer. Plan on a long night if you want to see everything. Check the official site for open nights.

Linn’s Haunted House (Des Moines)

Indoor haunted house · basement of Linn’s Supermarket
Linn’s Haunted House is Des Moines’ longest continuously running haunted house. It fills the basement of a neighborhood grocery store on 6th Avenue. Founder Merlyn Linn died in September 2026, and the family has said the haunt will carry on in his honor. Its official site lists the season from Friday, October 2 through Saturday, October 31, with admission of $25 per person, tickets sold at the door only.

Scream Acres (Atkins, Cedar Rapids area)

Four-attraction scream park · about 20 minutes west of Cedar Rapids
Scream Acres is the big haunt for the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City corridor, packing four haunted attractions and a large cast of scare actors onto a farm outside Atkins. It is rated as one of the scarier stops in eastern Iowa and is best for ages 12 and up. It typically runs Friday and Saturday nights through October; confirm dates on its official page.

The Deranged Haunted Attraction (Belle Plaine)

Indoor haunted house · Benton County
The Deranged tells the story of a local who takes over the town’s old funeral home and meat market, and it has picked up statewide “haunt of the year” recognition from Iowa haunt fans. It runs select Saturday and Sunday nights in the fall, sometimes with a lights-out night at the end of the season. Check its official site before you drive.

Garrison’s Haunted (Garrison)

Fire department fundraiser haunt · Benton County
Garrison’s Haunted has been run by the Garrison firefighters and volunteers for about 25 years, and proceeds go toward firefighting and emergency equipment. It opens a handful of Friday and Saturday nights in the second half of October, with low, cash-friendly admission at the door.

The Haunted Barn (Ladora, near Marengo)

Community barn haunt · Iowa County
The Haunted Barn, run by the nonprofit Friends of Marengo, is a decades-old local tradition that donates its proceeds to veterans’ groups, schools, and food pantries. It typically opens Friday and Saturday nights in October, and it has offered a discount for bringing a non-perishable food item. Check its Facebook page for this year’s nights.

Where are the best haunted houses around Des Moines?

Central Iowa has the state’s deepest bench. Beyond The Slaughterhouse, Sleepy Hollow, and Linn’s, the metro adds a clown-and-circus haunt on Indiana Avenue, a wooded trail in Carlisle, and a family-friendly lighted trail near Winterset. See all of them, with what makes each one different, in our Des Moines haunted house guide.

What about eastern Iowa and the Quad Cities?

The Cedar Rapids and Iowa City corridor is served by Scream Acres plus the small-town haunts in Belle Plaine, Garrison, and Ladora above, so plan on a short drive from either city. Quad Cities fans will find several of the area’s bigger haunts on the Illinois side of the river; our guide to the best haunted houses in Illinois covers the wider picture. Southeast Iowa families heading toward St. Louis can check our ranked Missouri guide.

Where can you visit a real haunted school in Iowa?

If you want paranormal history instead of scare actors, Haunting at Farrar runs guided ghost-hunting investigations at the former Farrar school near Maxwell, a 1921 building that closed in 2001. It is a paranormal investigation, not a haunted house, so expect a long, quiet night with equipment rather than jump scares, and book ahead.

What to expect at Iowa haunted houses

Most Iowa haunts open in late September or early October and run weekends through Halloween, with the biggest parks adding Thursday and Sunday nights in the final weeks. Ticket prices range from about $15 at volunteer and fire-department haunts to around $40 at the largest complexes, and fast passes are common at the big names. Treat every date and price here as a starting point to confirm on the official site, not a guarantee.

Many of the state’s best haunts are in barns, farms, or timber, and late-October nights can be cold, wet, and muddy. Dress in layers and wear closed-toe shoes with good grip; our what to wear to a haunted house guide covers the details.

Know before you go

• Check the official calendar. Many Iowa haunts only open a few nights a week, and outdoor trails can close for weather.
• Bring cash. Smaller community haunts, and even some large ones like Linn’s, sell tickets at the door, and some prefer cash.
• Go early in the season. The last two weekends of October bring the longest lines; opening weekends and Thursdays are usually quieter.
• Bringing kids? Age guidance varies by haunt; our parents’ age-by-age guide can help you decide, and first-timers should read our first-timer’s complete haunted house guide.

Ready to plan your night? Browse all haunted houses and Halloween attractions in the Iowa directory, or find haunted houses near you.