Maryland packs a lot of scares into a small state, spread across four areas: the Baltimore metro and its Carroll County exurbs, the Washington suburbs in Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Charles counties, Western Maryland around Hagerstown, and the Eastern Shore. This guide covers the best haunted houses in Maryland for 2026 by region, what kind of night each one delivers, and how to plan your visit. Opening weekends, hours, and prices shift from year to year, so always confirm the details on each attraction’s official site before you buy. Want the full statewide list with a map and filters? Browse every haunt in our Maryland directory, or find haunted houses near you.

The best haunted houses in Maryland by region

Baltimore and the metro area

The Baltimore area is the busiest corner of Maryland’s haunt scene. Bennett’s Curse in Dundalk has terrified the region for more than 25 years and is marking its 10th and final season at its Eastpoint location in 2026, with more than 30 minutes of nonstop scares. Downtown, The Nevermore Haunt takes over a historic former department store in Old Town for a theatrical, ever-changing haunt with sideshow performances and an on-site bar. Just northeast in White Marsh, Creepywoods Haunted Forest runs a scare trail through the woods, and up in Aberdeen, Legends of the Fog bundles a haunted hayride, an indoor haunt, a corn maze, and an outdoor midway into one ticket. For the full metro lineup, dates, and tips, see our guide to haunted houses in Baltimore.

Carroll County

West and north of Baltimore, Carroll County adds two well-liked haunts. The Final Bell Haunted Schoolhouse in Hampstead runs inside the real, shuttered North Carroll High School, turning empty classrooms and dark hallways into a maze. In Westminster, Hera’s Nightmare packs four themed attractions — a witch-trial haunt, a mutant-lab walkthrough, a vampire-versus-werewolf clash, and a photo “selfie” vault — into a single location.

The Washington suburbs

South and west toward Washington, Maryland’s suburbs hold some of its biggest names. Markoff’s Haunted Forest in Dickerson is a sprawling outdoor experience of haunted trails, bonfires, and stunt shows on a wooded Montgomery County property. Field of Screams Maryland in Olney returns in 2026 with an all-new, fully rebuilt attraction after sitting out a season to renovate. In Laurel, Laurel’s House of Horror fills a former movie theater with a four-part indoor walkthrough and bills itself as the area’s largest indoor haunt. Nearby, Leech Woods in Damascus and CornStalker’s Trail of Terror in Waldorf round out the outdoor-trail options across the Maryland side of the DC suburbs.

Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore

Beyond the two big metros, the scares spread out. In Western Maryland, Creekside Manor near Hagerstown and Shady Rest Haunt in Flintstone serve the mountains and the I-70 corridor. Across the bay, 301 Devils Playground covers the upper Eastern Shore in Galena, and up near the Pennsylvania line the family-friendly, charity-run Zombies at the Zoo at Plumpton Park Zoo in Rising Sun offers a gentler fright for younger visitors.

What to expect at Maryland haunts

Maryland runs the full range, from gentle, family-friendly walkthroughs to intense, multi-attraction scream parks, so scare levels vary widely — check each haunt’s stated intensity before you buy. Knowing how scary haunted houses really get helps you match the right one to your group. Because several of the state’s haunts pair indoor mazes with outdoor trails and hayrides, our guide to haunted houses versus haunted hayrides is worth a read, and you can see how Maryland’s marquee haunts stack up nationally in our roundup of the best haunted houses in America.

Know before you go

• Buy tickets online in advance. Maryland’s most popular haunts — especially Bennett’s Curse, Markoff’s Haunted Forest, and Field of Screams — sell out prime October weekends, and fast-pass or timed-entry options often cut the longest waits.
• New to haunts? Our first-timer’s complete haunted house guide walks through exactly what to expect on your first visit.
• Dress for a cool, often outdoor night. Many Maryland haunts include outdoor trails and hayrides, and October evenings turn cold after dark — our what to wear to a haunted house guide helps you plan.
• Confirm prices, hours, and age guidance on each official site — these change season to season and vary by attraction, and some haunts set a minimum age or offer a tamer, family-friendly option.

Ready to plan your night? Find haunted houses near you and compare your options before Halloween.