Updated September 30, 2026. Every date, hour and price here comes from the attraction's own website as it read on that day. Drive times from downtown Des Moines are our estimates.
Four haunted attractions open within 20 minutes of downtown Des Moines this October. The Slaughterhouse is downtown and opens Friday, October 2. Linn's Haunted House is the old-school pick, $25 at the door. Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park is the biggest night out, with several haunts on one ticket. County Line Road Haunted Woods in Carlisle is the outdoor one.
For everything else on the calendar, see the October 2026 events calendar.
Haunted houses at a glance
| Attraction | Town | Drive (est.) | Opens | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Slaughterhouse | Downtown Des Moines | 5 min | Oct 2 | From $25 |
| Linn's Haunted House | Des Moines (north side) | 10 min | Oct 2 | $25, door only |
| Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park | Des Moines (east side) | 10-15 min | Oct 9 (early bird Oct 2-3) | $30-$48 |
| County Line Road Haunted Woods | Carlisle | 15-20 min | Oct 2 | Check the site |
The haunts
The Slaughterhouse (downtown Des Moines)
An indoor haunted house of more than 20,000 square feet in downtown Des Moines, with a new area this year called Cannibal Bayou.
- Where: 500 Locust St, Des Moines. About 5 minutes from anywhere downtown.
- 2026 dates: the ticket page lists opening night as Friday, October 2, 2026, at 7 pm, with multiple times available. The site doesn't list the full set of nights or closing times in text, so check the site for 2026 hours.
- Price: tickets start at $25 online. The site says tickets are always available at the gate and buying online shortens the wait.
- Event page: The Slaughterhouse Haunted House
- Site: slaughterhousedm.com (opens in a new tab), tickets at HauntPay (opens in a new tab)
Linn's Haunted House (Des Moines)
An indoor haunted house in the basement of Linn's Supermarket on Sixth Avenue; the site calls it one of the oldest haunted houses in Iowa and says to expect up to 20 minutes inside.
- Where: 3805 6th Ave, Des Moines. About 10 minutes north of downtown.
- 2026 nights and hours:
- October 2-3: 7 to 10 pm
- October 9-10: 7 to 11 pm
- October 16-17: 7 pm to midnight; October 18: 7 to 10 pm
- October 22: 7 to 10 pm; October 23-24: 7 pm to midnight; October 25: 7 to 10 pm
- October 29: 7 to 10 pm; October 30-31: 7 pm to midnight
- Price: $25 per person. Tickets are sold at the door only.
- Site: linnshauntedhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park (Des Moines)
A haunted park on the east side, near the State Fairgrounds, with several haunts on one ticket, including Tormented Souls, The Sawmill and a rope-guided walk in the dark.
- Where: 4051 Dean Ave, Des Moines. About 10-15 minutes east of downtown.
- 2026 dates: October 9-10, 16-17, 23-25 and 29-31. The site also sells early-bird tickets for October 2-3 at $25.
- Hours: parking opens at 6:30 pm and gates at 7 pm. On Fridays and Saturdays admission stops at 11 pm and the park closes at midnight. The site doesn't give last admission for Thursday and Sunday nights.
- Price: Park Pass $32 adult (12 and up), $30 child (11 and under). VIP Pass $48 adult, $45 child, limited availability. Parking is free.
- Tickets: only online tickets guarantee entry. Gate tickets are cash only and limited.
- Ages: open to all ages; the park asks parents to decide whether it suits their kids.
- Site: sleepyhollowscreampark.com (opens in a new tab)
County Line Road Haunted Woods (Carlisle)
An outdoor haunted trail in the woods just south of Des Moines off Highway 5. This year's show is The Mare Witch 5.
- Where: 1478 Gateway Drive, Carlisle. About 15-20 minutes southeast of downtown.
- 2026 schedule: opens Friday, October 2. Fridays and Saturdays 7 to 11 pm, Sundays 7 to 9 pm, plus Thursdays October 8, 15 and 22 and Wednesday-Thursday October 28-29 from 7 to 9 pm. Halloween weekend runs October 30-31 (7 to 11 pm) and Sunday, November 1 (7 to 9 pm). Hours are subject to weather.
- Price: opening night (October 2) is a charity night with $10 admission for all students. Groups of 20 or more get 25% off. The site doesn't show the regular admission price, so check the site for 2026 prices.
- Site: hauntedwoodsdsm.com (opens in a new tab)
Which one should you pick?
- Short on time, or no car: The Slaughterhouse is downtown.
- Cash at the door, no app: Linn's.
- A whole night with friends: Sleepy Hollow, and buy online, because gate tickets can sell out.
- Want to be outside: County Line Road Haunted Woods. Dress for the weather.
Not as scary
For Halloween plans with younger kids, try Family Halloween at Living History Farms, Trick or Treat Around the Lake in Pleasant Hill, or the Haunted Trolley Tour. Daytime fall farms are in our guides to pumpkin patches and apple orchards and corn mazes near Des Moines.
Sources
All fetched September 30, 2026.
- The Slaughterhouse: home (opens in a new tab), HauntPay ticket page (opens in a new tab)
- Linn's Haunted House: home (opens in a new tab)
- Sleepy Hollow Haunted Scream Park: need to know (opens in a new tab), Sleepy Hollow Sports Park event page (opens in a new tab)
- County Line Road Haunted Woods: home (opens in a new tab), schedule (opens in a new tab)