West Virginia's Eerie 'Paranormal Trail' Is Back With 4 New Sites-and It's Full of Haunted History

"In West Virginia, the mountains are rich with folklore and dotted with sites time has left behind. These haunted hollows are united by their dark, whispered histories and their inclusion on the West Virginia Paranormal Trail, a curated collection of the state's most spine-tingling destinations. This year, the trail has expanded with four new sites, bringing the total to 21."

"The new stops on the trail include the Apollo Civic Theatre in Martinsburg, which was built in 1913 and has welcomed many great names to its stage-including some who never left, according to the West Virginia Department of Tourism. Meanwhile, flickering lights and unexplained footsteps are the norm at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, another new site on the trail. And in the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, a 19th century murder and spectral testimony remains one of Appalachia's most haunting legends."

"The final new addition to the paranormal trail may be the most fascinating: Seneca Caverns in Riverton has long been prominent in local lore due to its role as a gathering place and ceremonial space for the Seneca, an Indigenous group. Mysterious sounds are often heard in the cavern, which houses the largest flowstone formation in the state. Other stops on the trail include a visit to a now-closed penitentiary known for riots and more than 90 executions."

The West Virginia Paranormal Trail links 21 haunted sites across the state, showcasing folklore, abandoned places, and spectral legends. Four new stops expand the trail to include the Apollo Civic Theatre in Martinsburg, Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg, the Greenbrier Valley Theatre with its 19th-century murder legend, and Seneca Caverns in Riverton, noted for mysterious sounds and the state's largest flowstone formation. The trail features historic theaters, a now-closed penitentiary known for riots and over 90 executions, and a Gothic-style asylum that became severely overcrowded and remains associated with reports of hauntings. The trail offers a mix of natural, historic, and theatrical paranormal attractions.

Read at Travel + Leisure