Halloween is merely days away and it is common to see a multitude of pumpkins, skeletons and ghosts as decorations across many neighborhoods. For some it is the trivial things about Halloween like trick-or-treating or carving pumpkins that make the holiday fun, but to others, the joy comes from the thrill of haunted houses and the blood and gore of scary movies.
In the far east side of El Paso, everyone is welcome to visit the Forbidden Acres Haunted Outdoor Trail, 13161 Tobacco Rd, where guests are treated to a plethora of screams. Beware, it might not be for the faint of heart or for those with no sense of direction.
As you enter the desolate area in which the haunted trail is located, guests are followed by actors in ghoulish costumes and terrifying makeup as they walk up to the ticket booth. While waiting in line to enter the small makeshift pathways, employees are there to greet you with dark humor and loads of sarcasm to keep your mind focused on something else before entering.
Jump scares are there to greet you in the darkened paths including crawling performers who stay in character all the way to the end. With it being my first haunted house, my expectations were high, and this trail gave me all the frights I needed for Halloween. With performers finding any way to give you a spook, make sure you place yourself in the middle or front when visiting in a group of three or more.
If you are unlucky, and get stuck in the back, expect performers to taunt you and even whisper in your ear to send chills down your back. Having different scenes in many parts of this maze, visitors should be prepared to run and not lose their footing. With twists and turns and many blocked off trails, they should focus on getting out and not on the woman sitting offering guts for dinner.
This year Forbidden Acres has curated multiple jump scares, scenes and interesting ideas which might cause some to run the other way. However, the creativity in finding new ways to scare guests makes it a popular attraction during Halloween time.
Due to this being an outdoor trail, be prepared by wearing the correct outfit and shoes as the man chasing you with a chainsaw will not care if you ruin the clothes you came in. Another reminder to guests is to be weary of the widening and narrowing makeshift pathways as some might get lost and could run into blood covered clowns.
The experience is fun for many people, but the recommendation is to leave this haunted trail for those 15 years and older, with some scenes being just a bit inappropriate for younger audiences.
At the end of an estimated 15-minute thrill, I rate the experience a 9 out of 10. From the unsettling feeling of walking throughout the maze to the unique scares, Forbidden Acres is worth going back to more than once a year. The performers do an excellent job at keeping the scares at an elevated level from beginning to end, giving the trail an eerie tone.
Tickets are on sale on site for $25 from 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday. They are also open from 8 p.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. Guests are invited to return on Halloween for an extra source of fright. For more information you can follow Forbidden Acres on both Facebook and Instagram at Forbidden Acres Haunted Trail.
Itzel Giron is the multimedia editor and may be reached at [email protected]; @by.itzel.giron on Instagram; @itzel_anahi_16 on Twitter.
