Pictured above: Holland Road in Angola.

It's spooky season! While jack-o'-lanterns and 12-foot skeletons create a festive mood in local neighborhoods, something far more sinister lurks along the roads less traveled. These byways can quicken drivers' pulses and leave travelers feeling as if they've wandered onto the set of a scary movie.

Here’s our list of the seven scariest roads in Western and Central New York. Avoid them (or seek them out) at your discretion. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Cedarvale Road, Onondaga (Onondaga County) 

What seems like a scenic drive up a long and winding road comes with some seriously eerie folklore. Better known as “13 Curves,” Cedarvale Road is rumored to be the site of a car accident that claimed the lives of a young bride and groom on their wedding night. Reports of a ghostly figure of a bride walking along the road, dressed in white, searching for her groom have followed. The details, such as the date of the accident and type of vehicle driven, are sketchy. In 2018, a sign was erected on the road that lets drivers know they may be in for a fright.

Gray Road, Minetto (Oswego County) 

When a road is home to only two houses and a set of train tracks, you know it’s going to be scary. In fact, Gray Road is also home to its very own ghost! According to urban legend, if you park your car at midnight on the Gray Road train tracks, you may see the ghost of a cab driver or a young woman in a white dress. And those visions don’t come from thin air – records show that both a young woman and a cab driver died nearby in the past. In addition to all this spookiness, one of the Gray Road homeowners will light approximately a dozen candles in the windows of their home – rumored to be in remembrance of twelve nuns who were murdered by a serial killer.

Holland Road, Angola (Erie County) 

Known to locals as Pigman Road, Holland Road gained its nickname from a local urban legend. According to the tale, a butcher in the area during the 1950s and 1960s would display pig heads on stakes along the street. Some versions of the story go further, claiming that the butcher was involved in a gruesome murder.

However, the paranormal activity associated with Holland Road is said to stem from an earlier tragic event. In 1867, a devastating train accident known as the “Angola Horror” occurred nearby. A passenger train derailed, which claimed the lives of 50 people and left another 40 people with severe burns. Local lore suggests that the spirits of those who perished in this accident continue to haunt the area.

Newell Road, Middlesex (Yates County) 

On what’s known as Spook Hill, cars can go uphill while in neutral. True story! While local folklore attributes this phenomenon to supernatural forces, including stories of a Native American burial ground whose spirits supposedly push cars backward, scientific investigation has proven it to be a natural optical illusion known as a “gravity hill” created by the layout of the surrounding landscape.

For those wishing to experience Spook Hill, drivers should exercise caution and use their vehicle's four-way flashers when stopping or rolling backward on the road. At the peak of Newell Road, where the pavement appears to decline, cars placed in neutral will seemingly defy gravity by rolling "uphill."

Connecticut Hill Road, Newfield (Tompkins County)

At the intersection of Connecticut Hill and Boylan Roads sits a centuries-old cemetery that locals say is a hotbed of paranormal activity. The heart of the cemetery's supernatural reputation is the grave of Elizabeth Whitney, known as the "Witch of Connecticut Hill."

Though the origin of her reputation as a witch remains unclear, her gravesite has become a focal point for paranormal activity, with visitors reporting various supernatural phenomena including human apparitions, glowing orbs, shadow people, strange mists, and the sound of a woman sobbing.

The cemetery's paranormal reputation extends beyond just ghostly encounters, with claims of UFO activity and Bigfoot sightings in the area, as well as reports of vehicles being affected by the supernatural energy. Today, the deteriorating cemetery, with its crumbling and overturned gravestones, draws ghost hunters and curious visitors who often leave tokens such as coins, charms, small pumpkins, and dolls to appease the spirits.

Whiskey Hollow Road, Van Buren (Onondaga County) 

You know a road is scary when it’s actually closed to traffic at night. Whiskey Hollow Road, a desolate 2.2-mile stretch in the town of Van Buren, has become infamous for its dark history and supernatural occurrences. According to local legend, this uninhabited roadway was once a gathering place for both the Ku Klux Klan and satanic cults, with rumors of racial killings and ritual sacrifices—particularly of children—taking place in its remote woods.

Stories also tell of a wrongfully convicted man who died in a shack along the road before his scheduled execution, and his grief-stricken wife who subsequently hanged herself from a nearby tree. Their spirits are said to walk the road together to this day.

There have also been numerous paranormal encounters reported on Whiskey Hollow Road, including sightings of children's spirits wandering through the surrounding forest and a bloody child's blanket mysteriously appearing in the trees. Some locals are somehow able to overlook all this spookiness and visit the area often to get fresh spring water.

Culvert Road, Medina (Orleans County) 

Culvert Road in the village of Medina is the only place in New York where you can drive under the Erie Canal. The tunnel was built in 1823 as a cheaper solution than building a bridge across the canal.

What makes this road spooky? The mere 7-feet, 6-inch clearance is not for the faint of heart – or the large of vehicle! Water constantly drips through the centuries-old mason work, leading to an eerie atmosphere. The one-car tunnel is so deep you even lose radio signal. Adventure through (or under) history – if you dare.

If you find yourself in a scary situation with your car on a spooky road – don't fear! Call AAA our use the AAA Mobile App and our roadside assistance will come to the rescue.

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